This past May, I began my internship at Lyndale Neighborhood Association (LNA) as their Neighborhood Engagement Intern for the summer of 2024. Over the course of 10 weeks, I had the opportunity to collaborate with LNA staff across a wide range of the organization’s programming in what culminated in a summer of meaningful connections and growth—both professionally and personally.
Collaborating with the Education Program
When I started working with LNA’s Education Program, I brought with me years of prior teaching experience, but this was my first time working in the English language learners (ELL) classroom.
After observing staff and volunteers to learn more about Adult Basic Education (ABE) teaching and learning strategies, I gradually took on a more active instructor role in the classroom.
It’s safe to say that this was the most fulfilling part of my internship experience. While discovering my passion for teaching and interest in pursuing a career in education, I loved connecting with volunteers and students and learning about their different backgrounds and cultures. Like many of the students who immigrated to the United States, my mom and her family came to the U.S. from Vietnam in the late 1980s. Hearing about students’ experiences as immigrants in America reminded me of my own family, and their resilience inspired me in the same way.
Strengthening Community Partnerships
Relationship-building was at the core of my time at LNA, and I saw it in a new light as I worked with the Engagement Committee to organize community events. Having helped coordinate LNA’s presence at Painter Park’s Movie in the Park and plan the Annual Gathering and Elections, I eventually took the lead on organizing LNA’s involvement with Painter Park’s Back 2 School Jam, coming up in late August. I learned pretty quickly that especially when it comes to event planning, flexibility is key and these experiences pushed me to become more comfortable with switching gears.
I also connected with neighbors by attending several community garden work days. As I worked alongside neighbors to help maintain the gardens’ communal spaces, I got to know many of them and participated in building community at each garden site. I loved listening to gardeners’ personal stories and hearing what they planned to cook with the produce that they grew in their garden plots, and some of them even gave me fresh herbs and vegetables to take home!
Enhancing Outreach and Marketing
In addition to strengthening existing relationships within the neighborhood, I focused on building new ones and sharing about LNA’s mission with the community through outreach and marketing projects. Whether by email or visits to local community spaces, I spent much of my time talking to prospective students about LNA’s Education Program and gathering input to improve classes in the future.
Halfway through my internship, I also took on the responsibility of creating LNA’s weekly email newsletter, producing write-ups of upcoming events and important news and reminders to share with the community. During the five weeks that I oversaw the eNews, I gained experience in a new style of writing and learned a lot about creating media that is both accessible and engaging!
Another behind-the-scenes project I completed during my internship was the creation of a shareable community resources bookmark to help connect neighbors with social services in the Twin Cities. The bookmark—in both English and Spanish—will soon be printed and available at the South Nicollet Action Center (3537 Nicollet Ave.) for anyone looking for assistance, either for themself or someone they know. While I engaged in numerous important initiatives during my time with LNA, I feel that this one is especially powerful and hope that it will have a wide-reaching, positive impact on neighbors.
Final Reflections
In the process of gaining experience working at a place-based non-profit organization, I learned about and gained a deep appreciation for the Lyndale neighborhood and everyone who makes it a community. The relationships that I formed during the summer truly enriched my time working with LNA and really showed me the value of working together to make positive change.
Since starting college, I’ve been seeking out new experiences to explore my interests and potential career fields, and this internship has really solidified my passion for education. I love supporting students’ learning while building meaningful relationships in the process, and it has encouraged me to continue exploring this path in the future.
I am grateful for all of the people that I was able to meet throughout my internship and will truly miss seeing them each week.
About the Author
Amanda Week (she/her/hers) was Lyndale Neighborhood Association’s summer 2024 Neighborhood Engagement Intern. She is a rising senior at Macalester College in St. Paul where she is majoring in philosophy and minoring in Spanish, media studies and linguistics. This fall, Amanda looks forward to finishing her final year of undergrad and exploring what lies ahead.
