THE BEGINNING: (Michael Freeman, Executive Director)
“Our summer internship project was born out of a burden in my heart. Many of the young men at Compton High School would tell me that they were going to play in the NBA or NFL. In my conversations with these young men, I would explain to them that they needed to have a back-up plan. I would, then, ask them what else they had in mind for a career. Most of the time, they would look at me with a blank stare and shrug their shoulders. They would ‘strike a blank.’ As a result, we launched our Summer Internship Project for the purpose of filling in this blank, to give our teenage boys and girls close-up experiences with the real world of career jobs.”
THE BENEFITS: (In the Words of an Intern)
“I have learned so much while working in the law office. I have learned that my grades in school will help me excel in life. The fact that I was able to wake up and go to work every day shows that I have become more mature and reliable. I have become more empowered by the experiences that I have had. This program has empowered me to become a positive person and to help others with the same or similar difficulties that I, myself, have experienced.”
THE STRUCTURE:
•Duration: Three-week period/8 days total/4 hours per day
•Schedule: The work week is two to three days (Any days: Monday – Thursday). Friday is the day that the interns meet for debriefing.
•Training: Training sessions are held prior to the first work week to prepare the students. Students are guided through lesson plans that engage the interns in discussing issues dealing with work-place expectations.
•Conclusion: At the end of the last week, a celebration is held to acknowledge the interns’ completion of the program and to recap what they have learned.
THE COST TO BUSINESSES OR ORGANIZATIONS:
•Interns are paid a stipend.
•Businesses are asked to contribute to Elevate Your G.A.M.E.’s stipend fund but they are not required.
•Elevate Your G.A.M.E. raises funds for the stipends.
