Dyesha McCord doesn't graduate from high school until May, but she's already working part-time for the city of Sanford. 

City officials were impressed with her event planning work when she participated in the YELDA program during the summer between her sophomore and junior years.

"Now, I work part-time for the city after school," McCord said. "I love it, they love me. We work all the time together, and I meet a lot of people every day. I would recommend it to anybody who's looking for a job."

Youth Empowerment Leadership Development Academy — or YELDA — has provided dozens of high school students who come from low-income families the ability to work a summer job.

It also allows the students to learn important skills, like how to interview for a job and how to manage money.

Funding for the program isn't secured for the upcoming summer, though.

Francis Oliver, who employed two teenagers who worked in the Goldsboro Welcome Center's vegetable garden last summer in Sanford, worries about the students who might not get the chance to participate in the program this summer if it isn't funded.

"Last year, we had about 43 children graduate from the program," said Oliver, who is the director at the Goldsboro Historical Museum. "That was 43 children who were not standing on the streets. That was 43 children who had something to do."

Sanford officials said funding for the YELDA program ended Sept. 30, 2014.

For the 2014-15 program year, the city has released a notice of funding availability in an effort to solicit new youth programs to fund.

"The city of Sanford recognizes the need for summer employment for the youth and values the YELDA program," said Andrew Thomas, Sanford's senior project manager. "The city has and continues to assist Goldsboro Front Porch Council in the search for alternative funding for the YELDA program."

Oliver says high school students are now coming to her every day looking for summer jobs, but she said they are having a difficult time finding work.

"I'm hoping that somehow, someway before school is out that there's some money to give these children, even if it's not six weeks, if it's four or five weeks," Oliver said.