State Museum Hosts Students From the City of Albany’s Light Summer Youth Employment Program and Girls Inc. Eureka!

The New York State Museum (NYSM) is pleased to celebrate the success of its collaboration with the City of Albany's LIGHT Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) and Girls Inc. Eureka! in a landmark year for its summer programming. The Museum proudly expanded its initiative to include Girls Inc. Eureka!, which provided young women with immersive STEM experiences. Over the course of the four-week program, students from each organization made a significant impact by engaging with nearly 2,000 Museum patrons through their public programming initiatives.

Eight local students, ages 14 to 18, participated in the program, gaining invaluable work experience across various fields, including science, history, and the arts. This enriching experience not only fostered career exploration but also offered compensated employment at the New York State Museum, ensuring a rewarding and educational journey for all involved.

Throughout the summer, students had the unique opportunity to work directly with Museum professionals-scientists, historians, educators, archivists, librarians, and exhibit planners. Guided by these experts, the students utilized the Museum's collections and research materials from the New York State Library and Archives to craft their own public programming experiences, greatly enhancing the visitor experience.

The program concluded on August 9th, featuring seven students from the City of Albany's LIGHT Summer Youth Employment Program and one from the Girls Inc. Eureka! Program. Funded by the City of Albany, SYEP students earned $15.00 per hour for 20 hours a week, adding an element of financial support to their educational experience.

New York State Museum Director of Education Kathryn Weller said, "We are thrilled to support the City of Albany's LIGHT Summer Youth Employment Program and the Girls Inc. Eureka! Programs. The Summer Youth Employment Program offers a unique opportunity to introduce local students to the many professional opportunities and career paths within the New York State Museum, Library, and Archives. We love the enthusiasm and creativity our SYEP students bring to developing public programs for our visitors. We're excited to see what the future holds for these talented students and are happy to provide a meaningful workplace experience that we hope inspires them in their future careers."

City of Albany Department of Recreation Youth & Workforce Services Commissioner Jonathan Jones said, "The City of Albany's SYEP is incredibly fortunate to have a partnering worksite like the NYS Museum. The exposure to STEM and the Arts through the work at the Museum allows our youth employees to grow their knowledge in a variety of areas while developing their communication and problem-solving skills." 

Summer Youth Employment StudentVanelia Anguilet said, "What I really enjoy here at the museum are the New York minerals; they are so majestic to see. I also participate in the Summer Youth Employment Program to possess and develop more skills like public speaking or helping people in difficulty and more. I always do this, even at school, when I have the chance. I hope to be someone in the future, a good person, to find the career that fits my personality and that will help me be myself so that I can give people the best of me."

Vanelia graduated this year from the City School District of Albany. She made the Principal's List for Innovation Academy and plans to attend Hudson Valley Community College in the Fall.

Throughout the summer, Museum visitors enjoyed various educational and hands-on programming created by the dedicated students from the City of Albany's LIGHT Summer Youth Employment and Girls Inc. Eureka! Programs. These engaging, pop-up-style activities sparked creativity and curiosity, offering fresh experiences with every visit.

Program Highlights: 

Summer Youth Employment Students, Samiullah, Melany, Vanelia, and Nolan as well as Girls Inc. Eureka! student Ariana talk to New York State Museum Curator of Archaeology, Dr. Jonathan Lothrop.	Summer Youth Employment Students Melany and Vanelia talk to visitors at the New York State Museum during a program supporting the new exhibit Canine Contrasts.
Summer Youth Employment Students, Samiullah, Melany, Vanelia, and Caroline as well as Girls Inc. Eureka! student Ariana share animal adaptions with visitors to the New York State Museum after a Brainfood for the Curious lecture with Dr. Jeremy Kirchman on the exhibit, Canine Contrasts.	SYEP students, Vanelia and Melany explore animal adaptations with visitors to the New York State Museum.
Families enjoy the New York State Museum's "Marine Lab," part of a series of hands-on inquiry-based programs organized and run by students participating in the City of Albany's Summer Youth Employment Program and Girls Inc.'s Eureka! program.	SYEP student, Janahvia explains the adaptations of a sawfish including its elongated, toothed snout or, rostra in the New York State Museum's "Marine Lab," part of a series of hands-on inquiry-based programs organized and run by SYEP and Girls Inc. Eureka! students.

The City of Albany's LIGHT Summer Youth Employment Program is a 30+ year-old program that provides summer employment for youth between the ages of 14-18. LIGHT stands for Learning Initiatives and Gaining Headway Together, which symbolizes the program curriculum used in Albany for five weeks each summer. The City of Albany's LIGHT program introduces youth to the labor market by helping them acquire skills and insight with work experience that can be used to improve school performance and become responsible adults.

Girls Inc. Eureka! is a free and unique five-year program that introduces girls to STEM, personal development, sports, mentorship, and career exploration.

About the Cultural Education Center

The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department's Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. For additional information, visit the New York State Museum website. 

The New York State Library is part of the Office of Cultural Education within the New York State Education Department. Visit the New York State Library website for a complete list of upcoming programs. To receive news, resources, and other updates, please subscribe to the quarterly newsletter. 

The New York State Archives holds many of the oldest and most important archival treasures in the nation. The Archives preserves and makes accessible over 250 million records of New York's State and colonial governments dating from 1630 to the present. The State Archives provides free access to photographs, artifacts, documents, manuscripts, and other materials that tell the story of New York's history via its Digital Collections on the Archives website. 

The Archives Partnership Trust was founded in 1992 to build an endowment and provide project support to enhance humanities programs, increase access to these outstanding treasures, and continue the preservation of New York's historical records. Since its founding, the Partnership Trust, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has supported exceptional projects and programs. These include the Research Residency Program, the Student Research Awards Program, history conferences, special exhibitions, public education programs, book signings and lectures, publications, teacher training institutes, preservation projects, and more.

The State Museum, State Library, and State Archives are programs of the New York State Education Department's Office of Cultural Education. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or by visiting the Office of Cultural Education website. 

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