WPY UPDATES

Help Us Win $15,000 - Vote Now!

Vote in Watertown Savings Bank's Customer Choice Awards between now and March 7th.

Watertown Savings Bank's Customer Choice Awards are now OPEN for voting! Help us win the $15,000 grand prize by taking one minute to vote for WPY between now and March 7th. If you're a Watertown Savings Bank customer, your vote counts twice!



Career Exploration & Training (CET)

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

Pictured above: The first cohort of 2024-2025 Teen Mental Health Alliance interns presented their community project concept to WPY staff earlier this month.

This month, the first of two 2024-2025 School-Year Teen Mental Health Alliance (TMHA) cohorts completed their internships.

After spending the last few months learning teen Mental Health First Aid and meeting guest speakers in the mental healthcare field, the TMHA interns wrapped up their internship by co-creating a draft of a mental health resource website designed specifically for students. Their project was informed by results from the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, student-run research, and their personal experiences with mental health. They presented their project to a panel of WPY staff members at the beginning of the month. We are so proud of their work! The next cohort of School-Year TMHA begins their internships this week.

Career Success Institute (CSI) sessions also started up this month. CSI is a partnership between WPY and the Bentley Service-Learning and Civic Engagement (BSLCE) Center; mentors from the BSLCE volunteer their time to

meet 1:1 with WPY students to offer virtual and in-person resume and cover letter support. CSI sessions are open to all Waltham High School and Valor High School students.

Attending at least one CSI session is mandatory for all WPY Summer Internship Program applicants. The Summer Internship Program applications will open on March 7!

Program Details: February 25-April 3 (No sessions March 11-13)

Tuesdays 2:15-3:45 @ WHS Library (virtual during vacation and snow days)

Wednesdays 4:00-5:30 pm, virtual

Thursdays 2:15-3:45 @ WHS Library (virtual during vacation and snow days)



Wraparound Waltham

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

Pictured above: WPY Wraparound Senior Coordinator, Alexa Cuellar, celebrated Valentine's Day with Valor High School students.

This month, WPY Wraparound staff celebrated Valentine's Day with Valor High School students and staff. Valor students taught staff how to make homemade tortillas, simultaneously sharing their culture and practicing their English skills as they gave cooking instructions. Activities like these help to build community and strengthen rapport between WPY staff and Valor High School students and staff. 

In other news, we are excited to welcome Diana Reynoso, our new Wraparound intern from Regis College! Diana is an undergraduate social work intern at Regis, and will be supporting Wraparound staff with completing parent/guardian permission forms, helping with administrative tasks, and generating resources for Wraparound families. She will also begin accompanying WPY's Welcome Center Coordinator, Marlen Godinez, at the Welcome Center once a week. We are excited to be expanding our Welcome Center capacity this spring!



Rescheduled - Trivia for a Cause now on

March 13th!

Due to unsafe weather conditions, Trivia for a Cause has been rescheduled for Thursday, March 13th! Enjoy an exciting night out with your friends and colleagues, while supporting life-changing youth programming in Waltham.

Register your team of 8 players at the link above.



Limited spots are available, so register as soon as possible!

Opportunities for Youth and

Community Members:

Beth Israel Lahey Health Community Listening Session - February 27th

Helping Teens Manage Depression: Practical Skills That Work

Families for Depression Awareness is presenting their free webinar — Helping Teens Manage Depression: Practical Skills That Work — on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, from 7:00 to 8:30 PM ET. In this webinar, you’ll learn concrete tools and techniques to help your teen manage depression effectively. The presenter, Amy Mezuliz, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and author of, “Reversing the Spiral of Depression for Teens: Simple Actions to Improve Mood, Boost Motivation, and Build the Life You Want.” Dr. Mezulis will focus on powerful approaches grounded in evidence-based practices. These aren’t just theoretical concepts, they’re hands-on skills you can implement immediately to support your teen’s mental health.

Storytelling Workshop at the Charles River Museum of Industry

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