The New York State Museum's Youth Services division is a nationally recognized program that features two educational, interactive after-school programs for Albany city youth. The Museum Club is for children, ages 7-13 and specializes in offering homework and academic assistance plus fun, hands-on enrichment activities on the floor of the State Museum. Discovery Squad is a work-based mentoring program that serves 14-18 year old, urban Albany teens. Teens are paid to assist younger kids as well as save time to work on their own schoolwork, start researching colleges, practice for their Regents and SAT exams, write college essays and create and conduct programs on the floor of the Museum. Each program revolves around innovative museum education practices, while providing students with the academic support they desperately need.Ìý
We are seeking two college students who can provide elementary school children with daily homework assistance, help them build good study habits and offer tutoring, reading assistance and mentoring as needed.Ìý
Youth Services Intern set up the homework area each day, including sign-in and snacks and then turn their attention to homework, help kids to improve their study and organizational skills and tutoring as needed (multiplication tables, vocabulary and writing skills, etc) and oversee the reading incentive program where tutors, teens and college interns read with children who need the most help with literacy skills. Many of our children are one or two years behind in math and/or reading and we sometimes have families who are in the process of learning English. Youth Services Interns provide an informal, positive environment that offers more one-to-one attention for children who struggle in school. During down-time and on Fridays when the kids have little or no homework, the Youth Services interns plan activities for the children that might include cooperative outdoor games in nice weather or indoor activities such as scavenger hunts in the Museum for inclement weather days. The kids love to engage in fun activities with our high school, college staff and volunteers. Candidates should have experience with elementary-level children and be energetic, engaging, organized, friendly and patient.
Youth Services Intern will be under the direct supervision and training with the Museum's Youth Services Director who has 35 years of experience working with urban youth and is the founding director of the youth programs. Interns may also receive additional training from Museum Education staff and veteran Youth Services teens to learn more about the educational and Social and Emotional Learning needs (SEL) of the young people we serve. We explore developmental levels and behaviors of individual students with children, families, social workers and teachers, as needed for a holistic approach to helping each child. Learning strategies for each child are discussed on an ongoing basis and daily concerns are explored with the Director of Youth Services at the end of each day.
Candidates must demonstrate experience with children in the 7-13 age bracket. College classes, education and training is helpful, but experience with children and a working understanding of child and adolescent development is most important. We have had graduate and undergraduate students who were engaged in one of the following fields of study: Africana Studies, Psychology, Social Welfare, Urban Education, Latinx Studies, Education, Sociology, Early Childhood Education and Educational Psychology, Women's Studies, etc, but we are open to other fields if the candidate demonstrates experience working with kids. Bilingual and minority students are strongly encouraged to apply.
Museum after-school youth program hours are Monday through Friday when Albany City Schools are in session (excluding snow days, holidays and school vacation weeks) from 2:00 - 6:00PM.
Qualified candidates should email a cover letter, resume, transcript (student copy is acceptable), and completed internship application to internships@nysed.gov. Please include the Assignment Number (OCE-SP-25-16 & OCE-SP-25-17) in the subject line of your email to reference this assignment.
Failure to send complete application materials via email will result in your removal from our consideration.
Stephanie Miller