Summer Internship Project Lauren Almstead Overview Interned as

Summer Internship Project Lauren Almstead

Overview ● Interned as an Academic Coordinator ● Designed a humanities curriculum with an emphasis on the arts ○ ○ Topics focused on how society influences the individual Ex: stereotypes, assumptions, representation, culture, social activism ● Taught this class to around 40 middle schoolers virtually over Zoom ● Gave students a safe space to express themselves and make connections with others

St. Stephen’s Youth Programs ● Nonprofit organization focused on equity in education and opportunity ● Strives to build a community for young people and their family ● Offers year-round programs for disadvantaged neighborhoods in Boston

Method ● Spent 6 weeks designing a curriculum for middle schoolers ○ ○ ○ Named the class “Reclaiming Your Narrative” Chose my own topic Made 8 lesson plans Ordered supplies Tested out lesson plans ● Spent 4 weeks teaching around 40 middle schoolers ○ ○ ○ 8 different lessons Taught 5 different groups of students Each week taught 10 classes Got supplies to students through in-person part of camp This class was 1 of 2 virtual classes for the middle schoolers

Results for the Students ● Introduced to topics that were new to them, kept academically engaged ○ Ex: representation in media, cultural appropriation, political parties ● Expressed themselves through the arts and humanities ○ Ex: painted, wrote children’s stories, made playlists to express themselves ● Safe space to connect with others during this isolating time ○ ○ Many had been in quarantine for a long time before coming to program One student had a loss in the family and said coming to class was a way to take her mind off of that and to have fun ● Grappled with the current moment ○ ○ Discussed social issues they care about Talked about stereotypes and how they relate to the Black Lives Matter Movement

Tiles one of the groups painted in class

Challenges ● ● Difficult to keep kids accountable/as engaged virtually Attendance changing per day and per class Working virtually while still staying productive and motivated Navigating my position as a White-passing person in a teaching/leadership role within a mostly non-White community

Personal Results ● Learned about the benefits of long-term and comprehensive programs over short-lived/one-dimensional programs ○ Many of the people I worked with had been part of the programs for at least the last seven years, they had been part of the programs as kids and now help facilitate it ● Learned about and experienced how a nonprofit works behind the scenes ○ ○ The major sources of funding SSYP has The different personnel working to making the programs happen ● Made personal connections with the kids and staff ○ ○ Learned about their hopes and dreams, their experiences, and their interests One of the students said his goal was to buy his mom a home and be a good father