About Summer of Opportunity Program (SOOP)
Youth Employment Services (YES) offers the Summer of Opportunity Program (SOOP) to City residents and students ages 14-20.
SOOP collaborates with the RochesterWorks Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) through marketing and a joint youth application. This opportunity allows young people to gain real-world work experience with diverse employers and internship partners from the Greater Rochester community.
The primary difference between the two programs is eligibility. SYEP requires applicants to meet residency and income guidelines. SOOP only requires residency within the City, no matter which school applicants attend or their family income. All applicants must be enrolled in middle school, high school, or a high school equivalency program (TASC).
Youth who reside outside the City of Rochester should visit Rocsummeryouth.com for more information and resources.
Apply for SOOP in 2025!
Application deadline and requirements
The application opens yearly on February 1st. SOOP operates from July through August, providing internships and employment opportunities for youth.
Students must complete the two-step online application process, including the submission of required documents. After completing both steps, applicants are assigned to SOOP or SYEP to continue the process.
We refer successful applicants to interview with organizations in the public, not-for-profit, faith-based, and private sectors. Selected interns must complete the full six weeks of participation with a maximum of 20 hours per week.
The documents below are required with your completed online application:
- Work permit (for guidance on obtaining a work permit, click here)
- Social Security Card (if you don't have one, click here to get one)
- Valid photo identification issued by a government agency (Driver's License, DMV non-driver I.D., Passport, School I.D.)
- Most recent official report card (showing name, address, GPA, and school name)
- Not accepted:
- Partial screenshots of report cards
- Progress reports
- Online reports
- Application signature report
Youth Services
