Ava Keamy, an early childhood education major from Andover, is interning with the YMCA this summer as a camp counselor for the after-school program. Ava will be the group leader for her classroom of 25 children, ranging from preschool to second grade. This internship is important for Ava as she plans to be an early childhood teacher when she graduates. It can be difficult for teachers to find internships in the summer since there’s no school, but Ava was able to find what she wanted with the YMCA.
“When I was looking for internships, I wanted it to be something where it was for the summer, but has to do with teaching as well,” she said. “I started looking online, and I saw the YMCA was looking for a group leader…which is perfect for me. I [can] have my own classroom [and] my own set of kids for three months.”
Ava had experience with the YMCA before this internship; she was an assistant for a class last summer. She’s excited to move up to group leader that’s in charge of planning activities and lessons.
Her previous experiences with teaching and taking care of others have prepared her for this internship. She’s a Jumpstart corps member, which is an on-campus job for tutoring and mentoring preschool children. Ava enjoyed her experience with Jumpstart as she was able to work with kids in early childhood.
She’s also a respite provider for Waystone, a service that specializes in treating youth and adults with disabilities, brain injuries and complex medical needs. Ava works at home with Waystone and takes care of her brother, who has autism.
Ava took an intro to human development class her freshman year, which explored the philosophies of a child’s mind. She believes this course was beneficial for working with kids and figuring out how to treat each individual child.
“Looking back and working with kids, [the philosophies] are so true,” she said. “I’m starting to piece everything together…figuring out [which] child might [have] these struggles…or maybe one child has an IEP. It all [comes] together as you get more experience, which is something I really am so grateful for.”
For other students looking to teach in early childhood education, Ava recommends staying organized during the school year.
“Staying organized is very important. What I found that’s really helpful is having all of my classes on one day and then the next day [focus] on work, internships or homework,” she said. “I have a calendar, a backpack, a to-do list…staying organized is the best thing to do when looking for an internship.”
