2018 CIIP Program Book CIIP Booklet 2018 | Page 30

Historic East Baltimore Community Action Coalition, Inc. Youth Opportunity (HEBCAC YO!)
Baltimore is an organization that provides GED classes and job-readiness training for youth and
young adults striving to reach their academic and professional goals. As an intern, my job at YO
involved everything from managing a daily breakfast/lunch program to assisting in the classroom
or even running class when the teacher was away. The role was both challenging and rewarding.
I had the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with so many young people that I would
never have otherwise had the chance to work with. Many of these young people are self-driv-
en and work hard to chase their dreams. Often, they also deal with all kinds of challenges from
raising young children, to navigating housing instability, to managing family crises. This intern-
ship opened my eyes to the day-to-day adversity faced by young people in Baltimore. One of
the most frustrating aspects of this experience was witnessing how bright and capable students
faced barriers in their education through the public school system.
While we may occasionally hear about school funding issues in the news, working at YO meant
witnessing the real human impacts of pervasive and persistent under-funding in public schools.
There is a real disconnect between the “follow your passion” narrative preached to young people,
and the inability of the school system to support the different needs of socioeconomically diverse
students. At YO, I was truly inspired by the resilience and self-sufficiency of many of these youth.
It was an honor to play a small part in their respective journeys. As much as I hope I’ve been able
to teach the students at YO, the truth is I’ve learned far more from them about the challenges in
Baltimore, about life and about having hope for the future. I’m so excited to continue working with
students on their math and English skills, and can’t wait to see some familiar faces walk across
the stage at next year’s graduation.
• Tutored students in GED math
and language arts
• Planned and assisted on weekly
field trips
• Managed the daily food program​
• Worked on job interview coach-
ing and resume building
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Community Partner: HEBCAC YO!
Intern: Emma Lee
Site Supervisor: Jamille Pitts
What is HEBCAC YO!?
The YO Program provides compre-
hensive services to out-of-school
youth ages 16 to 22 and moves
them closer to economic indepen-
dence. Committed teachers lead
classes so youth can get their high
school diplomas and then con-
nects them to high-growth careers.
Caring mentors make referrals
to supportive social services and
offer leadership development op-
portunities in a safe place.