Center for Higher Education and Career Support (CHECS) Intern
By Paulina Morales '24Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ) is a nonprofit organization that works to end intergenerational poverty in the community of Harlem by providing all-around programming, ranging from early childhood, education, community outreach, career support, and so much more. The mission of HCZ revolves around “the belief that the most powerful way to fight poverty is to invest in every opportunity for people to rise above it.” (HCZ Mission and Values)
Throughout the summer, I was able to work on various projects that mainly focused on the planning, curriculum development, and hosting of the programs and courses for Advanced to Start (ATS): a summer bridge program for high school graduates that provides students with the skills and knowledge necessary for life in college, vocational programs, the workforce, or others.
As an intern, some of my main projects were:
- Designed and maintained the ATS attendance tracker to use for collecting and calculating more than $150,000 in payroll records
- Coordinated and edited curriculum for four ATS courses: Debate, Writing, Wellness Workshops, and Career Workshops
- Supported in the writing and teaching of debate courses
- Offered advice and mentorship to ATS students throughout their transition to college
The internship helped me in my personal and career development as I have a clearer view of the work I want to do in the educational field. I will continue pursuing my interests in educational policy and curriculum development with a focus on community engagement. My goal is to continue learning and advocating for equitable educational opportunities for first-generation, low-income, and students of color.
This internship was funded by the Nikuradse-Matthews Public Interest Summer Fellowship Fund.