Pelham Together Summer Interns took Pelham by storm this summer!  Our popular program matched almost 30 teens with local businesses and organizations to experience the real world of work. Internships at places like Pencil Projects Design Studio, Village of Pelham, Cantina Lobos, Flour Power, Chestnut Baked Goods, BallChain, Symmetry, Senator Alessandra Biaggi’s office, Red Wagon Designs, the Pelham School District, Vital Productions, and many more, provided a mentored experience with daily business responsibilities as well as special projects.  Some internships were remote and some in person, but everyone on both sides gained something.

The Internship program has been in place for four years, and each year it grows—more and more applications are received and while many mentor organizations remain year to year, there is also a steady flow of new opportunities.  Applications and interviews take place in April, and selection is announced in May. Even the interview process is educational—nice casual attire is expected and promptness matters – but it’s still a very nurturing atmosphere.  All interns participate in a 3-day leadership training where they focus on building confidence and communication skills, discuss what it means to develop your “personal brand,” and they’re encouraged to set goals. During this time, they are matched with an internship and a mentor as a supervisor, who they meet and interact with during an in-person Meet & Greet. The 30 hours of work, which is paid, is carried out over 3-4 weeks, with weekly check-ins with the PT Youth Advocate.

We could not operate this program without the incredible support of employers in our community. From the small business owners to the large family-owned corporations, from the civic groups to the non-profit organizations, from the architecture and design houses to the many baking establishments in our community—there is such a range of industry and opportunity for our young people, which is an invaluable component of this program. Thank you to all of our mentors, a list of whom can be found here.

Here is some of their feedback from this summer:

·      From Pencil Projects Design Studio, a local architecture company:

“It was a pleasure working with my intern the last few weeks. She was super helpful in aiding me in creating templates for my business, helping with designing and production of marketing materials, logo design, preparing a construction budget, client meetings, contact info entering…we worked on a draft resume for her…I was very impressed with my intern’s motivation and creativity. She was a pleasure to work with…”

·      From Cantina Lobos, Pelham’s favorite Mexican restaurant:

“(we had) terrific interns this summer. (They) rolled with the punches…helped us with two very important aspects of running the businesses—operations and marketing….they helped with inventory, …developed a manual for new employees, and even the smaller things like putting the lights together for the outdoor space at Cantina and accompanying us to Restaurant Depot….the photos they took at Double Rainbow, the creation of the National Day calendar with social media suggestions, the hashtags, and the Ask Me Anything video helped us with content development which is critical for the marketing strategy for all three businesses.”

And our interns benefitted tremendously.  Here’s what a couple of them had to say:

·      “The team trusted me; they told me to learn by watching them and then let me work independently.  I also liked interacting with the patients who were friendly and very appreciative.  The Symmetry team encouraged me to go into healthcare. “

·      “I formed a great relationship with my mentor... I learned a lot about a profession I didn’t fully know about. It expanded my knowledge in many different ways. Since I entered my internship I’ve gained insight into what happens behind the scenes in real estate; what buyers and sellers need to do to accomplish their objectives. You have to learn how to communicate and create many different types of relationships to be successful in your career.”

We are so proud of our interns and so grateful for the mentors who gave their time to this effort this summer.  The experiences and connections made during the program are the perfect examples of what is most important at Pelham Together – connecting youth with caring adults in the community, and elevating the voices and abilities of our young people .  Summer Internship applications for 2022 will be available at pelhamtogether.org in March and due April 1, 2022.  Any questions about being an intern or a mentor should be emailed to contact@pelhamtogether.org.