Get Involved, Employed, & Empowered at Owensboro Teen Week 2026

Local pastor and community leader DeMarcus Curry has been an advocate for local youth for YEARS. He founded the Owensboro Youth Empowerment Summit in 2007 and has been working to try to meet the needs of young people here in the community ever since.
Hosting job fairs and mentoring programs, he and other organizers like Sarah Jacobs are passionate about helping teens feel supported and, of course, empowered for success. Now, they are gearing up for Teen Week 2026 Part Two happening October 19th through the 23rd at the Daviess County Public Library.

Monday, Oct. 19, 4- 6 PM: C.A.F.E. (Career Access for Everyone)

The Owensboro Youth Empowerment Summit (OYES), in collaboration with the Daviess County Public Library (DCPL) and Owensboro Community & Technical College (OCTC), has invited local professionals to speak at C.A.F.E. The session is called "Brew Your Future: Real Skills. Real Careers. Real Opportunities." Youth will learn about different career paths, daily responsibilities, required training or certifications, and how to get started.

A variety of industries will be represented, including skilled trades and construction, automotive, transportation and logistics, energy and utilities, healthcare, IT, public safety, business and entrepreneurship, creative and digital careers, hospitality, and manufacturing.

Tuesday, Oct. 20, 4- 6 PM: Teen Financial Workshop "Can You Pay Your Bills?"

This session is something I WISH I had the opportunity to learn more about in high school. This session covers the basics of budgeting, understanding income and expenses, smart budgeting tips, saving for goals, banking basics, building good credit, and avoiding debt traps.

Wednesday, Oct. 21, 4- 6 PM: Teen Financial Aid Workshop

This session is for students (and parents) planning for college, trade school, or certification programs. Financial aid (grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study) can be hard to navigate, but here there will be step-by-step FAFSA help, budgeting for college, and how to find scholarships or grants that may assist with educational expenses.

Thursday, Oct. 22, 4- 6 PM: Resume & Interview Workshop

Teens looking for jobs do not want to miss this session. Representatives from the Kentucky Career Center will assist with writing and improving resumes and will conduct mock practice interviews. They'll also give advice on how to "dress-for-success" in various professional career paths.

Friday, Oct. 23, 4- 6 PM: Teen Job Fair, "Grab a Bag!"

Teens can stop by and grab a bag filled with applications, business cards, and learn about current openings and opportunities from a variety of local employers.  Some businesses will even be hosting open interviews with teens who attend.

Attend the whole week, or pick which ones you'll benefit from the most. If you have any questions or want to support Teen Week 2026, you can reach out to DeMarcus Curry (dcurry50@msn.com) and Sarah Jacobs (sjacobs@dcplibrary.org).