Going into
my last summer before senior year of high school, I
really wanted to make sure I took advantage of my time and was proactive with my summer. It was important for me to take charge of my
summer because I wanted to gain valuable working experience by taking part in
an internship. With my priorities set, I decided to apply to different summer
programs. I applied to different programs,
including a Bank of America Internship, Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project, and the Oakland
Children’s Hospital Summer intern program. However, out of all the programs I
applied to, the one that stood out the most to me was the KIPP
Bay Area Schools Internship for KIPP Alumni.
I have been apart of the growing KIPP community since I was a sixth grader at KIPP Summit Academy; now I'm starting my senior year at KIPP King Collegiate High school. Not only has KIPP helped me grow academically as a student, but has also helped me find my own
personal identity. Before I went to KIPP
I was not as well spoken as I am today. I
now identify myself as a student leader. With the amount of support I have
received from my teachers, I have become more confident in myself, which has
helped me over come my fear of public speaking and pushed me to involve myself
in different school activities. I now participate in the National Forensic
Debate team, the Mock Trial team, and I’m current Student Body Secretary. In addition, I have found my hidden passion
for art along the way. With all that said, I wanted to give back to my KIPP
community for everything that they have offered me. This summer internship
seemed like the perfect opportunity not only to learn more about what KIPP is all about, but also a way for me to give back and learn how to help my
community even further. I applied to work in the KIPP Through College (KTC) department, which
supports all of the alumni who graduate from any KIPP school, and was
ecstatic to hear I had been chosen to be a part
of the program.
Over the
summer, I worked alongside the KTC staff and four
other interns. Throughout my internship, I had several different projects that
challenged me to step out of my comfort zone. I not only had to learn to manage
my time, but also hold myself accountable for meeting my deadlines. My projects
ranged from creating the Pennant Ceremony invitations for the KIPP middle schools and
the College Scholars Program, creating a Facebook page for KTC, and the DREAM Act Intern Project. Even though I enjoyed working
on all my summer projects, my favorite one would have to be the DREAM Act Intern Project.
The DREAM Act project helped me clear up
many myths and misconceptions that the media has portrayed the DREAM Act to be. This topic hit me close to home because I did not realize how many students
in my community would benefit so much if the act were passed. Not only did my
DREAM Act project inspire me to continue to work hard through my final year in high school, but also it helped me narrow down my future
career options. I would have never though about being a teacher or being a part
of the education system in any way, but after my summer working in KTC, I'm
considering it.
My summer
working alongside the KTC staff was definitely an amazing experience and I am
happy I got the chance to work with them.
Working in the office you really see the dedication and passion everyone
has for education. From the first day in the office I felt integrated into the
team and family. They all have a great
sense of humor and keep the office lively and energetic; it was fun to be
around them. I have so much admiration and respect for the work they do in
order to help every single KIPP alumnus. This internship has given
me insight into how KIPP works to ensure its students are receiving the best education they can. Although my internship was only four
weeks long, I miss the office atmosphere.
With my last
year of high school officially started, I feel accomplished and proud of the
goals I met this past summer. I highly
recommend that KIPP Alumni apply for the program; it was genuinely the highlight
of my entire summer.
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| KIPP Summer Interns! |
- Monica is an alumna of KIPP Summit Academy and a current 12th grader at KIPP King Collegiate High School in San Lorenzo. Monica served as the intern for the KIPP Through College Department this past summer as part of the Alumni Internship Program. For more information, visit KIPP Bay Area Schools online.
