Summer Interns Making a Splash

For some interns, like Boston’s Administrative Volunteer Intern Ashley Gonclaves, this isn’t the beginning of their Jumpstart journey. Ashley, a rising senior at Boston College, served as both a Jumpstart Corps member and team leader during her freshman and sophomore years. Now she’s hoping to experience Jumpstart through a new lens. Gonclaves explained that she is “hoping to gain a better understanding of what goes on behind the scenes that makes all of what we are able to do in the classroom possible.”

Princeton university student Avery Stewart, however, has just begun her Jumpstart journey as the PICS Intern (Princeton Internships in Civic Service). Princeton offers the PICS program as a way to connect their students with opportunities to explore civil service centered careers. While looking through her options, Jumpstart caught her eye. “I love children, so Jumpstart’s mission stood out to me.” An application and an interview later, she’s now a part of the Jumpstart family and working closely with the Northeast Program team.

Although our stories may all be varied, Jumpstart has helped our paths cross. We are all working vigorously to navigate meetings, network, research database systems, and tackle any project that might come our way. We are learning the ropes at a national nonprofit organization and understanding what it’s like to “live in the real world”. Every day we are putting children first and I know this summer will be one that all twelve of us will surely remember. The summer will end, but my commitment to Jumpstart’s mission and my copy of Bunny Cakes will remain at the top of my list.

Join myself and millions of children and adults from across the country for Jumpstart’s Read for the Record campaign on October 21, 2014!