2023 Summer Internship Program

We recently completed our 2023 Summer Internship Program, which offered paid work-based learning opportunities to 106 Waltham students. These students earned an estimated total of $227,000, and used these funds to save for college, pay for senior activities, contribute toward family car payments, and more. This past summer, we had 26 employers, who all serve as more than supervisors for their interns–they are mentors and trusted adults that are setting a positive example for our interns, showing them the diversity of career paths that exist, and teaching them valuable skills they will use for years to come. To learn more about our 2023 Summer Internship Program, check out the full report here.

 

Wraparound Waltham Celebrates the Opening of New Welcome Center

On November 18, we welcomed families to the opening of the Centro de Bienvenida de Waltham (Waltham Welcome Center). The Center is housed at McDevitt Middle School as a partnership between WPY and the Waltham Public Schools, and serves as a drop-in center for families - particularly those who are new to the country - where they can get support and resources to navigate schools and community. The Center was piloted last spring under a tent, and is now open as a permanent indoor center.

 

A second Wraparound Waltham initiative, The Welcome Class, is also up and running this year. The Welcome Class is co-taught by WPY and Waltham High School staff as a weekly course where students who are new to the country can learn about school and bus schedules, technology, goal setting, and community resources. The first cohort of 26 students wrapped up the 8 week course this week, and there are already 50 additional students ready to enroll in the next session beginning later this month.

 

5th Summer Internship Season Reaches 100+

We wrapped up our 5th Summer Internship Season in August 2021, and this year’s program was bigger than ever. Thanks to strong partnerships, we were able to place over 100 teens in internships despite the ongoing difficulties of the pandemic. Interns worked at schools, banks, law offices, healthcare organizations, local nonprofit organizations, and more.  Read our 2021 Summer Internship Report to learn more and hear from students and employer partners.

 

WPY Partners with Harvard CAP on Strategic Planning

WPY is pleased to announce that we have been selected from a competitive pool of 45 applicants to receive a pro bono consulting engagement by Harvard Business School Association of Boston’s Community Action Partners (CAP). CAP is a volunteer organization of Harvard Business School and Kennedy School Alumni helping Boston-area nonprofits apply management skills to business challenges. The WPY staff and Board of Directors will be working with CAP to formalize a 3-5 year strategic plan.

 

 

WPY Wins Two Multi-year Grants

WPY recently won two prestigious multi-year grants to help support our Career Exploration and Training efforts, including the Summer Internship Program, the Youth Interpretation and Translation Apprenticeship Program, and the Social Justice in Education initiative! We were awarded a 5-year grant through the Cummings Foundation $20 Million Grant program. Additionally, the Clowes Fund continued to award us a second and third year grant. Together, the funding from these grants will enable us to take these initiatives to the next level. Thank you Cummings Foundation and Clowes Fund!