Teenager Stephen Hillock won the lottery and will start collecting his earnings in July.

But this is a different kind of lottery — one that requires hard work and could pay dividends for a lifetime.

Stephen scored a summer job through the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), an annual seven-week program funded by the city’s Department of Youth and Community Development.

Mosholu Montefiore Community Center (MMCC) administers the program locally and held the first of several orientations at PS 94 last week, where 290 students chose jobs in areas such as health care, activism, and summer camps.

Stephen, 18, chose to be a counselor with the Butler Summer Day Camp. He and other students will work for the minimum wage of $7.15 an hour. They will also receive a debit card and learn how to use a savings account.

“I’ll be able to pay the bills and help my mom,” Hillock said. With job experience, a reference and a resume, he hopes to land a full-time job and ultimately move out of the Monroe Houses in Soundview. “There are drug activities and shootouts. I don’t want to live there,” he said.

At the orientation, students burst into laughter as Robert Altman, MMCC’s assistant director, strutted down the auditorium aisle wearing a red do-rag and black baseball cap, and listening to an iPod.

Altman then listed the offenses that result in firing. He also explained that students would take one day of courses, on topics including career services, financial literacy, and health education. Afterward, students met with employers in the cafeteria.

This year, 103,000 students applied for summer jobs citywide, up from last year’s record-setting 93,750. But this year, there are nearly 7,000 fewer jobs due to proposed budget cuts by the Bloomberg administration.

The City Council, along with Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum and advocates such as the Campaign for Summer Jobs, have been fighting the $7.4 million cut,  which would reduce citywide enrollment to 35,000 students, down from 42,000.

The city budget must be balanced by June 30. Federal funding, which used to provide almost the entire budget, has dropped by 90 percent since 1999 to $3.8 million last year, City Limits Weekly reported.

About 21 percent of last year’s enrolled students came from the Bronx, second only to Brooklyn.

“This shows … that kids do want to work, they just don’t have the opportunity,” Altman said.

Most students, like Jasmine Cassiano, liked the jobs they selected. Jasmine, 15, who lives on East 168th Street, got one of 15 places as a classroom leader at the WHEDCo (Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation) Summer Arts Day Camp. It was a popular choice among students as it offered activities such as music, drama, television production and T-shirt design, according to Kelly Harvey, the group’s assistant director.

“I want to go into acting, and I love kids.” Jasmine said.

Neighborhood Initiatives Development Corporation, an east Bronx nonprofit, was looking for 20 camp counselors and three office workers.

“Every year it’s been successful,” said Jason Williams, NIDC’s assistant director. “We’ve had really good kids who work hard, and there are usually a few every year who get jobs with the agency after the summer.”

Sistas and Brothas United, the youth activist wing of the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, was looking for 40 students this summer. “Students will [get] a political education, and get training in organizing and running [issue] campaigns,” said spokesman Jorman Nunez. “We’re calling it a Summer of Action.”