I chose to be an intern at SCORE, because I want to help children succeed and complete their education. I especially want to make sure that young men are prepared for college because I know how hard it can be. Many young men struggle with being mentally, physically, and financially prepared. I wanted to be a part of an organization that advocates for the success of all students.
I applied for a SCORE Internship to learn about policy and structure within schools and school systems, as well as the research-based best practices in education that help children succeed. I wanted to be at a place that was going to make me grow, and SCORE has definitely done that for me.
My internship at SCORE really has opened my eyes to becoming more professional in a workplace. SCORE is my first internship and the first professional work atmosphere I have been in. When I started, I felt nervous and unsure of how to conduct myself in this type of work environment, but they really took me in. Everyone here is so nice, warming, and encouraging, which made this a great environment to learn and grow.
Being at SCORE also made me want to work harder in my everyday life. SCORE has a very high standard for excellence that everyone here must meet, which has helped me focus, get things done, and do everything to the best of my ability. One thing I will take away from interning at SCORE is taking the time to put my all into everything that I do.
As I interned at SCORE, I started to think that this internship would help other minority students develop a deeper passion for education and caring for students because it did so for me. SCORE is a great place to get the fire started within you to go out and make a difference.
Being an intern at SCORE opened up many avenues of networking where I got the chance to meet different African American educators, talk with them about different issues, and learn about what inspired them to become a teacher. Those conversations sparked my passion even more and made me more serious about my career plans and the advancement of K-12 education. There are not a lot of African American men within the education field and that would really bother me sometimes because we need role models, people who are doing the things that we want to do in life. When I see a person who is already where I want to be, it helps me to continue on and know that I can make it too.
As my internship is wrapping up, I feel the fire burning inside of me to become a beacon of hope for someone else and to go out and make a difference in education for children and the African American community. Enter to work and depart to serve.
SCORE’s internship program provides undergraduate students an opportunity to learn the historical context of K-12 public education in Tennessee, interact and learn from key stakeholders who are focused on improving student outcomes, and understand how policies translate into practice. Click here to learn more and apply to SCORE’s Undergraduate Internship.