The Baltimore Sun is full of stories about teenagers causing trouble because the kids have nothing to do. Our government and school system have lost sight of many simple things that have worked quite well in the past to ensure that students are not idle during the summer.

Jobs programs need to be created by the city in the city. For example, working at and maintaining city recreation centers or working as attendants and life guards at our park service’s many swimming pools. City parks need the grass cut, the leaves raked, damaged tree limbs cut — God knows there is plenty to be done in the city just to clean it up, and teenagers can do what needs to be done for a paycheck. They will come home at night having a feeling of accomplishment and a few needed dollars in their pockets. This type work is not a big ticket item in a city budget, yet we have cut these things out of our budgets.

Businesses need to hire teenage summer help: Grocery stores need baggers, shelf stockers, aisle cleanup. Construction companies need helpers and apprentices. Business benefits from the summer part timers doing the needed things that get pushed to the side by busy or vacationing full timers. If necessary, tax credits could be earned by these businesses.

You have students who are interested in sports; they should be seriously working at summer camps, organized workouts, summer leagues. Back in the day, Baltimore had outstanding amateur sports teams, and the parks were full of team play day and night throughout the summer. I drive by our parks and see no one playing baseball or basketball — all that is required is for someone to organize it, again not big ticket items. School gymnasiums sit idle during the summer; teams and leagues can be formed for organized recreation. All that is needed is a focused approach by our city government.

Schools should have summer educational programs to help kids catch up. How about an English teacher assigning a reading list that would require time spent in libraries during the summer, with papers submitted based on the reading list at the beginning of the next school year? Kids who need help with math should have the opportunity in the summer to get some needed special attention.

None of these things are expensive items, and they are certainly cheaper than the police salaries and overtime pay required to oversee students in the Inner Harbor and the malls.

City government should do more to foster summer jobs in conjunction with business and industry to have these opportunities available to meet the need each summer. These same few city employees can ensure that the schools are part of the process by making sure students are aware of the jobs available and encouraged — before the end of the school year — to properly apply.

This alone is an educational process that will teach students how to apply, interview and work for the satisfaction from success in the work force — and a paycheck. This city spends millions on studies for things like hiring new police chiefs, when just a few well spent dollars would alleviate many of the issues surrounding student unrest during the summer months. Parents should ensure that kids don’t have “nothing to do” during the summer months, because nothing to do is the devil’s workshop. The adults in government, business, churches should be making sure they have plenty to do.

William Tress (wtress233@comcast.net) was born and raised in Baltimore. He lived on 38th street and Greenmount and “saw a lot from the front porch of that wonderful neighborhood.” He is retired, after 32 years in federal service and later working for the state on Preston Street.