Ah, summer! The sun is shining, the weather is warm, and our YEP teachers can finally kick their legs up and relax. And after this year, boy, do they need it!
It was a historic, busy year for PYD’s YEP program. We taught in 11 classrooms, reaching a program-record of over 110 students. To expose our students to different work environments, we took our classes on seven different job shadow experiences at companies as varied as Google, Whole Foods, and CVS. And we brought in eight guest lecturers to talk to our classes about different career paths and share career advice.
But that’s not enough! YEP students also take part in trade shows each year, where they sell their own handmade products and put the skills they have learned in class into action. This year, due to the tremendous success of not one but two trade shows, profits were high enough to reward the students with end-of-the-year celebrations and commemorative YEP t-shirts. The students loved them!
After this busy year, our YEP students got some well-deserved recognition with many end-of-year celebrations!
- Four classes at Charlestown High School celebrated with a pizza party at Cafe Montego, a student-run cafe on the fifth floor of their school. Ann O’Connell, a long time YEP partner, baked chocolate chip cookies.
- Two classes at Madison Park High School enjoyed a brunch together with their teachers Dan McGoff and Brian Miller.
- One class at East Boston High School and two Boys & Girls Club classes (in Dorchester and Charlestown) all enjoyed pizza parties as well.
The YEP team would like to take the time to say a special goodbye to our YEP graduates, who will be transitioning from high school into college, employment opportunities, and other endeavors. We wish you the very best and hope to see you succeed using the tools and skills learned in your time with us. We would also like to thank all of our students. You make YEP worthwhile, fun, and educational for us! Your enthusiasm and commitment to successfully transitioning to work is what drives YEP.
We also send a huge “Thank you!” to our teacher partners at the various schools. We couldn’t run our program without your incredible help!
Ann O’Connell – Charlestown High School
Hal Leiper – Charlestown High School
Rachel Rooney – Charlestown High School
Ben McCormick – Charlestown High School
Trisha Flaherty – East Boston High School
Dan McGoff – Madison Park High School
Brian Miller – Madison Park High School
Kathy Crimi – Madison Park High School
Derek Gallagher – Charlestown Boys & Girls Club
Santi Dewa Ayu – Dorchester Boys & Girls Club
Joanne White – McKinely South End Academy
Mary Nee – McKinely South End Academy
We hope that everyone has a safe and happy summer!
Elector Mudeke
Congratulations to PYD and to the new YEP team. I will get in touch as soon as finalize my registration at my new college. Thank you.