A dozen dedicated Deer Park High School students – Nangiba Arshad, Emily Dong, Delano Grant, Aazrin Haider, Ubaid Iqbal, Princess Mansibang, Bertrand Mondelus, Caleb Pierre, Raiaana Sarker, Jaskarn Singh, Christy Tomy and Eshan Zaman – gained valuable professional and civic experience this past summer through their participation in the Town of Babylon’s Ujima Summer Minority Internship Program. The five-week paid internship offers minority high school students an exceptional opportunity to explore careers in local government.
Designed for high-achieving juniors and seniors of color who reside in the Town of Babylon, Ujima provides approximately 20 hours per week of hands-on training and mentorship. The program aims to foster leadership, strengthen interest in community development and introduce students to a wide range of essential public service roles.
To be considered, students must be in the top half of their class and demonstrate a commitment to serving their community. The competitive application process includes submission of an application, personal statement and essay, followed by an interview with the internship selection committee.
Once accepted, students are assigned to one of the Town’s many governmental departments, where they work under the guidance of department heads and staff while learning practical skills such as records management, complaint resolution, scheduling, and customer and constituent services. Participants are also given the opportunity to shadow elected officials and town employees as well as engage with local business owners, highlighting the variety of career pathways available to them.