Please contact the office below if you are ages 9-18 and
interested in obtaining a youth sponsor. When you arrive in Albany,
plan to take our youth community tour. Contact the office below for
dates and times.Have you ever spent the summer with nothing to do? Do
you waste weekends around the house? Not much fun is
it? Well, try getting a part-time job. Easier said then
done? Try the art of "networking". Communication is a
powerful tool. Tell everyone - friends, relatives, and neighbors -
that you are looking for work. Guess what? Your parents
may even be able to help.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook lists the
following as the Top 10 popular part-time jobs for youth: Gas Station
Attendant, Grocery Clerk, Hotel Housekeeper, Waiter or Waitress, Sales Clerk,
Delivery Person, Nurse's Aide/Orderly, Office Clerk, Groundskeeper and
Construction Worker. Please note that fast food was not listed --
this is a given.
Locally, some of our youth have gained employment with
various retail stores to include K-Mart, Target, and Walmart. They
have also gained employment with Lowes of Albany, Harveys Supermarket and Kelly
Services. And who says work can't be fun? Our youths are
also working at the Albany Recreation and Parks Department, Putt-Putt Golf and
Games, and Stardust Skating Center.
Please become familiar with your
Federal and State regulations in reference to age limitations for specific
jobs. Use all resources available to include the classifieds, job
banks and the Yellow Pages, Also utilize your local Community
Service's Family Member Employment Assistance Program. They can
provide you with unlimited, valuable information/resources. Whatever
jobs you are pursuing, think quality. Let your potential employer see
only your best.Youth/Teen Activities sponsors a variety of activities for
children aged 9 to 18. The Youth Center offers pool, big screen TV,
board games, arts and crafts, etc. If you are 10 years and over the
center has an open door policy that allows you to come and go as you
please. If you are 9 your parents must sign you in and out.
In
the summer and when there are holidays from school, the center plans trips in
and around the local area. Trips have included visits to Six Flags,
Laser Storm, Callaway Gardens, Putt-Putt golf, Stardust skating and
more. The center also offers movie nights, special craft days, wet
and wild fun days, lock-ins, etc. It's your center, so if you want to
see or do something ask the directors. It just may
happen! Contact the centers at the numbers listed below or Children,
Youth, & Teen Programs for current activities.Albany is known as the "Good
Life" city, and you will find plenty of the good life around if you know where
to look.
School spirit is alive and well in the city of
Albany. Sports rivalry between the four Dougherty County High Schools
and other area high schools is strong. Most schools offer athletic
programs in basketball, football, wrestling, swimming, track, cross country,
baseball, and tennis. Beyond high school sports, the Albany State
University Rams are a winning football team, and usually have large crowds in
attendance. Ask for the student discount. All home
football games are played at Hugh Mills stadium.
Academically, students
must choose a course of study towards a college preparatory diploma or a
vocational diploma. In order to graduate ALL students must take and
pass the Georgia High School Graduation Exam. Subjects covered in the
exam are math, English language arts, science and social studies. If
you have questions about transferring credits you should contact the Dougherty
County Superintendents Office. You will find their number listed in
the Education Section. If you want to go to college Albany offers the
following options: Darton College (a 2-year college), Albany State
University (offering 4 and 6-year degree programs), and Albany Technical
College(a technical-vocational college). Tuition assistance is
available from the state of Georgia in the form of the HOPE grant, however, you
must maintain a "B" average to be eligible. For information on the
HOPE grant call 1-800-546-HOPE. Scholarships are also available from
the Staff NCO Wives club on base. Your guidance counselor will
probably have a list of
others.
RECREATIONAL/SOCIAL/SPORTS
ACTIVITIES
If you are into outdoor activities, Southwest Georgia is the
place to be! Hunting and fishing are two of the most popular
activities. You will need licenses for both of
those. Summer sports leagues are very busy and the Albany Recreation
and Parks Department or the YMCA can help you get into those. The
base sponsors some summer sports teams, such as soccer. There are a
lot of great lakes for boating and even some places to water ski. The
MCCS Gear Locker on base rents some of the items you and your family may need
for camping or fishing. You may also want to check into the 4-H club
or the Boys/Girls Clubs. On Base, you can get involved with your
youth centers. Each housing area has their own, and you will find
more information about them under the Youth Center section. They take
frequent trips in the summer, going on day trips to area
attractions. The staff at the youth centers are happy to listen to
any ideas or suggestions you may have about activities. So, the more
you speak up, the more fun you may be having. Some of the other
things teens like to do in this area are; hanging out at the mall and
movies. Discount movie tickets can be purchased in advance from the
ITT office at the Exchange. And don't forget to remind the old folks
that DisneyWorld is only a 5-hour drive away. (ITT has discount
tickets for that
also).
DRIVER'S
LICENSE
In Georgia you can get your learner's permit at age
15. You can get your driver's license at 16, but you must have a drug
awareness card to do so. The number for the Driver's License Office
is listed below in the record listing section of this
category.
MUSIC
Albany teens listen to a wide variety of
music. Everything from country to hip-hop to rock is acceptable and
accessible. Heavy metal, grunge, etc., are a little harder to
find. There are a lot of good local bands around and you can hear
them at places like the train depot, the Fair Grounds and Veterans
Park. The local radio stations are as follows: for rock--
and 103.5; for country--B100 and K-country 104.5, for urban contemporary--WJIZ
96.3, 106.1, 101.7 and 105.5.