Jobs, volunteer work, lessons can fill summer hours
By Michelle Knight knight@theacorn.com

Sgt. Patti Salas of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department says that to keep teens out of trouble parents should keep them busy with activities.

"It's when they stand around with nothing to do that they find something to do and that's not always positive," Salas said.

Teens and younger children can spend the summer as a volunteer for a nonprofit or in camps and classes offered through park districts and community youth organizations.

In Camarillo, teens are invited to volunteer at St. John's Pleasant Valley Hospital, the Ventura County Animal Shelter or the Camarillo Library.

For a listing of volunteer opportunities available throughout the county, ranging from caring for animals at a shelter to building houses for underprivileged families, check the United Way of Ventura County's website at www.volunteerventuracounty.org

Rancho Simi District

Teenagers can take guitar lessons, surfing, yoga or sign language classes through the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District, which also serves the Oak Park area.

The district also has a year-round volunteer program for teens. Spokeswoman Colleen Janssen said that about 65 percent of their 700 volunteers are teenagers. They help with office work, staff community events and assist class instructors.

Such community service looks good on college scholarship and admission forms, Janssen said, and helps fill in that vital experience section on job applications.

For more information on park district activities, call Colleen Janssen at (805) 584-4453.

The city also offers teens and young adults, from the ages of 13 to 22, free employment services and job skills workshops. Call Samantha Argabrite at (805) 5224473 for an appointment.

Agoura Hills

From now through Aug. 24, children from 10 to 15 years old can take an adult-supervised field trip every weekday when they join the community services department's Adventure Club.

On Mondays, the children will go to Southern California amusement parks; Tuesdays, to the beach; on Wednesdays, to a water park and Thursdays and Fridays are reserved for the movies, malls or other local offerings.

Children are welcome to attend the club as often as they like. On Mondays and Wednesdays, the cost is $45 a day and includes park admission. The cost is $35 a day for the rest of the weekdays. The city also has volunteer opportunities for teenagers, who can assist instructors in sports classes and help out at special events, such as the concerts in the park.

Agoura Hills operates a shuttle service to Zuma Beach, which costs $1 each way, and is available to people of all ages.