Shapiro Administration Celebrates Scranton Students with Disabilities for Summer of Service Through L&I’s MY Work Program

Over the course of the summer, six students worked throughout Scranton’s parks on projects including painting murals, gardening, mulching, and general maintenance and repairs. During today’s celebration at Weston Field, Richard Bagley, Jan Carlos Bello Cardoso, Aaric Bernard, Keyla Guevera, Andrew Islas, and Rhys Jones were recognized for their accomplishments, dedication, and contributions to the communit

“These six young people spent their summer showing us exactly what MY Work is all about. They showed up, worked hard, learned new skills, earned a paycheck, and made Scranton a better place for everyone who calls the Electric City home,” said Secretary Walker. “What they gained this summer goes far beyond something to add to a resume. They built confidence, made connections, and opened doors to new possibilities for their futures.”

Created by L&I’s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), MY Work provides high school students with disabilities meaningful, paid work experiences in their own communities. For many participants, the program provides their first job, first paycheck, and first opportunity to explore a career while developing workplace and independent-living skills. OVR covers wages for MY Work participants, while community partners provide worksite training and support.

“Year after year, the students enrolled in the MY Work program have contributed so much to Scranton and our collection of parks,” said Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti. “We are proud of them and appreciate their hard work for the City of Scranton."

Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. (YAP), a national nonprofit organization that provides community-based services and support to young people and families, has partnered with OVR on MY Work in Scranton for six years, providing staff and worksite support to help participating students succeed on the job.

“We are extremely proud to see how far our program participants have come over the summer,” said YAP Lackawanna County Program Director Denise Shandra. “This Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation MY Work initiative is a model public-private community partnership that enables YAP to deliver economic, educational, and emotional support to young people with disabilities and other youths and families facing barriers to the American dream.” 

This year marks the 10th anniversary of MY Work. OVR launched the program as a pilot in Allegheny County in 2016 with just 50 students working for the City of McKeesport. The program expanded statewide in 2021, and since then has provided paid, real-world work experiences to more than 3,600 young Pennsylvanians. That number includes the more than 1,000 students who participated at more than 250 MY Work sites across all 67 Pennsylvania counties this year, which marked a first for the program. 

MY Work is part of the Shapiro Administration’s broader commitment to expanding Pennsylvania’s workforce and ensuring every Pennsylvanian has the opportunity to succeed. Governor Josh Shapiro’s bipartisan 2026-27 budget increases career and technical education funding by $10 million, bringing Pennsylvania’s annual investment in workforce development — including CTE, apprenticeships, and pre-apprenticeships — to $193 million, a 60 percent increase compared to before Governor Shapiro took office.

Each year, OVR works with more than 76,000 students and adults with disabilities across Pennsylvania. Last year, nearly 18,000 students received Pre-Employment Transition Services, including paid work-based learning experiences like MY Work, and OVR helped more than 6,400 individuals secure competitive integrated employment.

For more information on the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, please visit the website or follow L&I on Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn. 

Note: The Pennsylvania Vocational Rehabilitation program receives 78.7 percent of its funding through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. For federal fiscal year 2025, the total amount of federal grant funds awarded was $163,789,270. The remaining 21.3 percent of the costs ($44,329,243) were funded by state appropriations or another non-federal allowable source.

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