(Washington, DC)  In an effort to heighten private sector recruitment and hiring of District youth for summer jobs, Mayor Adrian Fenty and the Department of Employment Services (DOES) will officially launch the District 2008 “Just Take One” campaign during a breakfast reception at Holland and Knight, 2099 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 100, on Thursday, January 31, 2008, from 9 am to 10:30 am.   More than 80 private sector companies have confirmed their attendance at tomorrow’s breakfast reception and launch.

The “Just Take One” campaign seeks to encourage local businesses to hire and provide at least one student with supervised and meaningful summer work experience.  More than 14,000 District youth, ages 14-21, register with the city’s Passport-to-Work Summer Youth Program each year.  While young workers have been successfully placed in work experience opportunities each summer, the opportunities have primarily been with government agencies.

	EVENT INFORMATION
WHAT:	The District’s “Just Take One” Campaign Launch for the 2008 Summer Youth Program
WHERE:	Holland and Knight 2099 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 100 Washington, DC 20006
WHEN:	Thursday, January 31, 2008 9 am – 10:30 am
SPONSORS:	The DC Chamber of Commerce, Greater Washington Board of Trade, DC Department of Small and Local Business, and Holland and Knight

The DOES Summer Youth Program brings together community-based organizations, private sector employers and federal and District government agencies to afford program participants short-term, practical work experience and exposure to various careers.  For more information on the Just Take One Campaign, visit does.dc.gov, and select Youth Services or call (202) 671-2100.