Town Of Rye Looking For "A Few Good Businesses"

By JOAN GRANGENOIS-THOMAS (Open Post)

Rye Town Supervisor Joe Carvin and the Town Council announced that the Town’s Summer Internship Program for high school students will begin on July 6th and end on August 14th.

To that end, the Town seeks business owners and non-profit organizations who want to take part in this successful program. Started in 2012, the Town of Rye internship has seen 25 students successfully go through the program and had 18 organizations and businesses to participate. In addition, it has given local organizations and businesses access to potential future employees – a valuable resource in this skill-deficient era.

Felix Maisonet is an insurance agent with an office in Port Chester. When asked about his agency’s participation in the internship program, he said, “I am proud to host an intern for what will be our second year. We found the interns to be eager to learn more about the insurance business and industry. Conversely, we have been given the opportunity to share our experiences with the interns and shown them that this can be a career they can enjoy in the future. We are excited to find out who our intern(s) will be this year.”

During the first week of the internship, 10 high school students will participate in a job-readiness workshop conducted by the Town. The workshop will include sessions on job search skills, resumes writing, interviewing and on-the-job performance.

Over the following five weeks, the students will work at businesses, community organizations and government offices in the Town of Rye. In the past, students have worked at the Clay Arts Center, Family Services of Westchester, Port Chester Cares, Port Chester Children’s Place, Port Chester Head Start, the NAACP, St Frances AME Zion Church, St Peter’s Church, the Village of Port Chester and the Town of Rye.

Town Supervisor Joe Carvin, described the program as a wonderful example of “the positive impact that can occur when the public, private and non-profits sectors of our community work together to understand the problems in our community - like youth employment - and collaborate to develop positive solutions.” Carvin went on to say, “Our Town-sponsored summer internship program for high school students – like our inter-municipal “Tools for Change” seminar for high school students and our work at the African American Cemetery - helps us become a Model American Community.”

Employers who would like to work with an intern this summer are asked to contact David Thomas at the Town of Rye at 914-939-3075 ext 100 or send an email toparksdept@townofryeny.com

In the photo: Anna Kay Smikle of Rye was an intern with the Town of Rye Summer Internship Program in 2014.

Photo credit: Joan Grangenois-Thomas