City staff and program partners recognized 25 youth participants in the Workforce Investment Network (WIN) summer internship program, which the city described as a partnership among the Duarte Teen Center, Duarte Public Safety Department and Parks and Recreation.

A presenter described the WIN program, established in 2017, as focused on youth who are inexperienced in the workforce, struggling in school, or from low‑income backgrounds. The cohort included youth from Duarte High School, Beardsley Academy and other local schools; staff said participants were Duarte residents, county residents or Duarte students.

Program requirements include 15 hours of on‑the‑job training each week (90 total hours over six weeks) and weekly check‑ins. Stipends were reported as $250 for the first three weeks and $500 upon completing the program. Staff said they arrange work‑permit‑appropriate placements, conduct one‑hour professional workshops, and recruit community work sites; eight work sites were listed (including Dickies Barbecue, Grocery Outlet, Boys & Girls Club, Parks and Recreation and Facilities Maintenance). The presenters said participants will collectively volunteer more than 2,000 hours by the end of the summer.

Staff thanked school and county partners and said this year’s funding totaled $7,500 from Duarte Unified ($5,000) and Kathryn Barger’s office ($2,500). Council recognized the interns and staff with certificates and a photo opportunity.