Summer 2009 marked the pilot season of the Student Career Intake Program. The program originally known as the Massachusetts Area Parks Youth Intake Program is currently called the Student Career Intake Program or SCIP as named by the four participants. The pilot cluster of parks, Boston African American National Historic Site, Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area and Lowell National Historical Park all have established summer youth employment programs from which the intake students were selected.
The goal of the program is to reach youth early in their consideration of careers, offering the National Park Service as an option. Promising students will be offered practical work experience in national parks, along with training, in order to develop a cadre of college graduates eager to contribute professionally to the NPS. Inclusion of employees from diverse communities increases the diversity of the Service and, in turn, our relevancy in the 21st Century.
Intake students were employed as summer seasonal rangers working 40 hours per week. They spent three days a week traveling with SCIP where they visited 15 area park sites as well as the Conservation Study Institute at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park and the Tsongas Industrial History Center at Lowell National Historical Park. They interacted directly with over 100 professionals including permanent and seasonal NPS employees, VIPs, SCA interns, and partners representing 20 different careers fields. They spent two days working in their host parks engaging in more personalized and in-depth career exploration gaining hands-on experience in their chosen fields. The summer culminated with the SCIP students hosting over 100 area youths from eight local Youth Conservation Corps programs at the Lowell Youth Summit on August 21st.
The first year of the project is devoted to develop the programs with parks, youth and park partners integral to the design process. As the program is further tested and adjusted, a permanent intake program will take shape. To assist with the development process of the intake program the Conservation Study Institute, the Northeast Regional Office and the University of Vermont are tasked with leading an evaluation program with project stakeholders to assess issues and to provide a plan for the future development. Topics to be addressed include: Where do we go from here? What are the measures for success? How is sustainability achieved?
Mass Area Parks Youth Intake Program Key Program Resources:
Robin Snyder-Volunteer and Youth Programs Coordinator, NERO
Kelly Fellner-Youth and Visitor Services Program Manager, NPS, BOHA
Donna Richardson-Deputy Chief of Interpretation and Education, LOWE
Amy Glowacki-Acting Youth Intake Program Manager, LOWE
Intake Employees:
Karyn Heidelberg, BOAF Park Supervisor: Ryan McNab
Irving Medrano, BOHA Park Supervisor: Kelly Fellner
Nickson Monteiro, BOHA Park Supervisor: Kelly Fellner
Saoran Roeuth, LOWE Park Supervisor: Amy Glowacki
