In this special contribution to City Matters, Communications intern Ntaconayigize Antonia provides an overview of the program and introduces two of her fellow interns and the projects they are tackling with their departments' support. 

Summer in the City is a wonderful way for teens and young adults to get real-world experience to craft their skills for the workforce. The internship is designed not only to help develop professional skills but also to grow their personal development.

Interns work in their department Monday through Thursday, and on Wednesday interns participate in Kid A’Riffic.

On Fridays, interns participate in professional and personal building activities, such as packing food for families, assisting young teens with business pitches, and getting headshots. 


VICTORIA CROOKS

Victoria Crooks, the Disability Services intern in the Office of Housing and Neighborhood Development, has gained a better understanding of the department’s role, including helping individuals with disabilities by connecting them with resources. She was placed there because she has experienced working with people with disabilities at a nonprofit Jefferson County.

“I am very happy I was placed here,” she said.  

Her department has assigned her a project to gather data on the accessibility of Knoxville's parks. As part of the project, she has visited parks to collect information to determine which amenities are accessible to individuals with disabilities. In addition, she is researching grants to secure funding to make spaces and resources more accessible. 


ANIYA WORRELS

Intern Aniya Worrels was placed with the Police Advisory Review Committee, which was her first choice. She has learned that PARC reviews cases with Knoxville police officers and how they interact with the community.

She plans to pursue a career in law and creating policy, and she's currently working to interview PARC founders on their history with the group. 

Victoria and Aniya are collaborating on a group project focused on surveying how teens perceive the police. The survey supports the Police Advisory Review Committee's goals of creating ways to improve relations between police and the community and decrease stigma. 

Aniya said she hopes the results of the project give police more insight into what they could do better in the community to help people feel safer.