Jersey City Summer Internship Program (JCSI), a youth employment initiative started by the Fulop administration in 2014 that connects Jersey City public high school students to paid internships at the cityâ€s leading companies and institutions while also earning academic credit was announced today by Mayor Steven M. Fulop  that the opening of the online application process has begun. JCSI is a part of the cityâ€s broader Jersey City Summer Works initiative, which has provided summer employment and enrichment for more than 3,000 young people in city departments and agencies, corporations and nonprofits since the initiative began.

In its fourth year, JCSI has provided over 175 Jersey City public school students with high-quality summer internships.

“This program was one of the first ones we implemented and is vitally important as it offers our youth opportunities with local corporations that previously had not existed,” said Mayor Fulop.  “It is opportunities such as these that help young people gain experience, develop their skill set, and build their professional network that will open many doors in the future.”

Developed by the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC), in collaboration with the Mayorâ€s Office and the Jersey City Public Schools, JCSI is part of the cityâ€s broader Jersey City Summer Works initiative, a comprehensive, multi-program youth employment and enrichment initiative that has served more than 3,000 young people from across Jersey City.

JCSI offers students the opportunity to receive professional exposure to industry leaders across a diverse range of companies and institutions, including finance, manufacturing, health care and the hospitality industries. The program enables participants to experience firsthand professions driving Jersey Cityâ€s economic expansion and development. Students accepted into the program are placed in six-week internships and they work four days a week, and participate in weekly career training seminars every Friday that enable them to successfully navigate the work environment.

“In addition to its strong record of placing Jersey City public school students in competitive internships, JCSI has measurably improved their career horizons,” said Mayor Fulop. “Jersey City is fortunate to be home to a wide range of private sector companies and non-profit institutions who share a deep commitment to engaging the community and helping young people reach their full potential.” 

Admission to JCSI begins with the online application, which requires students to submit, among other information, a transcript, report card, letter of recommendation, résumé, and three essays by March 6, 2017. Students who submit complete applications will then be interviewed by representatives of participating organizations.  Applicants will be notified whether they have been accepted to the program in May 2017.  As in prior years, application information sessions will be held at local public schools during January and February.

JCSI continues to garner praise from students and participating companies and institutions.  In 2016, 97 percent of responding supervisors reported that their intern was an appropriate match for their team, while 94 percent of students reported that they grew in each of a variety of skills over the course of the program. Participating companies have included JP Morgan & Chase, Scynexis, Inc., Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., Fidelity Investments, Women Rising, Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC), Goya Foods, Hyatt Regency Investors Bank, Jersey City on the Hudson, Saint Peterâ€s University, Mack-Cali Realty Corp., New Jersey City University, Jersey City Medical Center, Eastern Millwork, Inc., SUEZ Water, Tropicana, Liberty Science Center, United Way, and many more. This year, JCSI seeks to serve even more students and to welcome new businesses to the program.

All Jersey City public high school students who reside in Jersey City and are enrolled in their junior year are encouraged to apply, using the following link: https://jcsiprogram.wufoo.com/forms/jersey-city-summer-internship-program-application/

If you would like to suggest a company to host interns, please contact the JCSI team at jcsiprogram@jcnj.org or visit our website at www.jerseycityyouthworks.org to learn more about the program.

The post Opening of Application Process for the 2017 Jersey City Summer Internship Program Announced by Mayor Fulop first appeared on River View Observer.

Original Play features Stories of Survival and Hope at Art House Productions in JC

 By Sally Deering

 Power and control – two red flags of bad behavior when it comes to relationships, but sometimes a person doesnâ€t know what theyâ€re getting into until itâ€s too late. Situations like this are the basis of a new collaborative play by Jersey Cityâ€s Speranza Theatre Company and Women Rising, a refuge, resource and referral for survivors of domestic violence.

WOMEN RISING, Stories of Hope, directed by Diana Basmajian, will run Thurs, Oct. 20-Sun, Oct. 23 at Art House Productions in Jersey City.  A compilation by playwrights Megan Lohne, DeLora Whitney, Caren Skibell, Merri Biechler, Lia Romeo, and Dania Ramos, under the guidance of lead writer Jennie Contuzzi, the play is a series of monologues and scenes that focus on the survivors of domestic abuse. It features original music by Drama Desk Award nominee composer Estelle Bajou.

“Itâ€s a play about survivors of domestic violence, the staff members of Women Rising, and the police officers and friends who have helped them survive,” Heather Wahl, Producing & Artistic Director of Speranza Theatre Company says. “We started this process a year ago by interviewing people who have personal connections to domestic violence. The interviews are anonymous but the words and feelings they evoke show throughout the play.”

WOMEN RISING: Stories of Hope features

Alicia Rivas, Vanessa Rappa and Samille Ganges

The cast includes Laura Gourdine, Alicia Rivas, Larissa Adamczyk, Vanessa Rappa, Jason Faust and Samille Ganges.

“We hope this play will start a conversation about domestic violence,” Wahl says. “Itâ€s learned behavior, itâ€s generational, but it doesnâ€t discriminate. Thatâ€s something weâ€re trying to show in this play; it can happen to anybody. You hear a lot of different voices from different cultures. You hear from a young Latina, and an Indian woman in an arranged marriage whose mother-in-law abused her. The monologues are all inspired from true stories.”

Speranza Theatre Coâ€s Heather Wahl and actor Laura Gourdine

It was about a year ago that Wahl and her staff reached out to Women Risingâ€s Joaneileen Coughlan, Director of Domestic Violence Services at Women Rising, to see if the non-profit would be open to collaborating on a play about domestic violence. The two groups have worked joined forces on other projects, too.

“A lot of fundraisers Speranza Theatre Company does, including our annual production of ‘The Vagina Monologues†have been partnered with Women Rising,” Wahl says. “With WOMEN RISING: Stories of Hope, everyone was excited to have another venue to discuss domestic violence with the community.”

Domestic violence is a tough topic to tackle, but Wahl knows people who have experienced domestic violence and itâ€s important to get the issue out in the open, she says.

“Even though Iâ€m not a survivor, I know survivors, I can empathize with them,” Wahl says. “I know we can make a difference with this play. One of the big things about domestic violence is that it does not discriminate. Thereâ€s no one socio-economic group or race or culture or religion —it doesnâ€t pigeon-hole any of these categories. Rich, poor, a lot of the survivors were Caucasian, well off, well-educated. These were smart women. How did it happen? It happens over time. The batterer slowly starts to isolate you, control you and take away your power. For these women, they didnâ€t realize until they were too far in.  Then they asked, how did this happen to me? Iâ€m a smart girl, how did this happen to me?”
WOMEN RISING: Stories of Hope will be going on tour at colleges, womenâ€s organizations, and churches through the Tri-State area and the show is available for bookings, Wahl says. After the production at Art House, Speranza will be presenting the play for students and faculty at Hudson County Community College on Oct. 27^th.

“For the shows in Jersey City, weâ€re doing a dress rehearsal in front of an audience on Wednesday, October 19^th,” Wahl says. “Itâ€s open to the public and ‘pay what you can†night. Any amount of cash. All the proceeds go straight to Women Rising. Whether it is one dollar or a hundred, it all goes to Women Rising.”

Joaneileen Coughlan is the Director of Domestic Violence Services at Women Rising and sees the play as a new way to get their message across.

“Iâ€m really excited to be doing something different to raise awareness of domestic violence,” Coughlan says. “I believe this play will definitely have an impact.”

 

If you go

Thurs, Oct. 20-Sun, Oct 23

WOMEN RISING, Stories of Hope

Speranza Theatre Company at

Art House Productions

136 Magnolia Ave, JC

www.speranzatheatrecompany.com

 

Thurs, Oct 27, 6 pm

Hudson County Community College

 

For tix www.brownpapertickets.com

Tix can also be purchased at the door: $20 (cash only, please)

 

Women Rising

24/7 hotline: 201-333-5700

 www.womenrising.org

 

 

The post HOPE RISES New Play by Speranza Theatre & Women Rising explores Domestic Violence first appeared on River View Observer.