JAR is a proud supporter of PAL’s Youth Link Reisenbach Internship program. As a century-old organization, PAL is constantly tasked with redefining itself to maintain its relevance in an ever-changing New York City. Serving almost 20,000 youth in 2018, PAL’s impact remains impressive as ever.
In recent years, PAL has focused its attention on Teen Programming, and is proud of its new offerings for the teens, paving the way for every individual to reach their full potential. In the Youth Link program, participants have had opportunities to attend more exciting college trips, traveling farther than ever to historically relevant colleges and universities in places like Pennsylvania and Washington, DC.
Recognizing the need to empower the community’s future female leaders, PAL has expanded its offerings for young women, in particular: PAL Girl Talk caters to young after school students, and PALTeen Centers host Teen Girl Tuesdays for our high school aged youth. PAL Girl Talk recently culminated in a year-end retreat, and allowed participants and chaperones, representing all five boroughs, to embark on St. John’s University Campus in Queens for a weekend filled with workshops and activities. The participants learned professional skills and interacted with impressive mentors as well as their peers.
Jaquell Jarvis
Age 17
First-year Youth Link Reisenbach Intern
Jaquell arrived at the program needing a considerable amount of help with his academics, in particular with math. He met with a tutor at least twice a week, often staying well past his designated time in order to understand the area of study and to complete the assigned homework. Often frustrated and overwhelmed, Jaquell stuck with it and has continued to push himself. The tutor has stated that he has seen a significant increase in Jaquell’s confidence and ability to process and work through problems. Jaquell has also worked a significant amount in other areas as well, like financial literacy, budgeting, and social interactions. Jaquell is planning to join PAL on a week-long trip to South Carolina this summer where he will engage with both his Youth Link and Acting Program peers in a number of activities surrounding African American history.
Jaquell said, in his own words “Without the help of PAL and Youth Link, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to work and gain job-related skills. I also liked getting to know new people!”
Thank you PAL for your partnership in making a better and safer NYC. Donate today to keep NYC safe. #SafeSummer2019 #NYCSafeSummer #JARFoundation #BetterSaferNYC