Community Board 10 recognized its summer intern’s exemplary work with an award presentation, and intends to employ more youth in the future.
CB 10 presented a framed Certificate of Merit on Tuesday, August 9 to 14-year-old Leini Ramos, the intern. She was wrapping up a six-week internship as part of the NYC Summer Youth Employment Program.
The jobs program is run by the Department of Youth and Community Development and is funded by the city. Young people from the ages of 14-years-old to 24-years-old are eligible.
Martin Prince, CB 10 chairman, said that Ramos and others in the program earn work experience, and some money toward their back-to-school budget if they are lucky enough to participate.
“In this particular situation, it gives youth the opportunity to get an idea about governmental and community service,” said Prince when asked about internships like Ramos’. “This is an office setting and you are learning to assist people, interact, communicate and hear some of the challenges that people face every day.”
Ramos, a student at University Prep Charter High School, is from Hunts Point. She was familiar with the community before she starting work at CB 10’s Waterbury-LaSalle office.
Her favorite part of the job was the people that she worked with in the board office, she said
“The people here are open and kind, and they help you when you ask them about something,” she said, adding “everything is a learning experience.”
She would encourage other youth to participate in SYEP to experience a sense of independence.
“It also gives them a perspective on how their parents work: to see how much they do and how much perseverance they have to do this,” she added.
The chairman of CB 10’s Youth and Education Committee, Robert Bieder, said he and the committee would make it a goal when the board reconvenes after summer recess to encouraging more youth internships.
The Youth Committee, along with CB 10’s Economic Development Committee, plan to identify local merchants and schools that are willing to cooperate with the board’s goal of more internships for youth, said Bieder, although ideas and concepts are still forming.
“(We would) be reaching out to various merchants associations, and see if there is any way we can hook up any of the youth in the area with the merchants,” he said.
Most of the young people he speaks to would welcome an opportunity to work and establish a work ethic, he said.
