WPY UPDATES

Career Exploration & Training (CET)

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

Pictured above: Incoming WPY summer interns preparing to meet their employer at WPY's Summer Internship Program Orientation

The CET team has been hard at work preparing for the Summer Internship Program (SIP). The prep included completing hiring paperwork and launching a new SIP Orientation format.

This year's orientation gave students the opportunity to participate in a series of interactive workshops led by WPY staff and guest facilitators. Topics included Mental Health in the Workplace, Workplace Boundaries, and a Future Educators Workshop designed specifically for students pursuing internships in education and youth development. Our goal was to equip students with valuable tools and knowledge to help them succeed in their roles this summer. A special thank you to guest facilitators Greta Lindberg from Abcam for leading the session on Workplace Boundaries and to Molly Pistrang-Gomes for facilitating the Mental Health in the Workplace workshop. Your expertise and time were truly appreciated!

To round out the day, students also had a chance to meet with their employers, ask questions, and begin planning for their first day of work.

We're excited to see all that our interns will accomplish this summer! If you would like to keep up with the interns, follow WPY's Instagram (@Waltham4Youth), where each week an intern will take over our account to share a "Day in the Life" from their internship experience.

Welcome to our College Interns!

We are thrilled to welcome Maya and Neha, both undergraduate interns, to WPY's team for the summer! Read their bios below to learn more about their backgrounds.

Neha Edison was born and raised in Saudi Arabia and moved to the United States ten years ago. She proudly embraces her Indian heritage and multicultural experiences, which continue to shape her identity and values. A proud alumni of Waltham High School '23, Neha has been involved with Waltham Partnership for Youth since her freshman year of high school, contributing to a range of programs centered on youth empowerment and community engagement.

Neha is currently a student at Brandeis University, where she is double-majoring in English and Secondary Education. Her passion for teaching and mentorship has driven her to work extensively with young people, whether through academic tutoring, mentorship programs like Roses in Concrete, or leading youth panels and workshops.

Outside of the classroom, Neha is a dancer and a member of the Brandeis South Asian fusion dance team, Chak De. She also enjoys reading mystery novels, traveling, and getting creative on Canva.

Maya Krishana (she/her/hers) is a rising senior at Brandeis University, double majoring in Psychology and Health: Science, Society, and Policy. This summer, she is interning with Waltham Partnership for Youth through the Brandeis-run Community Health Internship Program (CHIP), which is coordinated by the Brandeis Center for Community Partnerships and Civic Transformation (COMPACT). Maya will be supporting Waltham Partnership for Youth with their Summer Internship Program, as well as conducting research on the social determinants of health in the Waltham area, helping to develop accessible educational materials for WPY.

Through the intersection of her two majors, she is very passionate about mental health care and advocacy for mental health, as well as advocacy for equity and equality. Outside of her studies, Maya works at the Lemberg Children’s Center in Waltham and has several years of experience working with children in summer camps. She is originally from New York City, and she enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors, and spending time with family and friends.



Wraparound Waltham

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

Pictured above: WPY Welcome Center Coordinator, Marlen Godinez, can be found staffing the Waltham Welcome Center this summer.

The Wraparound team has been busy supporting newcomer families and preparing for the start of summer programming.

WPY's Summer Soccer Group for rising ninth-grade newcomer students is BACK this summer! The group will meet on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at McDevitt Middle School, 1-3pm, from July 15th-August 7th. This program offers rising ninth graders the opportunity to build community with each other and to meet trusted adults at WPY and in the school district before transitioning to Waltham High School. In addition to soccer, WPY staff will be leading other activities to promote social emotional learning.

The Welcome Center has switched to summer hours, and will now be open from 11am-2pm, Monday-Thursday. Please see below for more information.

Opportunities for Youth and

Community Members:

Summer Soccer Group with WPY

New Summer Hours at the Welcome Center

Welcome Center Summer Hours have officially started! It will be open Monday-Thursday, from 11am-2pm.

Please reach out to Marlen or Bebelin with any inquiries.

El centro de bienvenida ha iniciado oficialmente su horario de verano esta semana. Estaremos abiertos de lunes a jueves de 11am a 2pm.

¡Por favor comunicarse con Marlen o Bebelin si tiene preguntas.

Help Improve the DESE Website

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is redesigning its website to better serve families, students, educators, and the broader school community members. They want to make it easier for everyone to find the information and resources you need. Your voice matters!

Take five minutes to share your experience by completing our short survey. Your feedback will help shape a more accessible, user-friendly website for all.

Thank you for helping DESE to build a better tool for the education community!

Take Mass General Brigham's 2025 Community Health Survey

As a part of their Community Health Needs Assessment, Newton-Wellesley Hospital has launched a community health survey along with all 14 other Mass General Brigham hospitals. We encourage you to take their survey for a chance to win a $100 gift card! The survey is available in multiple languages, is confidential, and is open to all Massachusetts residents ages 18+. Help our community by taking this survey before June 30th!

Free Summer STEM Program in Waltham

Mobile Outreach Market in Waltham

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