We were thrilled to have two amazing summer interns join us from Duke University: Helen Cooper and Jasmin Riley. They’ve completed their work with us and are preparing for their next year of school, but they generously took some time to tells us about their experiences:

“My internship at RAR-MA has been an invaluable experience, offering a unique blend of skill development, community engagement, and personal growth. It has not only prepared me for my future career but also deepened my appreciation for the crucial work being done in early education and family engagement. I was able to expand my skills in many areas while also exploring my own interests. I enjoyed learning and growing in and outside of the office. These tasks not only enhanced my professional skills but also deepened my understanding of the organization’s collaborative efforts in the community. For future interns, it’s important to note that RAR-MA guides you into a role that proves beneficial to both the organization’s work and its mission. I am grateful to have collaborated with dedicated individuals who are truly committed to improving early education and family engagement. Participating in the playgroup in the park was a highlight of my internship. It allowed me to witness firsthand the vital role RAR-MA plays in the community. Distributing bags filled with books and supplies to children filled me with joy and purpose. As an aspiring educator, I particularly appreciated the diverse nature of this internship. It allowed me to work directly with children and their caregivers and engage in independent or collaborative research tasks.” – Jasmine

“I am beyond grateful to have had the opportunity to intern at RAR-MA over the last two months. As someone who hopes to have a nursing career working with adolescents and young teens, interning at Raising a Reader has allowed me to not only learn new skills that will be beneficial for any job that I take on, but has also given me a chance to improve on capabilities that will continue to be an asset to me in the future. I loved having the opportunity to apply my previous interests to current tasks at RAR-MA, such as performing research for grant searches and writing. Additionally, I was able to utilize my love for research by finding STEM-related early literacy resources, extending my investigation to both English and multilingual materials after hearing some of RAR-MA’s impact stories and getting to see Raising a Reader’s influence on young children and their caregivers firsthand. Returning to Duke in the Fall, I am fortunate for the perspectives I have gained during my time at RAR-MA. I am confident that these will help shape the way I think, learn, and work, whether that be when meeting new people, having a class discussion, or when working with patients and other healthcare providers in nursing school. My biggest piece of advice for anyone looking to work at Raising a Reader would be to keep an open mind! Reflecting on the past eight weeks, I am extremely glad that I was willing to try and experiment with new things, even if it was with something that I didn’t think I would enjoy initially. For example, grant research was not something on my radar coming into the internship, but my mentors were understanding and cooperative, helping to integrate my passions into the organization’s work goals and being receptive to my thoughts and opinions. While my time at RAR-MA this summer has come to an end, I plan to continue being involved in Raising a Reader’s mission and can’t wait to continue my support for such an important and pivotal cause – thank you RAR-MA!” – Helen