Both efforts are being accomplished through a countywide initiative called the Summer Youth Employment Program.
The Laurinburg Downtown Revitalization Corporation is getting help from three young men who do jobs in and around the business district. The LDRC also has a young participant working on the corporation's website.
On Thursday, Demontez Shipp, 14, Justin Brigman,17, and Elijuan Ross, 19, worked on a parking lot off of Atkinson Street behind the Art By Design building. The parking lot is owned by Wayne Freeman of the TDA Company.
"Wayne asked me if my workers could come and paint parking strips in his parking lot," Barbara Alexander said. "He provided the paint and supplies for the boys to use."
The boys worked all morning.
"We cleaned up the dirt and trash around the parking lot and then started painting the parking strips," said Shipp, who is from Laurel Hill. .
Tyrone Smith a city employee helped the boys get started.
"I showed the boys how to paint the parking strips," he said. "It is a little different if you have never done it before...they caught on fast."
The project is one of many the teenagers have been working on since the program started two weeks ago.
"The boys have been working hard doing odd jobs around the district," Alexander said. "They have been cleaning up parking lots, painting, caulking, and weed-eating around the LDRC...things that would not get done if we didn't have them."
The boys are also helping businesses in the downtown district, according to Alexander.
"They have helped a lot of the businesses downtown such as The Plaid Piper, The Daily Grind, Highlights, The Storytelling Center and others," she said.
At The Plaid Piper the boys helped clean up the building for owner Bo Smith.
"They came in and cleaned a storage area in our back room and cleaned up trash back behind the building," Smith said. "They did a wonderful job and worked really hard at what they did."
Another big project the three boys are doing is cleaning up the water fountain downtown.
"Paint chips are clogging the pump so it won't work properly," Alexander said. "The boys are working to get it cleaned out and back running again."
At the LDRC Building, Stephen Strickland, 19, a student at Fayetteville State University is working on a website for the LDRC. Strickland plans to do something in the computer field after he graduates.
Strickland and Ross who is a student at Winston-Salem State University are two of many college students who are in the Summer Youth Employment Program.
"It's a good summer job while I'm home from college for the summer," said Ross who is from Maxton.
Lauren Britt agreed.
"This program is great for college students who have come home for the summer," Britt said.
Britt along with Ashlynn Chavis, Christy Hicks, and Helen Streeter are case managers for the Summer Youth Employment Program.
"As case managers, we go out to the job sites and see if the workers are okay and are doing their jobs," Britt said.
"The Summer Youth Employment Program is designed to provide employment opportunities for youth ages 14 through 24," supervisor of the program, Victoria Headen said. "It is design to assist young people in developing good work habits, increase academic skills, and become more aware of the world-of-work as well as helping them become more self-sufficient."
There are 148 youth working in this program in Scotland County, Headen stated.
"This a great program and the people of Scotland County should know how their tax money is being used," she said.
The Summer Youth Employment Program is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to the state of North Carolina through the Lumber River Workforce Development Board. The Lumber River Workforce Development Board oversees program operations for Bladen, Hoke, Robeson and Scotland Counties.
For Brigman of Laurel Hill, this summer job is helping him realize what he wants and doesn't want for his future.
"I like working for the City of Laurinburg, but it's not something I want to do in my future, but I do like it for now," he said.
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