Q&A: West Roxbury's Councilor Matt O'Malley Interviewed By His Office's Summer Intern

West Roxbury resident Alana Keane is working in the office of as part of the City’s Youth Fund summer jobs program. Keane will begin her senior year at Newton Country Day School in September. The following is written by Alana Keane.

A few weeks ago I began my first real summer job working as an intern in Councilor O’Malley’s office. Before July 5th my only form of employment was the occasional babysitting job. Being the novice that I am, I asked a veteran of summer jobs, Councilor Matt O’Malley, to discuss why summer jobs are needed.

What summer jobs have you had?

O’Malley: I had a Globe paper route, was a paper hawker for the Cape Cod Times, held various positions at was a intern, was a Ward Fellow and mowed lawns, among other jobs.

What was your favorite summer job? Why?

O’Malley: I loved almost every summer job that I had because each job had certain benefits. Roche Bros gave me the opportunity to hang out with my friends and learn from fellow employees. I am still friends with some of my co-workers from Roche Bros. and we continue to get together every year around the holidays. Roche Bros also taught me valuable people skills and the importance of being productive. Working in City Hall as an intern and as a Ward Fellow helped shape my interest in local government. 

Tell me more about your time working at Roche Bros.

O’Malley: I started working at Roche Bros in 1994 and worked on and off for six years in the courtesy both, in the bakery, as a bagger, and as a cashier. I once got in trouble for trying to be the Roche Brothers greeter. I stood by the entrance of the store and welcomed customers into the supermarket. I figured if Wal-Mart had one why couldn’t Roche Bros? I remember everyone used credit cards on Y2K day because they thought the systems would go down and they would be able to receive free food.

What was your least favorite summer job? Why?

O’Malley: My least favorite job was collecting cans from beach trash cans at the Cape. I was 8 or 9-years-old at the time and instead of having a fancy beach metal detector, I made a contraption. I attached a magnet to a rod that would theoretically remove the cans from the trash can, but in reality it did not work. My older sisters joined in on this business as “the management” while I was the “labor.”

What did you do with the money you earned?

O’Malley: I would buy tapes, CDs, clothes, haircuts, super Nintendo games, and once a pair of Reebok Pumps. I would also occasionally take out the girl that I liked from work to Friendly’s. We’d share a Fribble under the watchful eye of the world’s best waitress, Dibby. 

Have any of your summer jobs influenced you to pursue a career in local government? How?

O’Malley: I would definitely say that many of my summer jobs influenced my career in local government. Working as an intern in Boston City Council I learned the importance that local government has on daily life. As an intern I remember a call from a constituent who had a question about Boston Public Schools and where her child was going to attend. Simply by getting her in touch with the right people, she felt so much more relieved. This internship helped me feel more connected to the community that I grew up in and continue to live in. I also learned the importance of research and gathering information on both sides of an issue. Roche Bros taught me the importance of customer service. I like to think that when a constituent calls they are a customer and whether it is the food business or it is local government it is important to respond efficiently and thoroughly. My job of collecting cans taught me that hard work pays off (sometimes up to $10 worth of can returns).

Why do you think it is important for teens to have a summer job?

O’Malley: It is important for teens to have summer jobs because they help build character and they teach teens the value of money (teens become more aware of what things cost and the value of things because it is money from their pay check). Summer jobs also expose young people to different career paths and teach them how work is a collaborative effort. Overall, summer jobs are great learning experiences.

What is valuable about City Hall summer jobs?

O’Malley: City Hall summer jobs are great because they allow young people to see their government at work. It also teaches young people that government is not a spectator sport. All people can get involved and work toward building stronger and safer neighborhoods.