"Long gone are the days of taking the summer off," Atlanta Public Schools Deputy Superintendent Erica Long tells Georgia Today.
"We try to keep our young people engaged and doing something productive."
Long is referring to the city's Summer Youth Employment Program, which this summer will offer more than 5,000 students ages 14 to 24 paid jobs in a bid to keep them busy and out of trouble, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Last year, students worked in 12 different city departments, including the mayor's office.
"We keep them busy with the summer youth employment program, and they make money so they can buy clothes," Mayor Andre Dickens says.
"The reason why this program centers the youth is because they need young minds to solve the complex problems of our society.
You all are the culture.
So bring that to your internship this summer."
Georgia Today reports $10 million has been spent on the program in the past two years.
So far, more than 5,000 students have signed up.
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