Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP)

The MBSYEP application for this summer is now open for all DC youth ages 14-24.

The Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP) is a locally funded initiative sponsored by the Department of Employment Services (DOES) that provides District youth ages 14 to 24 with enriching and constructive summer work experiences through subsidized placements in the private and government sectors. The program begins on June 29 and ends on August 7, 2026. Before the jobs begin, however, there are a number of deadlines for application, certification, and orientation outlined below. Please read carefully!

Washington Latin will be a SYEP job site where Latin students (both campuses) may apply to work for both on-campus jobs and “earn and learn” as a student enrolled in summer classes. Choosing Latin as the preferred work site does not guarantee placement at Latin. There are also hundreds of other job opportunities across the city for your children to consider.

Program requirements

To participate, students must meet the following criteria and be able to provide proof of eligibility:

Age 14-24
DC resident
Verified Social Security number
Proof of permission to work in the United States
Parental consent to participate (if under 18)
Participant consent form

Please see the checklist below to see what documents can be used as proof of these eligibility requirements.

SYEP Checklist for Eligibility Documents

Parental Consent Form

Participant Consent Form

The required documents can be submitted online by March 6 for verification, or a student may bring the documents to an in-person SYEP certification event by March 28. See below for more details.

Program requirements and deadlines

All SYEP participants must complete several items to ensure they can participate, including:

Apply by March 6, 2026.
- Submit the online application.
- The application is open between January 26 and closes March 6 – do not wait to apply!
Submit documents for certification by March 28, 2026
- Documents are required to prove age, DC residency, work eligibility, parental consent. See above for specifics.
- Participants must submit their documents for certification in one of two ways:
  - Online through the SYEP portal by March 6, 2026.
  - In-person at a certification event by March 28, 2026.
    - Washington Latin will host a certification event on March 11, from 2:00 – 6:00 pm in the 2nd Street MPR.
    - Other certification events will be shared with SYEP applicants directly.
    - The last event will take place on March 28, 2026.
Indicate your job site preference by May 15, 2026.
- Students may select Washington Latin as their job site, including if they intend to attend summer school and have that count as their summer job.
- If not attending summer school at Washington Latin, students may select the school as their work site. It is not guaranteed, however, that we will be able to employ all SYEP students.
- Students can also attend the MBSYEP 2026 Career Expo and Hiring Fair on Friday, April 17, 2026 to explore other options.
- Placements will be available for SYEP participants to view in the portal by June 8, 2026.
Attend orientation by May 22, 2026
- The window for orientation is April 4 – May 22, 2026; details will be shared directly with SYEP applicants.
- Participants ages 14-15 must attend in-person orientation, as do all new SYEP participants.
- Returning participants over age 15 may participate in an online orientation.
Submit additional documents by May 26, 2026.
- Participants must submit their W-4 through the SYEP portal no later than May 26.
- SYEP participants are paid through a US Bank debit card system and must submit required information online by May 26.