The Burlington County, NJ Workforce Investment Board is running a fabulous summer program to help promote employability of local youths. Many local businesses have signed on to mentor and teach the youths job skills that will help them in their future endeavors. In exchange, the businesses get their summer help for free as the youths are paid out of a federal fund.
Jaz McClendon is an incoming senior at Rancocas Valley. He's spending 35 hours a week working split shifts Monday-Friday for 8 weeks of his summer to learn valuable job skills and about all aspects of pet care, training, and grooming dogs at Country Haven Kennels, in Eastampton NJ. He's climbing the ranks to Rookie Dog Trainer. When he isn't working, he's soaking up information through reccommended reading from the kennel's library.
Jaz's daily chores consist of feeding, watering, medicating, cleaning after, and bathing dogs. He keeps the office tidy and organized, and he takes care of the caged birds and fish tank as well. He's learning to train dogs with some of the rescue dogs being fostered at the kennel.
In his own words, Jaz describes what his time working with the dogs means to him:
I love working with dogs. Country Haven Kennels is perfect for me. Some day I would like to own Country Haven Kennels. After the Summer, I hope I can work at Country Haven Kennels for many years. Some people hate cleaning up after dogs, but I don't mind it because I do it all the time. I like playing with the dogs, especially Thunder. My favorite dogs are Hannah, Mama, Bud, and Thunder. Working at Country Haven Kennels is a good head start for me to be a dog trainer. In a weird way, the staff feels like family. I'll do anything to help the dogs and to save them.
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