ENVIRONMENT FAMILY ARTS
ARTS , SUSTAINABILITY
AND WELLNESS COMMUNITY HEALTH
BALTIMORE BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS - ART WITH A YOUTH HEART SQUASHWISE ARTS
Intern SPECIAL EDUCATION
Intern : Jocelyn
: : Liesel Jeremy Arauz Shan
Gu Vallecillo
Supervisor Peer Supervisor
Mentor : Leisha
: : Nadia : Sarah
Koye Winley West Oputa Howell
Supervisor : Annabelle Bacordio What What is is Baltimore is Art with Youth a Heart SquashWise Arts ? ? ?
What is the BCPS Office of Special Education ?
Baltimore Art SquashWise with a Youth Heart partners works Arts is to with a enhance creative Baltimore the entrepreneurship ’ lives s youth of people and families in need and to through advance job training visual equity program in squash that , education provides , and
For . residents Art with of a Baltimore Heart , City brings Schools visual provides art classes a range of to services vulnerable to ensure youth that all and students adults ' in artistic personal needs are and met professional development , whether in regular opportunities . We education classes , resource to are young a dedicated rooms or people agent
self-contained , ages of classes 14-22 change at , with providing a focus a place on those where schools public schools
, shelters
, separate
, group special
homes education
, community centers , or nonpublic
centers special
, hospitals education
and schools
senior involved students in the reach justice their academic system . Our , athletic mission
, and is life to goals assist and young where people
. the squash in gaining community the becomes creative , more facilities Students accessible receive . and appropriate welcoming supports , for interventions all . , and rigorous instruction , with the goals of high personal achievement , and postsecondary educational success skills . We that also offer will special enable education them programs to become and servicesleaders in their communities . for young children with Individualized Education Programs ( IEP ).
This summer pushed me to grow in ways that I did not expect . I stayed in the city last year to work at a nonprofit , so part of me was nervous that my experience would be a carbon copy of that year . I am happy to report that I was completely wrong . This summer , from the orientation that CIIP held for interns , to the conversations I had with fellow CIIP-ers , to forming relationships with the young people at BYA , has stretched me in ways that I ’ m not sure I can fully articulate .
So , what did I do this summer ? The main thing that we do at BYA during the summer is our summer programming with YouthWorks . Prior to this summer programming , which began July 5 , I worked from home , researching grants for us to apply to , updating our social media , and looking for resources that would be helpful for our youth , like scholarships and free food . During the YouthWorks programming , I helped run day-to-day operations , from organizing sign in sheets and setting up food services , to logging attendance for the funders . I also got to hang out with the youth and help in career readiness classes .
I feel like most of my learning happened during the mundane tasks , in the adjusting . As I was walking home one day , it hit me that this is what community is . I had just gotten back from a day where several coincidences happened , like our executive director running into a friend outside our building who opened an art gallery and invited our youth to come visit . Another example was talking to a summer staff member , and , after finding out that we live on the same block , we joked about taking the Purple Line together to work . It sounds simple , but it felt mind-blowing to realize that these are people who live here and I am now friends with them . I know that the bubble around our university exists and is strong , but I never really considered that I could break through it . During that walk , I felt a sense of peace with my summer . Doing this program wasn ’ t about hitting all the benchmarks and creating an award-winning program . It ’ s about living in this city . It ’ s about being here , really being here , and being present in the spaces where Baltimore citizens are and sharing in that alongside them .
Coordinated daily operations of YouthWorks summer program by heading daily food service and mentoring , and developing relationships with young people
Researched grants for the following fiscal year and organized application materials
Implemented a social media plan of interactive , youth-led content and empowered youth interns to carry out their vision for posts
Mentored youth in developing interview and resume skills , motivated them to verbalize what they enjoy doing
Researched and consolidated free resources for youth , including summer food services and scholarships
12