Kings Canyon Unified Urges Reedley Businesses to Join Summer Work Experience Program

Kings Canyon Unified School District officials urged Reedley businesses and stakeholders at a community meeting at the Greater Reedley Chamber of Commerce to join the district’s Summer Work Experience Program, or SWEP. The Feb. 19, 2026 meeting framed the appeal as an effort to expand paid summer jobs after KCUSD said the program began in 2016 with 10 auto-focused businesses and has since grown to about 75 local shops, with 120 students placed in roles this summer.

District materials presented at the chamber described the financial mechanics and pre-work requirements of SWEP. KCUSD told attendees the district provides up to 100 hours of minimum-wage pay to students while participating businesses supply on-the-job training and supervision. SWEP requires participating students to be in good standing behaviorally and academically and to complete a series of pre-summer workshops ahead of placement.

SWEP Coordinator Veleda Oltjenbruns spoke to the program’s emphasis on workplace habits and basic employability skills at the meeting. "What these kids are learning in terms of applying for a job, showing up, interviewing, being a good worker, showing up 15 minutes early every single time, like nobody teaches you that, and yet we know that that's what keeps people employed and gets people jobs," Oltjenbruns told attendees.

Organizers used a local success story to illustrate the model. Alexander Serna, who "built his skills in Reedley High School's automotive program," began working at Lee’s Service in Reedley shortly after graduation through SWEP. Serna said, "I was training to do this, you know?" and "They taught me like new tricks or like habits, good habits, you know," and he accepted a formal job offer from Lee’s Service when his SWEP placement ended. Lee’s Service owner Robert Huebert, described by district coverage as the program’s longest partner, said of hosting students, "We need extra people in the summertime, so it's perfect," and the outlet reported Huebert called hiring Serna "a no-brainer."

KCUSD materials distributed at the meeting included a summer work window and hour-tracking expectations; the district outlined a June 8 to June 30 period during which students will work toward achieving 100 hours at their work site and gain experience accurately tracking those hours. Outreach for the Reedley business mixer and SWEP appearance has also appeared on local Instagram and Facebook posts, with social copy noting the chamber would "feature" Kings Canyon Unified School District's Summer Work Experience Program and a partial note that "Valley ROP will be offering" additional support.

At the close of the Feb. 19 session, KCUSD urged businesses to consider signing up as host sites to expand paid opportunities for Reedley students, stressing the combined benefit of district-funded pay support and employer-provided experience.