Boston Summer Scholars

Details

Overview
John Hancock Financial and the Boston Globe Foundation are joining together to provide more than 500 summer job opportunities to Boston teens. This program will build upon existing programs at both companies by reaching out to previously untapped companies and organizations and providing professional and life skills training workshops to the students.

As a financial company, John Hancock will fund 500 summer jobs for youth, and The Boston Globe, a news and information company, will provide weekly training sessions for all 500 young people to prepare Boston teens for life after high school. The Hancock-Globe Boston Summer Scholars collaborative will leverage the resources of both companies in an effort to galvanize more Boston companies to get involved to bring the total number of students served to 750.

Teen Employment at Boston Nonprofits - Program Details
The Boston Summer Scholars program allows nonprofit agencies to employ teens throughout the summer. The program enables students to have on the job training in community organizations in addition to participate in weekly life skills training workshops managed and developed by the Boston Globe Foundation and Boston Cares. Boston Summer Scholars gain employment training as well as educational skills to assist in becoming community leaders of the future.

The Boston Summer Scholars nonprofit employment program grants $1,500 per student to nonprofit agencies in order to fund the summer employment of one or more interns from July 7 – August 22, 2008. Each nonprofit organization is fully responsible for the selection, placement and supervision of each scholar. Participating students must be residents of Boston under the age of 21 and pursuing a high school diploma or GED (or a recent graduate).

All Boston Summer Scholars must attend a John Hancock and Boston Globe kickoff press event in mid-June. There, John Hancock CEO John DesPrez, Boston Globe Publisher Steven Ainsley, Mayor Thomas Menino, Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis and select student representatives will address the Scholars and their nonprofit organization representatives.

Boston Summer Scholars are also required to attend customized professional and life skills workshops on Friday mornings from 8:30am to 10:30am at the John Hancock Student Village at Agganis Arena on the Boston University campus (925 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, please visit www.agganisarena.com for directions). These tailored workshops will be held on the following Friday mornings: July 11th, July 18th, July 25th, August 1st, August 8th, August 15th and August 22nd. The seminars will be led by John Hancock professionals, community and civic leaders and topic experts. These workshops will strengthen students’ community engagement skills, their presentation and communication skills as well as financial management and leadership skills.

To celebrate the conclusion of the Boston Summer Scholars summer program, a recognition ceremony will be held to honor the students. Students will be joined by friends and family and will have the opportunity to network with John Hancock executives, city officials and community leaders.