Today marks the official first day of spring, and while I love blooming flowers and the return of green grass, I’ve already started setting my sights on summer. For some of us, summer means a chance to kick back and sharpen our whiffle ball skills, but for some Cambridge teenagers, this summer also brings the promise of a job and the exhilirating feeling of cashing your first paycheck.

The City of Cambridge is once again proud to offer the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program, which connects Cambridge teenagers with local non-profits and government agencies for summer jobs. Applications for both job seekers and for job providers are available on April 23, but you’ll want to start filling out application forms well ahead of the May 10 deadline. The City is also partnering with Just A Start, Rindge School of Technical Arts, the Chamber of Commerce and others to help place teens in private sector summer jobs.