Students, Mentors, Local Community and Job Partners Receive Recognition
BALTIMORE, MD, JULY 20, 2022 – Fifty-two graduates from the Baltimore City Public School system shared their life-changing internship experience in Urban Alliance’s (UA) flagship High School Internship Program (HSIP). Urban Alliance is a national nonprofit that connects young adults to a nine-month paid professional internship that includes weeks of rigorous pre-work and professional development training, weekly job and life skills workshops, post-high school planning, on-the-job mentoring from caring adults, and ongoing post-high school support. The students attend the Academy of College and Career Exploration, Coppin Academy, the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women, Green Street Academy, National Academy Foundation, and Western High School.
“We are proud of this year’s cohort of 52 Baltimore high school students who received valuable job skills, the opportunity to earn a living wage, and build a strong professional network to prepare them for their future college or workforce journey,” said Chas Ackley, Executive Director of Urban Alliance Baltimore region. “I also want to extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to our partners and mentors for their ongoing commitment to our students.”
In 2008, Urban Alliance brought HSIP to Baltimore at the invitation of Baltimore City Public Schools. Urban Alliance’s work in Baltimore has expanded to include specific internship pathways for students interested in careers in construction, land surveying, and hospitality. UA Baltimore partners with 37 businesses and 10 high schools. To date, more than 900 students have been connected to paid internships, and an additional 1,887 received workforce skills training and professional development. At today’s virtual event, UA interns, community partners, and jobsite partners were recognized for their commitment. The awards were presented to the following:
Interns of the Year:
- Jeremiah Hooks, Coppin Academy graduate interned at the Black Speaker Network and will attend the University of Maryland Easter Shore (UMES). “This internship has helped me build my strengths. It was a great pleasure being able to learn new things and new skills.”
- August Jackson, Western High School graduate interned at Byte Back and will attend Stevenson University. “UA has opened many doors for me. I didn’t show a lot of interest in IT until this internship, and I plan to continue in IT during college.”
Community Partner of the Year: Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Employment Development
Mentor of the Year: Brian J. Olds, Co-Founder, Black Speakers Network.
Jobsite of the Year: Different Regard. Mentors Dominick Davis and Steven White
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Urban Alliance is a nonprofit that connects high school students to equitable, inclusive career pathways through paid work experiences, mentorship, and professional development. We work with schools and employers to address systemic barriers to economic mobility for young adults of color and to bridge the gaps between education and workforce development for all young people. Since 1996, Urban Alliance has placed over 6,000 young adults in paid internships, and trained 21,000 more in workforce skills in greater Washington, DC (including Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Northern Virginia) Baltimore, Chicago, and Detroit. For more information visit us at www.urbanalliance.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Media contact: Raiyana Malone
rmalone@theurbanalliance.org