South River hires team of student workers for summer
By Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Olivia Bradbury
Through a combination of provincial and federal grants, South River has hired its largest group of summer student workers.
The group of five workers consists of one university student and four high school students, all of whom are from South River. They made an appearance at South River’s July 8th council meeting, where Deputy Mayor Melissa Hierlihy welcomed them to their roles.
“We’re fortunate to have those grants and to have you guys,” Hierlihy said. She added that it was a great opportunity for the students to get work experience, noting that it might be the first for some of them.
“At the end of the day, it’s still a job,” said Hierlihy. “There’s still work to be done.”
The student workers will be supervised by Jonny Jessop, who oversees South River’s general maintenance. The students will help with maintenance work such as painting, cutting grass, and so on. They will also help organize events in town such as the Newfoundland Pony Walk held on July 16th and South River Day on August 1st.
Hierlihy told the students to take the work seriously.
“Nothing looks worse than a resident driving down the road and seeing students stood up on their cell phones.” She told the students to step away briefly if they need to use the phone, and then return to their work.
“Have a good time, enjoy it, make some money, but learn along the way,” said Hierlihy. “And be responsible and respectful when you’re out in public.”
Councillor David Petten told the students to be safe, particularly around vehicles or power equipment. He advised the students to wear their safety glasses, reflective vests, gloves, and other protective gear.