It's not every day that a teen's first summer job ends in tragedy, but that's exactly what happened in Alabama.
Seventeen-year-oldCorrina Mack was working as a receptionist at JE Hobbs Elementary in Camden when a fire destroyed the building in April, AL.com reports.
The principal at the school, which has three workers and a custodian, says she was "grateful" for the workers sent by Wilcox Works, a nonprofit that helps connect young people to jobs in the area.
"They have really helped us get our feet on the ground and get things moving," she says.
Mack, who graduated from Wilcox Central High School last year, was working at the school when the fire happened.
Wilcox Works compensates the workers out of pocket; employers, usually county facilities or other non-profits, pay nothing.
"A lot of times, kids are placed in unexpected work environments and are deeply impacted by the experience," says Benjamin Lightner, executive director of Wilcox Works.
"They'll say, 'I never considered doing this,' and that instance, along with others, often leads to part-time positions outside the program or consideration for full-time employment in the future."
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