MYEP Intern Spotlight

For the second summer in a row, we have had the pleasure of having two interns from the Mayor’s Youth Employment Program. MYEP provides Charlotte youth between the ages of 16 and 18 with equitable career development opportunities to explore the world of work, build social capital, and enhance economic mobility. We enjoyed getting to know Sharilyah and Lucio this summer. They worked so hard in and out of summer camp and they grew a lot in various skills. We wish them the best of luck! Read more about their time with us below.

Hi, my name is Sharilyah , and I am a rising junior at Myers Park High School. This summer, I was lucky enough to intern with Learning Help Centers of Charlotte through The Mayor's Youth Employment Program. I was able to work directly with children and volunteers in an interactive and enjoyable environment. 

I went into the internship hoping to get some experience that would shape where I was headed with my career, given the fact that I want to do something with child psychology. I had no idea what to expect but was willing to learn. I helped plan activities, played with children, and helped make each day run smoothly. I had a good time just as much as the campers did. 

One of the highlights of this was being able to form a relationship with the kids. Day by day, trust levels between me and the campers grew, and the personal relationship made the internship experience feel like one big family. One of the things that stuck with me was the talent show. It was touching to see the kids perform with so much confidence in their own ways. The energy and passion of the campers reminded me how important it is to create spaces where children are seen and heard. 

I gained so much during the internship, from leadership and communication to adaptability and balance. I was more outgoing, and I was more confident to stand up and lead when called upon. I also realized how much of this self-development is tied into my faith. I could see God working in the little things, in conversation, in adversity, and in simply being there each and every day with a positive attitude. 

I would very much recommend this program to others. It challenges you in a positive way, teaches you actual life skills, and how to unplug and be present. It is also a really great place to grow spiritually, whether that is challenging outside of your comfort zone or connecting with other individuals on a deeper level. 

I’m grateful for this experience and the ways it shaped both my mindset and my future. 

My name is Lucio Aguilar, and this summer I spent a month interning with the Learning Help Centers of Charlotte through the MYEP program. For those who are unaware, MYEP stands for “Mayors Youth Employment Program,” which provides internships to students and other applicants over the summer.  

As of the 25th of July, summer camp is over, and after spending time working with everyone at LHCC, I can confidently say that it was not only a fun experience, but one that taught me a lot regarding working with kids. All of them were great and they usually behaved themselves and listened well. My coworkers were lovely and made the experience that much better as they helped fill in the time between activities. 

During camp, we made bracelets, conducted science experiments, played sports, and much more. Beyond that, we helped improve some of the younger children’s reading skills and taught the older kids about leadership and how to navigate high school and college. As volunteers, it was our job to make sure everything ran smoothly and that the kids were enjoying themselves and doing whatever they were supposed to. On two occasions, I was even given the opportunity to lead my own activity for the kids to take part in, and I’d like to think they enjoyed them. 

For a bit of context, I’m 18 years old and will be 19 this fall as I begin my freshman year of college at UNC. I've taken 7 years of band and have experience in professional environments, but no experience working with children. After having spent some time with the kids at camp, I was asked to come up with an activity for kids of all ages. Though coming up with one was difficult, as I don’t remember much of my childhood and otherwise have no experience with kids this young, I eventually decided on making pom-pom launchers, as it seemed like something I might’ve enjoyed back then. As it turns out, the kids loved it and had a lot of fun shooting pom-poms everywhere (though the clean-up was a nightmare). Given my history in band, I decided for my second activity that the kids should make DIY instruments, and since the older kids would take less time to build them, I would fill up the remaining time with informing them about my personal experience with band and how valuable it was to me as both a community and as a hobby. This one admittedly performed a bit worse, but everyone still paid attention and had fun, with one kid even running up to me the following day to show that they still had it. Overall, I’d say leading these activities taught me how to entertain younger kids and get them to follow instructions. 

Though my time with LHCC is almost over, I loved spending time with the kids, volunteers, and staff members there. I don’t think I’ll forget this experience anytime soon. I’m thankful for the time I got to spend working there, and I hope that I’ve been able to make somewhat of a lasting impact on the kids’ lives, as small as it may be. I wish nothing but the best for LHCC as it continues to foster a community for underprivileged kids that supports both them and their families.