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Career Exploration & Training (CET)

Connecting students to life-altering career development opportunities through meaningful paid internship experiences.

Pictured above: Roses in Concrete mentees and mentors at their April meeting, which featured a career panel

This month, the Roses in Concrete mentorship program hosted an engaging career panel for our WPY high school mentees and their Brandeis University undergraduate mentors. This year, the Roses in Concrete Planning Committee also provided $50 gift cards for mentor/mentee pairs to fund additional meetings beyond the monthly workshops. These gift cards provided an opportunity for the pairs to strengthen their bonds and explore Waltham. Since then, mentors and mentees have met each other for lunch, coffee, rock climbing, and more! 

WPY is gearing up for our flagship summer internship program, in which we match over 100 Waltham High School students with paid summer internships. Our Career Exploration & Training (CET) team has spent this past month interviewing student applicants with the support of the Bentley University Career Success Institute undergraduate student volunteers and WPY staff. Summer Internship Program applications closed on April 7, and students could choose between a virtual or in-person interview hosted at the high school. Once their interview was completed, they received written feedback on their interview and application materials. This feedback is highly useful as students prepare for second-round employer partner interviews, college interviews, and any other interviews in their futures! The CET team also hosted an Employer Partner orientation this month, where they shared important information and advice regarding the Summer Internship Program.



Teen Mental Health Alliance Peer Leaders Share Their Perspectives

Pictured above: Teen Mental Health Alliance Peer Leaders, Amy, Alicia, Francine, and Michaela, with WPY Mental Health and Healthcare Professionals of Tomorrow Coordinator, Monica Manna, and Programs & Operations Director, Magali Garcia-Pletsch

Our CET Teen Mental Health Alliance Peer Leaders recently had the opportunity to speak at the Newton-Wellesley Hospital Resilience Project “Elevating Youth Voices" roundtable discussion. The teens presented on the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, sharing their insights and experiences with the mental health challenges facing youth today and ways in which they are providing peer-to-peer support. We are so proud of them for their professionalism and community leadership!

To read the Youth Risk Behavior Survey and learn more about youth mental health in Waltham, click below.

Wraparound Waltham

Collaborating to create a community of belonging and opportunity for newcomer immigrant students and their families.

Pictured above: WPY Wraparound students at Belle of the Ball, where they had the opportunity to select free prom dresses and accessories

After ten weeks of sessions, our Wraparound program wrapped up its second cohort of the High School Welcome Class in early April. As has become a new tradition this year, WPY staff members joined the last day of the Welcome Class to cheer on students as they presented on their individual vision boards, through which students shared their hopes, dreams, and plans for the future. We're so proud of the 35 newcomer students who presented their vision boards and completed the Welcome Class!

We're also still glowing from our day spent at Belle of the Ball! Belle of the Ball provides prom gowns and accessories to students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to shop for them. On Saturday, April 6th, WPY staff members Alexa Cuellar, Marlen Godinez, and Bebelin Galvez accompanied 25 Wraparound students to the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, where the students picked out gorgeous gowns and showcased their prom looks on a red carpet. Thank you to Anton's Cleaners, Jordan's Furniture, and Enterprise Bank for sponsoring the event!

Don't Miss Your Chance to Buy Early Bird Tickets for this year's Partner Celebration!

Tickets are $80 if purchased by April 30

Join us for our Annual Partner Celebration on Wednesday, May 22 from 5:00-7:00pm at Bentley University! The event brings together over 200 leaders from the city's educational, municipal, and business sectors to showcase WPY’s partnerships that powerfully impact Waltham youth. We will feature a short, inspiring program, including a student speaker and keynote speaker. Funds raised from the event are impactful, helping WPY to run programs for over 800 local students per year. Tickets are $80 if purchased by April 30th, and sponsorships are still available!

Opportunities for Youth and

Community Members:

Upward Bound Info Session for Parents

Upward Bound is hosting an info session for Spanish-speaking parents on Thursday, May 9, from 5 to 6 p.m. at McDevitt Middle School. Upward Bound serves high school students from low-income families and students from families in which neither parent holds a bachelor's degree. The goal of Upward Bound is to increase the rate at which participants complete high school and enroll in and graduate from college.

Light refreshments will be provided at the info session. For more information, contact Marlen Godinez at marlen@walthampartnershipforyouth.org or 617-202-3732. 



Teen Mental Health Awareness Week

The Teen Mental Health Alliance (TMHA) has planned a Mental Health Week to kick off Mental Health Awareness Month! The Youth Risk Behavior Survey states that roughly 30% of high schoolers have experienced frequent, overwhelming stress over the past year. In response, the TMHA has designed multiple days of activities to teach students about healthy ways to cope with this stress. Events include a stress survival workshop from Families for Depression Awareness, Less Stress with Clay, a slime-making event, and more! 



Free Webinar from Families for Depression Awareness: Strategies for Talking with Teens About Mental Health

Families for Depression Awareness is presenting their free webinar — Unlocking Healthy Conversations — on Wednesday, May 22, 2024 from 7:00 to 8:30 PM ET.



Rebekah Gibbons, LICSW, will take participants through four common scenarios. In each scenario, she will teach parents and caring adults how to use communication strategies that work. You will learn how to validate your teen’s feelings and discuss sensitive topics. By improving communication skills, parents and caring adults can better connect with teenagers and support their mental health needs.

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