Intern program gives teens opportunity to build skills, explore careers

Just a week after completing her sophomore year at Waltham High School, 16-year-old Tara Teymourian walked into LexArt studio for the first day of work at her new job. After multiple interviews, paperwork and a period of nervous waiting, she had secured the position and was ready to start working.

The staff greeted her warmly, welcoming her into the paint-stained walls of the building that houses the Lexington art organization. The space was full of experience, color and life. It was almost intimidating how much there was to learn. But Tara didn’t let that deter her. She instead stood confidently, with a grin; she was eager to take it all on.

Tara isn’t the only Waltham High School student taking on a new position this summer. She is among 81 students participating in Waltham Partnership for Youth’s internship program, now in its 10th year. The program has brought together 24 local employers, providing 51 unique job opportunities for high schoolers to explore.

Each job takes place within a setting that allows students to build important career-oriented skills and gain experience, as well as earn $15 to $20 an hour. Additionally, they are invited to attend weekly “career talks” that focus on other life skills, such as managing a bank account and online security.

Tara, a student with a passion for drawing, is delving deeper into her interests through her position at LexArt. She is helping run art classes and exhibitions within the building’s nine studio spaces, along with marketing and administrative work. She will learn what it means to perform in a professional setting and test career interests, all while earning a wage of $15 an hour.

“She’s willing to try out anything, which is great,” said Chase Jones, operations manager at LexArt. “[The intern program] helps us out because we always have something that we can’t get to or we have to wait until the last minute, so [the intern is] a great addition to help us out for the summer.”

Another intern, 17-year-old Nagaella Province, is working at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. She has taken classes at Waltham High relating to medical work, and now she is able to gain real-world experience. Her role in the radiology department includes identifying patients, guiding them to their destinations (CT waiting room, nursing staff, scan rooms) and maneuvering them onto the tables.

“Currently we are in our training period, and in this we are building critical skills like collaboration and communication so we can go into our specific departments with confidence,” Nagaella explained. 

Building confidence

Nagaella is not alone in building strengths. Last year’s Waltham Partnership for Youth internship program survey found that 87% of participating students felt more confident in their abilities by the end of the summer and 97% felt they had a better understanding of their personal strengths and skills.

On top of the work they’ve done connecting students with businesses in the Waltham area, the WPY team also hosts an internship of their own. The Teen Mental Health Alliance consists of 10 interns, meeting four times a week. The program allows students to work with mental health professionals in Waltham to develop a community project to aid mental health literacy in the city.

“High school students are at such a crucial point in your life where you’re gaining independence, and all of a sudden you have to figure out, ‘What do you want to do in life? What’s your job going to be? What are you good at?’” said Monica Manna, WPY’s mental health professional. “I honestly love working with high schoolers to just be able to be a listening ear but also to work alongside them as they develop all these skills, so that they know they’re not doing it alone.”

For their part, the interns acknowledge the life-changing experiences the program offers.

“I’m just so happy that such a program is able to benefit me, because I know so many people can’t get a job in a field that they like [at] such a young age,” Tara said. Indeed, last year 85% of parents reported that without WPY their children would not have found a professional summer job.

Employers also expressed gratitude for the program as it has allowed them to work with young members of the community, make long-lasting connections and get some extra help with their businesses over the summer.

“It’s great to have the opportunity to work with someone who’s local and wants to pursue the arts in the future,” Jones said. “And [WPY] having the budget to pay was a relief on us, because we don’t have that much money to spend.”