More lively morning rush hours, back-to-school sales galore, cooler, brisker temps…yep, it is that time again.

Last week marked the completion of our third annual Young Entrepreneur Mentorship Program (YEMP), which has doubled in size since the 2007 inaugural year. The program is funded by a generous grant from the JPMorgan Chase Foundation and from operating funds of the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Business Improvement District.

Fifteen local teens were placed with Myrtle Avenue businesses for a seven week summer experience which included 20 work hours per week. MARP recruits the students, schedules interviews with participating merchants, handles all of the employment paperwork, and pays their wages for the summer. Myrtle merchants oversee the teens and serve as supervisors and mentors to the local high school students.

A few of the teens were hired by local businesses upon completion of the program, and thus will be continuing on in an after-school capacity.

We are grateful to the following students and employers for their commitment to making the third year of the program a major success:

(l-r in photo): Dwayne Carolina (Prattstore, 550 Myrtle); Malik Brown (Dope Jams, 580 Myrtle); Samantha Lawrence (Polish Bar of Brooklyn, 470 Myrtle/ Burzh-wa Salon, 352 Myrtle); Michael Greene (Miracles Unisex Barber Shop, 473A Myrtle); Ashley Andrews (Walgreen’s, 379 Myrtle); Terrell Coombs (Myrtle His & Hers Barber Shop, 349 Myrtle); Danielle Faulkner (Optimum Care Rehab, 474 Myrtle) and Tereese Gorham (Wally’s Square Root Cafe, 584 Myrtle).

Missing from photo: Herold Saint Louis (Fort Greene SNAP, 324 Myrtle/ Prattstore, 550 Myrtle); Patrice Sease-Bey (Subway, 400 Myrtle); Koree Richardson (Karen’s Body Beautiful, 436 Myrtle); Cristina Valentin (Green in BKLYN, 432 Myrtle), Dasha Walker (Just Because Salon, 141 Carlton Avenue), Malik Carolina (Tamboril, 527 Myrtle) and Damani McDermott-Reed (Pillow Cafe-Lounge, 505 Myrtle).