What Youth Do in The Summer:
Workplace Experiences, Education and Leadership Development
An American Youth Policy Forum Field Trip — July 21, 1997
This Forum field trip provided an opportunity to observe and interact with participants and staff from local initiatives involving young people in summer learning activities. The Summer Economics Institute provides academics and work-site experience and Street Law Summer Camp provides an experiential civics and leadership development education. We also learned about a local School-to-Career program which operates during the school year.
The Summer Economics Institute
Our day began with a meeting with Jack Henes, Director of the Summer Economics Institute at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, VA. Mr. Henes has directed the six-week program for 12 of its 15 years. The summer curriculum, offered one day per week, is based on the Junior Achievement Economics text book, augmented by numerous guest speakers, special presentations and field trips. There is a pre-test, mid-term, post-test and final exam. Students who take and pass the mid-term and final exam receive one-half credit in economics. Students work the other four days of the week in intern placements that are both meaningful and related to student interests.
Sponsorship
The program is a cooperative educational project between the Alexandria City Public Schools, St. Stephens and St. Agnes School and the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce based at T.C. Williams High School. Approximately 50 business, government, and non-profit organizations participate in the program by providing paid internships, professional presentations and scholarship assistance.
Student Recruitment
Students are rising seniors and the 28 participating were chosen from 50 applicants. Recruitment is done during the school year. About half the students are from T.C. Williams High School (Alexandria's only public high school); the rest are from a mixture of private and public schools in Northern Virginia. Although the program always included public school students, until this year its administrative base was a private school--St. Stephens/St. Agnes--which continues to involve several of its students in the program. The program is neither an "elitist" nor an "at-risk" program-- participants range from those with C averages and to students in Advanced Placement classes. The overall recruitment goal is to "get kids who have leadership potential." Most of the students continue to postsecondary education after they complete their senior year.
Employer Recruitment
Mr. Henes is a Social Studies teacher at T.C. Williams [1], and works part time year-round on the Institute, recruiting businesses, speakers, field trip sites and students. Business recruitment includes attending and speaking at the Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce and other business events and making many, many phone calls. A few more businesses are recruited than needed for the number of students. There is a 40 to 50 percent turnover of the business sponsors each year.
Businesses sponsoring students this summer are the Alexandria Office of the Sheriff, Motley Fool, Burke and Herbert Bank and several other banks, Eurocenters, Geo Logics, Star Mountain, Cable in the Classroom, Wallcoff & Associates, Women in Community Service, Lupus Foundation of Greater Washington, American Diabetes Association, McKinley Group, TASC, Landmark Systems, Alexandria Hospital, Kestral Associates, Metro Herald Newspaper, Chandler Developments Corporation, Alexandria City Public Schools, Public Broadcast System (PBS), DYN Meridian Corp, Young Entrepreneurs Organization, and Fashion Center at Pentagon City.
Placement and Expectations in Work-Site Learning
An attempt is made to match the student with an appropriate job based on the student interview and interests and on the available employers. Students are interviewed for their summer worksite placements at the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce. They must dress appropriately for the workplace for this interview and for their jobs. Students and their parents sign a contract for the summer. Students may be fired from their internships if their performance is unacceptable, after consultation with their worksite supervisor and parents.
Costs
The program costs $30,000 to 35,000 per year and basically pays for itself through business fees. This year, funding is funneled through the public school system. Businesses are asked to pay $1,000 per student, of which $700 goes to the student as a stipend. Students also compete for an end-of-summer award of $500 to $1,000 for "Outstanding Intern." The competition includes oral presentations on the intern experience and must include at least three visuals. Students are asked to pay their own transportation costs. Every effort is made to place students with employers near their homes so that they will not have exorbitant transportation costs.
Work-Site Visits
Alexandria Office of the Sheriff
Participants divided into three groups to visit student work-sites. At the Alexandria Office of the Sheriff, participants met student Rhonda Flournoy and her supervisor Grealy Marshall. Mr. Marshall said that Rhonda's work in the financial management division of the office was very helpful. Rhonda described her duties. She learned about fiscal management, helped "crunch numbers" for the Sheriff's office and worked in the General Administration Department. She also can now explain the difference between the police and the sheriff and describe the innovative nature of the Alexandria jail including its use of open space. Through her internship, Rhonda had the opportunity to visit and interview individuals in other city offices including the courthouse and Commonwealth Attorney's office.
The Motley Fool
Another group of participants met with supervisor Betty Ann Habit and student Seye Ojuma at The Motley Fool. Ms. Habit gave a tour of the small company and described its work. The "Motley Fool" was the only character in Shakespeare's "As You Like It" who told the King the truth. The Motley Fool, Inc., started in 1994, provides honest and clear information on-line about finances from balancing a checkbook to major investing, and has a segment teaching young people about the economy. Company profits are made primarily through advertising and book and tape sales. The company has partnerships with 37 on-line services or sites that publish their information.
The company has nearly 90 employees, up from 37 as recently as March, 1997 with an average age of 26. It believes in empowerment--all employees work in "pods," with no position or status. The Motley Fool is also committed to hiring interns. In addition to Seye, the company has eight college-level interns, selected from 200 applicants, all of whom are paid. The tour also included the game room where employees relax over ping pong, pinball or other games and the quiet rooms for talking or conflict resolution. The company's motivation for participation in the intern program is to help the community, help young people understand economics and, to some small extent, to benefit from the labor of the interns. The Motley Fool has been nominated by the Alexandria Public Schools for the Outstanding Technology Achievement Award for 1997.
After the tour and company description, participants met with Seye by himself for about 40 minutes. Seye works in the technology group going through the web page, checking hyperlinks, writing "HTML", and learning about graphics. Seye will remain with The Motley Fool in the Fall and will receive a partial college scholarship from the company (not a Summer Economics Institute requirement). This was Seye's first real job setting. Initially he was interested in biophysics. Now he may take a double major in biophysics and computer science and he talks to all his friends about investing and about college. He is considering the University of Virginia, Harvard, Stanford and MIT. Seye takes primarily Advanced Placement (AP) classes in school. He learned about the Summer Economics Institute when Mr. Henes came into his AP History class to describe the program. Seye has also been identified as a National Merit Scholar.
Burke and Herbert Bank and Trust Company
The third group visited the main branch of Burke and Herbert Bank and Trust Company where they met supervisor Charles Smith. Mr. Smith is one of two mentors coordinating intern Kyle Earnest's summer work schedule.
The bank has participated in the Summer Economics Institute for 13 years, having adapted the program over time to provide a more educational experience to interns. In the first year, the summer intern was placed as a teller, but it was determined that this position was not sufficiently educational, nor did it provide a full picture of bank operations, much of which take place behind the scene. Kyle, like each summer intern after the first year, is working with both mid-level and senior level staff and rotating through many areas of banking including: a retail branch, the Trust Department where he worked with the director, Commercial Banking which includes explaining types of accounts to customers, Employee Benefits including learning about 401K plans, and Bookeeping where Kyle has researched customer questions and pulled files to check records. Unfortunately, we didn't meet Kyle because he was in a bank department at the other end of town the day of our visit.
Mr. Smith said that the interns have been different each year, and that Kyle is the most skilled yet. Mr. Smith thinks in the future, it might be useful to have students keep a journal or write an essay on their experience to improve their writing skills and help them reflect on the other skills they acquired during the internship. Mr. Smith briefs managers on the summer intern program and sees if having an intern fits their schedule this year before placement on rotation. The bank's impetus for participation is that they "are a committed community financial institution. We are a small Alexandria-based bank with twelve branches. Alexandria is our community." They are not looking for a return on their investment and do not consider the stipend a large sum of money. A few students have returned to work after the summer or after college.
The School-to-Career Program
At lunch, Jack Henes described the new School-to-Career program at T.C. Williams High School. During the school year, students in two Social Studies courses had after-school work experiences which were related to their classroom curriculum. The Social Studies classes used both the Junior Achievement Applied Economics curriculum and the Street Law, Inc. practical legal curriculum. Students had to research their career interests in the library, over the internet and interview three people in their field. Mr. Henes has many outside speakers during the school year from a variety of workplaces: "I march a lot more professionals through the classroom than most people." The local Junior Achievement organization provides business volunteers once a week to each classroom for hands-on economics lessons. Students also create "Portfolios" containing a resume and work samples, visuals, a biographical sketch, other items, and in some cases, videos of their interviews. Portfolios are judged for a final grade by a panel of business persons. The Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Herbert Berg, and the Alexandria School Board have given the program strong administrative and financial support.
Costs
Funding for the program comes from a School-to-Work mini-grant from the state and from local businessman/City Council member William Euille. The district public schools contribute to both the School-to-Career program and the Summer Economics Institute by reducing Henes' teaching load. Students in the school year program may or may not receive pay for their work experience, depending on the placement. Mr. Henes emphasized that students chosen for the program need to be strongly committed and willing to undergo some sacrifices, e.g. possibly making less money.
Street Law, Inc. and Street Law Summer Camp
In the afternoon, the group traveled to the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC to learn about Street Law, Inc. and Street Law Summer Camp.
Street Law, Inc.
Lee Arbetman, Staff Director at Street Law, Inc. gave an overview of Street Law, Inc. [2] which started at Georgetown University's Law School in the 1970's as a response to the need of citizens, particularly young people, to know more about the law of everyday life to better navigate our legally complex society. There was a concern that, "many young people don't find out about the law until they cross to the wrong side of it." In addition, Street Law gave and continues to give, law students an opportunity to do hands-on work with young people, speak to a variety of audiences and learn to communicate the law. The organization's three-part mission is to provide practical information about law, democracy and human rights; develop skills in critical thinking, problem solving, participation and conflict resolution; and provide positive experiences with the community.
With partial funding from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Programs at the U.S. Department of Justice, Street Law, Inc. has developed national networks of Law Related Education. In the United States, Street Law networks exist in: 40 law-school based Street Law programs (25% of U.S. law schools participate); statewide law-related education programs (LRE); and juvenile justice programs in detention diversion, training schools and court alternative programs. Each Washington, D.C. high school has a one-year Street Law course that is team taught by Georgetown University Law Students. The course counts as a government credit. Over one million copies of the Street Law text book, full of hands-on classroom exercises, have been sold allowing more and more teachers to use the concepts. Street Law provides staff development opportunities for educators through its Supreme Court Summer Institute; Teens, Crime and Community, and Street Law curriculum training; mock trials; mediation showcases; and other formats. It provides information to teen parents to help them negotiate their many encounters with the legal system which may include custody issues, child support, welfare benefits and family law and is also starting a Youth Advocacy Network to train youth in several communities to effectively advocate for local causes of their choosing.
Internationally, Street Law first began in South Africa where it is now more widespread than in the United States. Nearly 90 percent of South African law schools participate and there is a Street Law TV show and comic book series. Street Law also has programs in East Africa, Russia, Hungary and Latin America. Overseas programs are designed to help citizens understand their own country's developing democracy; their rights and responsibilities; and advocacy tools for greater rights and participation.
A Justice Department evaluation of Street Law shows that programs have had an effect on reducing crime and delinquency. Arbetman indicated that the Street Law curriculum and Character Education have some similar elements but are not taught together or easily combined. At most, they are complementary curriculums each with their own set of objectives.
Street Law Summer Camp
Jennifer Brandsberg, Lead Teacher, described the Street Law Summer Camp. This is the second of two one-week summer camps offered for the first time this year. Students are sponsored by law firms. The students arrive in Washington, D.C. on Saturday from airports around the country, eat dinner and participate in a city-wide scavenger hunt designed to teach them more about Washington. Students are housed at the National 4-H Center. During their stay they learn about the legislative process, interview legislative assistants, an FBI agent and Supreme Court staff; tour the Capitol, the Supreme Court, and the Library of Congress; prepare for and participate in a mock legislative session and a mock Supreme Court hearing; and get opportunities to visit cultural institutions, see shows, take a boat ride and dine out. Each educational activity is designed to examine the delicate balance between preserving citizen rights and keeping citizens safe. Students examined an imaginary "National Teen Curfew Bill" in the mock legislative hearing, heard differing views on protecting Americans from terrorism, including debate on the gag order in the Oklahoma bombing trial, and learned about Japanese internment camps.
The Street Law campers arrived and were treated to a description of a "Hill" job and the path it took to get there by Mike Brown, Legislative Director for Representative James P. Moran (D-Virginia). Mr. Brown described the particularly hard work it takes to take something from an idea to an actual law including "shopping bills to committees."
The Street Law campers then broke into workgroups for the mock legislative hearing on a "National Teen Curfew Bill." They prepared their testimony as mock witnesses from a variety of organizations including police, mayoral, parent, business and teacher groups and the ACLU. Mock congresspersons prepared their questions and a mock reporter took notes. Forum participants each met with a different small working group of campers, listened to their plans and offered advice. When the legislative hearing began, Forum participants lingered until "their" group of students had their say and many stayed to hear the final verdict. Arguments ranged from allowing states and communities to make their own decisions regarding curfews, to the constitutional right to assemble, to employers' needs for late-night employees. One argument against the curfew--that "kids need time to grow up"--drew the congressional rebuttal, "between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.?"
Conclusion
The field trip participants were able to see the first summer operation of two quite different programs. One provided an introduction to economics and the world of work, the other an introduction to the law and citizenship. The Summer Economics Institute is a six-week program providing academic instruction and considerable worksite learning experience and interaction with business persons through guest speakers and field trips. Although the program has been in existence 15 years, it is newly operated through the public school system. The visit gave participants an idea of the paperwork, funding and staff time it takes to start and run such a program. The structured workplace learning and stellar employer supervisors, however, revealed the extent of past experience in creating worksite placements. Participants also saw a rare cooperation between public and private schools in the program's operation and participants.
Street Law Summer Camp, in its first year, is a unique one-week intensive experience in the law. With the resources of the nation's Capitol including Congressional committee staff and facilities, the Library of Congress, the FBI and the Supreme Court, staff with legal and teaching experience guide students through a range of hands-on projects related to the law. Most summer camp participants travel far from home.
Participants also received overviews of the brand new School-to-Career program at T.C. Williams High School and of the long-established organization Street Law, Inc.
Contact Information
Jack Henes
Director
Summer Economics Institute and
T.C. Williams School-to-Work Program
T.C. Williams High School
3330 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22302
Phone: 703-824-6800
Voice Mail: 703-824-6805, Box 2430
Lee Arbetman
Staff Director
Street Law, Inc.
918 16th Street, NW Suite 602
Washington, DC
Phone: 202-293-0088
Fax: 202-293-0089
Jennifer Brandsberg (May, June, July)
or Caroline Peyrone (rest of year)
Street Law, Inc.
918 16th Street, NW Suite 602
Washington, DC
Phone: 202-293-0088
Fax: 202-293-0089
[1] Mr. Henes' interest in career-related education began 12 years before when he was invited to participate in a teacher intern program which placed teachers with employers in the summer. This summer teacher intern program has been revived this year and has involved three teachers. Business sponsors were asked to pay the teachers $10-12 per hour.
[2] The organizational name was for many years the National Institute for Citizen Education in the Law (NICEL), but has recently been changed to Street Law, Inc.