Re-imaging schooling with youth and community partners through internships

Last week, several of us submitted a chapter for an edited book from Harvard Press on productive pedagogies in and out of school for youth in urban settings. Here's a snippet:

...in today’s market-driven, high stakes assessment arena, where essential life experiences like the arts and physical activity are casualties to the reign of simplistically assessed skills, creating spaces for young people to be anything other than students is increasingly a figment of imagination. More specifically, newcomer immigrant youth are seen, through lens of educational policy, research and practice, solely as English language learners, ones in need of intensive English-only and remediated instruction to pass the high stakes assessments (Patel Stevens, 2009). The cumulative effect of this educational arena is a bleak one for young people, teachers and rarely considers the long-term effect for professional workplaces.

In this chapter, we report on our efforts to wedge a space in schooling where youth are seen as already skilled, where adults learn about youth other than their studenting skills (Patel, in press), and where young people critically engage with race, capital and status in society.  To conduct this work, we re-imaged a common practice of secondary and tertiary institutions: the internship.

The contributors to this chapter include a university-based researcher, two graduate students, a volunteer mentor, a high school program leader, a school district administrator, and a young immigrant.

Cannon Design

By Tony

I worked as an intern in the multinational architecture firm Cannon Design. Cannon Design Boston employs 84 people, representatives of a wide range of skills- architectural designers, urban planners, construction engineers, contract administrators, HR…..

The mission of Cannon Design is to plan and design buildings and their interiors that promote productivity, enhance the quality of life of users and visitors, and contribute value to the environment. They strive to create environments that are a thoughtful response to the program mission of their clients, physical setting and functional purpose.

Cannon Design has a borderless office. Employees can communicate with each other easily but under supervision of them either.  They have different ethnic backgrounds--Indian, Caucasian, Chinese from Mainland and Hong Kong, Japanese…… When you talk to them, you can notice the distinctions on accents. It causes misunderstandings sometimes, which is a difficulty the workers face when they talk to people from work sites in different countries. However, all people are helpful and easy to approach.

I talked to people from different positions, which gave me the chance to observe numerous aspects of an architecture/engineering firm.  Most of them have family backgrounds relating to their job. Schools gave them conceptual views of their profession. The senior coworkers teach newer staff techniques for professional practice. They keep learning new things so that they won’t fall behind others working in the same field.

I gained valuable insight at Cannon Design.  Leaders and staff were extremely welcoming and helpful, and offered me terrific information.  This internship has confirmed my interest in art and science, and definitely increased my interest in pursuing a career in business and marketing.

Jobs for the Future

By Cecilia

My internship this semester was at Jobs for the Future (JFF).  This amazing company has a big goal: It creates ways to support low-income families.  How is that possible?  They are trying to help students to finish high school and enter college, so in the future those students will have a better life.  On my last day I worked with the Executive Assistant to the President and CEO Bronya Demerle.

In this internship I learned a lot of new things.

One of the challenges that the organization has is trying to find school models that can help the company to encourage kids to finish high school and enter college.  They want to find examples to demonstrate that every kid can graduate from high school.

I worked with Sandra Jadotte in supporting staff.  Her role is to support and help the VP Joel Vargas.  She helps organize his daily schedule, takes notes in meetings, and provides administrative support.

I also worked with Joel Vargas, the vice president.  He told me that the company is trying to expand its programs.  One new program will help people to finish high school, even if that person is working. That part was very interesting because that means that if you didn’t have the opportunity to finish high school, they will give you the opportunity.

I also worked with the Human Resources Manager Marie-Josee Joubert. She has a very busy day. She told me how important it is to go to college.

In my personal opinion, Jobs for the Future is doing an amazing job and the people that are working there are the nicest people that I never met.  I am glad that they gave me the opportunity to work with them.

Interning in the Boston Public Schools

By Vanessa

My internship placement was the Office of Instructional & Information Technology (OIIT) in the Boston Public Schools (BPS).  Melissa Dodd, Chief Information Officer, and 66 other people work there.  It was a great experience for me to meet new people, asking questions and having a great conversation about the main purpose of their work.  

Dr. Carol Johnson & Vanessa

I met the Superintendent Carol Johnson.  I talked to her about some courses that I'm really interested in but I don't see in high school.  She was very polite to tell me what her role was in the system. She said she has to report to the mayor so she has to know everything that is going on and also present new projects that they have for the kids.

It was very fun to learn how many people that are working hard to makes things better for us so we can have a better future.  They try to improve education in the schools.  It is a future plan to use more technology in school with the students. 

When I told Melissa that I’m very shy around people, this is the advice she gave me. “It’s ok to be a certain way in public. You can let them know how you feel around them and they will be very understanding of you.” It mean so much to me to have the courage to tell her how I feel when I'm around people and she understands and tell me to just let it out because I'm not the only one in that position.  She also offer me to come and volunteer in my free time after school.  She is giving the opportunity to work around people so I overcome the fear.

My Role in the Office of Oral Health

By Gustavo 

I worked as intern at MA Department of Public Health, Office of Oral Health.  The role of this organization are following things:
• Evidence-based prevention programs such as community water fluoridation and school fluoride and sealant programs are utilized by Massachusetts communities and residents.
• That all residents have access to dental services. especially underserved populations.
• Publicly supported dental programs are efficiently managed and coordinated.
• Oral health information is available to residents and decision-makers to promote oral health.

Joyce juggles many things everyday

I feel proud to have been part of this amazing organization. My role there was to fix and put in order all the documents of people attending programs of dental services that were made ​​by DPH.  Also I checked the number of visits to its website.  I really enjoyed this part because I could see that many people in the United States has interest in Oral Health. The experience was really good because I could develop my skills and got the experience of teamwork.  I am really grateful for it.  I want to thank my internship supervisor Joyce Starr for making me welcome and showing me about their work each week.

As conclusion the Office of Oral Health works to make our oral heath better every day. 

Chinese Progressive Association

By Christina

The Chinese Progressive Association (CPA) educates and organizes the low income and working class immigrant Chinese community, to build collective power with other oppressed communities, and to demand better living & working conditions and justice for all people.  People work there in order to fight for the community.  I am so glad that having an internship at the CPA organization.  

Application Form for Survival

Even though I worked there not for a long time, I enjoyed working with them and helping the people who need CPA.  I worked with Laurence every Wednesday. While there, I helped Chinese people apply for the survival certificate. Sometimes, I also helped Laurence do some translation.  The job which he gave to me, I finished that on time.  I think it was a good method to train me to be a responsible employee.  This experience was extremely welcoming and helpful, and offered me terrific career advice.  Now, I get more interested in translating.  I really enjoyed doing that.  Overall, I had a very good experience at CPA. 

source: CPA website

In conclusion, Chinese Progressive Association is a place that is for justice, democracy, and equality.

Boston Police Department

By Jian

My internship placement was at the district E-13 police station in Jamaica Plain. I had a great experience shadowing officer Antoinette and officer Rodriguez. 

The Boston Police's mission is to work in partnership with the community to fight crime, reduce fear, and improve quality of life in our neighborhoods. 

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It was a great to see what they do on daily bases. It help me to get a sense of what a police officer does. Police officers put their own life on the line of duty everyday, they face different situations everyday. 

One advice that officer Rodriguez gave me was 'If this job is what you really want to do, you have to go through with it, because it motivates you.' After hearing that, it really made think deeply, asking myself, is this what i want to do?  And if it is what do I need to start doing to get prepared. 

Map of District E-13

The thing that really struck me was how hard the community and the police officers work together to improve the community.