Critical Skills & Essential Services: PIC Interns at CBOs

This past summer, PIC interns provided essential services and developed critical professional skills at 70+ community-based organizations across the city. Students worked in organizations with diverse missions across a wide range of roles. 

For programs like Ceeds4Change and Boston Centers for Youth and Families (BCYF) Mattahunt, students provided hands-on assistance working with younger children. At other sites, interns developed technical skills that they will carry into their career—for example, at Timothy Smith Network’s Boston Design Academy, students explored coding and 3D modeling. No matter the role or organization, interns at our CBO sites gained early-career experience that will guide their future paths. 

Ceeds4Change 

PIC interns at Ceeds4Change explored early education, providing much-needed support to teachers. Ceeds4Change is a nonprofit that collaborates with Boston Public Schools, higher education, and business to encourage organic gardening, nutritious cooking, and healthy eating through education. In partnership with Mattahunt Elementary School, Ceeds4Change’s summer program offers local children a welcoming environment to learn and play. In addition to teaching the benefits of healthy eating, the Ceeds4Change summer program encourages creativity through the arts.

Katherine Marquez Lainez, a sophomore at the Dr. William W. Henderson K–12 Inclusion School, shared that working with children boosted her confidence and allowed her to grow professionally. Although she realized that she doesn’t want to pursue education as a career, her experience at Ceeds4Change has allowed her to develop transferable skills. “You can use those skills in other places, in a different job,” says Marquez Lainez. “If you have questions, you’re going to need to speak up and ask them.”   

Marquez Lainez’ supervisor, Loise Accime greatly appreciated the help she provided in the classroom. “My experience [as a supervisor] has been great,” she shares. “[Katherine] takes direction very well and she takes initiative, which I think is my favorite thing that she does. She already knows what the expectations are. It’s been a pleasure to have her.”  

Boston Centers for Youth and Families (BCYF) Mattahunt 

At Boston Centers for Youth and Families (BCYF) Mattahunt, PIC interns are essential in supporting the community center programming. As a part of the City’s Boston Centers for Youth and Families system, BCYF Mattahunt offers community resources and programing for the neighborhood, especially youth. In the summer, neighborhood children from ages 7 to 13 can drop-in and participate in a wide range of activities, including taekwondo, T-shirt making, Afrobeats, bike riding, various sports, and more. Student interns provide program support and act as mentors, encouraging the younger children to engage critically in activities.  

BCYF Director Raymond Heath hopes that student interns develop a passion for working in childcare and gain a clearer understanding of the career paths the field can offer. “Here they have the opportunity to come in and give back to the community,” he shares. “Hopefully this can inspire them to work in human services or with kids, maybe becoming an athletic assistant or even a center director.”  

Brivhonny Valcourt, a senior at Boston Green Academy, wanted to intern at BCYF Mattahunt to experience working with children and supporting the community. As a gym assistant, he learned the joys and challenges of mentoring younger children. “Every kid’s different,” he says. “They may be lacking attention at home, and they’re going to come here and try to look for it. So I try to give every kid a good amount of attention.” 

Timothy Smith Network (TSN) 

Students at the Timothy Smith Network (TSN)’s Boston Design Academy (BDA) spent their summer internships learning technical skills and software programs for coding and 3D modeling. The intensive 6-week program culminated in a showcase, where students had the opportunity to present projects that applied their newfound skills. Rooted in Boston for over 25 years, TSN empowers residents of all ages to use technology as a springboard for learning, connection, and advancement. Through programs like the BDA and locally established Timothy Smith Tech Labs (TSTL), TSN transforms digital access into lasting opportunity. 

Giovanni Jennings, a recent graduate of the Dr. William W. Henderson K–12 Inclusion School, decided to participate in TSN’s Boston Design Academy because of his interest in video games. In the program, he was able to create his own video game character using the 3D modeling software Blender. “It was a hard but fun task,” he shares. “We had to do a lot of building and sculpting.” 

For head instructor Amanda Abdul-Jabbaar, teaching students these skills is important because of the widespread potential for application in their future careers. “It could take them anywhere,” she says. “You can take these skills into medicine because now they use 3D models to model your heart cells. Or you can become a marketing person for a company. The sky is the limit.”

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We would like to express our thanks for the funders that make these early-career experiences possible: Bank of America, Liberty Mutual Foundation, JPMorganChase Foundation, NBT Charitable Trust, the City of Boston’s SuccessLink program and the state-funded YouthWorks program. 

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