Local Student Pursues Interest in Animals through North Light's Spring and Summer Internship Programs

By Jenna Rice, USLA Teen Workforce Development Coordinator, North Light Community Center

Baiyinah Cunningham, a rising senior at W.B. Saul Agricultural High School, eyes light up when she talks about Frankie and Spike. These two are goats at the Schuylkill Center Wildlife Refuge Clinic in Roxborough. When asked about her favorite moments at her internship there so far she says “…if I’m really tired and taking a break the goats will come up to me… they are more relaxed with me. Spike jumps up on the bench next to me and rubs up against me like a doggie, and Frankie will nip at my jeans… they think they can eat anything, they will try to eat my hair. I feel more relaxed and I get to calm down after working so hard...”

Baiyinah began her internship at the Schuylkill Center Wildlife Refuge Clinic this April through the Urban Sustainability Leadership Academy (USLA), which is a two year college and career preparation program that provides students with internships each spring. The program was developed by the Federation of Neighborhood Centers and is implemented locally by North Light. Baiyinah was also accepted into North Light’s summer internship program, the SCEP WorkReady program, through which she has continued her internship at the Schuylkill Center Wildlife Refuge Clinic.

The SCEP WorkReady program, administered by the Philadelphia Youth Network through North Light, gives Philadelphia teens the opportunity to pursue internships at more than 20 local businesses located in the Roxborough/Manayunk area and across the city. Baiyinah was accepted into WorkReady after a rigorous enrollment process, leading to the opportunity to interview and obtain a summer job offer. To prepare the youth for their summer jobs, North Light conducted orientations at Villanova University and the Community College of Philadelphia, where they were provided with career readiness training including interview training and a college prep workshop. All the youth who obtained internships also attend weekly professional development seminars at North Light focusing on career exploration, networking, college prep, and financial literacy.

At her internship, Baiyinah develops skills directly related to her career interests, she explains “because I want to be a marine biologist, the wildlife clinic gives me more experience working with a variety of animals.” She is also an animal science major at W.B. Saul HS, one of the few agricultural high schools in the country.

Rick Schubert, Director of Rehabilitation at the wildlife clinic, supervises Baiyinah in her internship. When asked about her he says, “She’s great. She has a really positive attitude. She’s really energetic. She comes in and starts doing things without being told. She came in this morning and she starting cleaning out the ducks and geese [immediately].” The praise goes both ways. Baiyinah describes what she likes about working with Rick, “doing something you love as a job, he doesn’t make it look hard. You know how some people go to their jobs and seem all stressed out; he makes it look funny and easy.”

North Light’s internship programs provide the opportunity for a mutually beneficial relationship between local organizations and tenacious local students. Rick describes his experience “every year we’ve had great kids… great interns; we’ve never had a bad one.”

North Light Community Center is a multi-service, community based non-profit organization located at 175 Green Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19127. Founded in 1936, North Light’s mission is to enable people of all ages and abilities in our communities, especially those most in need, to reach their full potential as productive and responsible citizens through initiatives that support and enrich children, teens, and families. North Light’s vision is to support and strengthen our diverse neighborhoods by meeting the evolving needs of individuals and families, working to develop the whole person from educating to providing sustenance, and thus, cultivate a vibrant community. Current programs include quality year-round licensed childcare for school age children, tutoring, youth development programs, arts and recreation, emergency supports, parenting workshops, teen employment, and neighborhood access to technology. North Light welcomes neighbors into our center through a dynamic outdoor play space and enrichment classes for children and adults. With ninety percent of the funding coming from charitable sources, North Light accepts and appreciates donations online and via mail throughout the year. For additional information about North Light’s programs and services, visit northlightcc.org or call 215-483-4800.

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