2021 Pittsburgh Projects
Casa San José
Mental Health Resource Guide (click to view Poster)
Student Interns:
Antonio Gumucio, MS, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health
Madison Myers, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health and School of Law
Academic Preceptor:
Patricia Documet, MD, DrPH, Graduate School of Public Health
Community Preceptor:
Veronica Jenkins, Deputy Director of Programming and Community Engagement, Casa San Jose
Community Site:
Casa San Jose is a community resource center that advocates for and empowers Latinos by promoting integration and self-sufficiency.
Project:
The Bridging the Gaps student interns developed a mental health resource guide to help address the shortage of Spanish-speaking providers in the Pittsburgh area and connect clients with providers across the state via telehealth. The students recognized the importance of cultural competency in treating the unique mental health issues affecting this population, including social isolation, fear of deportation and racial discrimination. They screened providers for language fluency, areas of expertise and reimbursement policies, such as sliding scale or pro bono services, to remove language, cultural and financial barriers to effective care. The student interns expanded the existing mental health resources, empowering Casa San Jose to increase services for the local population and reduce wait times.
Intern Statements:
Antonio Gumucio: “My time in Bridging the Gaps has cemented my commitment to serve marginalized populations and advocate for initiatives that enable greater health equity. The lessons learned in the classroom seamlessly complemented those experienced at Casa San Jose. Connecting with Pittsburgh’s diverse Latino community via the multiple initiatives conducted by CSJ and gaining a greater understanding of the existing barriers to care enhanced my scope as a healthcare provider. This highly immersive internship gave me a greater appreciation for the people we were serving and the complexity of their challenges and strengthened the connection to my roots.”
Madison Myers: “This experience was invaluable. Interning with Bridging the Gaps allowed me to see firsthand the importance of promoting public health in underserved communities. Being placed specifically with Casa San Jose allowed me to directly serve Pittsburgh’s Latino community by assisting with the different clinics hosted by the organization and through our project. My time at Casa also taught me about the expansive intersection of law and public health. This experience will stick with me while I finish both my public health and law degrees as well as when I embark on my future career.”
Center of Life
The Social Justice Resource Center “Ambassadors of Justice” Curriculum (click to view Poster)
Student Interns:
Gracie Brickner, University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work
Tara Harmony, University of Pittsburgh, School of Public Health
Academic Preceptor:
Sharon Connor, PhD, School of Pharmacy
Community Preceptors:
Danielle Chaykowsky, Executive Assistant, Center of Life
Andi Fischhoff, MEd, Volunteer, Center of Life
Donna Smith, MPM, Director of the Social Justice Resource Center, Center of Life
Community Site:
Center of Life is a community-empowerment organization located in the Hazelwood neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Its mission is to provide families and youth with the life skills, education, training and resources necessary to be strong and to make their communities strong.
Project:
The Bridging the Gaps student interns created a 10-week curriculum for the Ambassadors of Justice program that will engage high school students on topics of social and racial justice. The curriculum includes a mock schedule, lesson plans, resources for teaching, learning goals and objectives, program evaluation and a glossary. The curriculum includes both content lessons on general social justice concepts and skill-building lessons on media literacy, campaign planning and contacting representatives.
The student interns shadowed Center of Life’s other teen program, KRUNK, and interviewed the teens about social justice. These interviews informed creation of the curriculum. The student interns also contributed to the Social Justice Resource Center by manning a table at community events, creating the Social Justice Sharing Corner, editing the Social Justice Resource Center website
(https://www.socialjusticepgh.com/), writing the monthly news roundup and helping plan future webinars.
Intern Statements:
Gracie Brickner: “I am beyond grateful for my experience at Center of Life and could not have asked for a better site. Hazelwood is such an amazing and vibrant community, and I am honored that I was welcomed in so graciously and with open arms. Through this opportunity, I learned so much, not only about myself, but about communities, specifically Hazelwood, how resilient people are, and how important social justice is, especially for the youth. I am continuously inspired by the work they do and hope to one day have such a meaningful and impactful career.”
Tara Harmony: “I applied for the Bridging the Gaps summer internship because I wanted to learn more about local communities, gain practical experience in public health and help people from underserved populations. I was able to achieve all three of these things this summer through my work at Center of Life — a Hazelwood community center full of passionate, dedicated staff who are always exploring new ways to better serve the community. I learned so much about community outreach and engagement, and I have been continually inspired by the warmth and resilience of Hazelwood residents.”
Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center, Early Head Start (COTRAIC EHS)
COTRAIC EHS Family Health: One Step at a Time (click to view Poster)
Student Interns:
Lydia Shen, University of Pittsburgh, School of Pharmacy
Megan Zieber, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health
Academic Preceptor:
Todd Bear, PhD, MPH, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health
Community Preceptor:
Deborah Gallagher, MEd, Early Head Start/Family Center Director, Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center
Community Site:
COTRAIC EHS is a federally funded program that provides free or low-cost childcare to families who live at or below the poverty level with children from birth to 3 years old. COTRAIC offers a variety of services both in the classroom and at home to promote the healthy development of infants and toddlers. Home-based options include home visiting, which entails weekly meetings between families and staff to provide resources and recommendations. Center-based options include COTRAIC-specific classrooms, childcare partnerships like Brightside, and family childcare homes. COTRAIC EHS serves neighborhoods all over Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
Project:
The Bridging the Gaps interns developed a community health needs assessment, which gathered information about attitudes and accessibility of healthcare services as well as health literacy. The survey was distributed to both staff and families to identify recurring themes and eliminate gaps in care. Using survey results and staff suggestions, the interns created a health literacy pamphlet for families. The pamphlet was tailored toward the common misconceptions, barriers, and education preventing families from receiving necessary and preventive care. The interns also attended a community baby shower hosted by Beverly’s Birthdays for low-income families, assisted with allergy awareness and updated child health records.
Intern Statements:
Lydia Shen: “Even after living in Pittsburgh for three years, I’d rarely traveled outside Oakland. COTRAIC EHS has given me the opportunity to explore various neighborhoods up to an hour outside the city and, more importantly, to interact with people from all walks of life. At the core of COTRAIC EHS, it’s about being present with and available to families. These relationships are forged out of trust, empathy and consistency. My summer experience here has taught me patience, resilience and the importance of connections, no matter how brief.”
Megan Zieber: “Every day of my summer with COTRAIC Early Head Start presented a new experience. Each child I interacted with had a unique perspective. Although many did not express themselves verbally, the children made me look at the world through a different lens. Being in the Human Genetics Department, I usually focus more on the scientific aspects of public health. Working with COTRAIC Early Head Start provided me the opportunity to stretch my thinking of how genetics connects everyone, regardless of resources, age, or background.”
Dragon’s Den
Dragon’s Den Resource Manual (click to view Poster)
Student Interns:
Brooke Cicchino, University of Pittsburgh, School of Nursing
Shayla Preston, University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work/Graduate School of Public Health
Academic Preceptor:
Nina Markovic, PhD, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health
Community Preceptors:
Maria Botterman, Outreach Coordinator, Dragon’s Den
Pravin Wilkins, Program Director, Dragons’s Den
Community Site:
Dragon’s Den is a community center with an indoor ropes course that fosters an environment where children can push themselves, increase their self-confidence and build their ability to achieve things that seem difficult. Through an after-school program, workshops and summer camps, Dragon’s Den provides a safe space for children to interact and build positive relationships outside of school.
Project:
At Dragon’s Den, the Bridging the Gaps interns worked daily with the summer campers to help them have a unique experience, build their confidence and develop new friendships. Dragon’s Den staff expressed an interest in developing teaching activities around physical and mental wellness in children. With that in mind, the BTG interns created a wellness resource manual for staff and parents, covering different factors that contribute to success and happiness in children. The interns created the acronym WINGS, which included five topics: Wellness (Physical and Mental), Interactions, Nutrition, Growth and Support. For each topic, the interns created a title page and an information section, followed by multiple activities and worksheets that could be used by staff or parents to help the children learn to stay healthy and to grow into strong, successful individuals. In the future, this resource can be used by staff to pull activities into workshops and camps. Parents can also refer to this resource on the website to help teach their children healthy coping mechanisms and ways to maintain their health.
Intern Statements:
Brooke Cicchino: “I have had a great experience seeing children from different backgrounds work with and support one another through the challenge course and various team-building activities. It is great to see the children push themselves and gain confidence through their experiences here. I look forward to seeing the Dragon’s Den’s community following grow and to seeing them utilize the activities in our manual to benefit the children. This helped me, as a nursing student, realize that early teaching regarding health is possible and essential to help children begin healthy habits that can last a lifetime.”
Shayla Preston: “Working with the children here has helped me realize how complex and different they are from each other. Being able to interact with each child has helped me develop the skills I will need to work with children in the future, within different therapeutic settings. By tailoring my interactions with each child and meeting them where they are, I have been able to develop wonderful relationships with these children during camp, and I was proud to see them grow in their own way with our guidance.”
Voices Against Violence
Voices Against Violence Summer Camp (click to view Poster)
Student Interns:
Emmanuela Abraham, University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work/Graduate School of Public Health
Srinidhi Alur, University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work/Graduate School of Public Health
Academic Preceptor:
Betty Braxter, PhD, CNM, University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing
Community Preceptor:
Maureen Anderson, EdD, Director of Programs, Violence Against Violence
Richard Carrington Sr., Executive Director, Voices Against Violence
Community Site:
Started by Richard Carrington Sr. in 1992, Voices Against Violence (VAV) began as a street outreach initiative working with Pittsburgh gang members. VAV was formally established in 1995 in response to the growing need for holistic community-based programs that serve youth involved with gangs, drugs and guns in South Pittsburgh. It quickly became one of the foremost anti-violence organizations in Pittsburgh, pioneering programs in street mediation, conflict and restorative justice practices. VAV primarily serves males and females aged 4 to 24 residing in South Pittsburgh communities.
Project:
The Bridging the Gaps student interns functioned as consultants and administration for Voices Against Violence (VAV) and its summer camp. During orientation for camp counselors, the interns provided training on effective communication, trauma-informed approaches to working with youth and techniques for facilitating discussions surrounding life topics with campers. The interns observed the dynamics at camp and offered insight into areas of improvement and keeping camp operations efficient. The BTG interns also functioned as providers and led mindfulness sessions with all age groups. Finally, the student interns produced a manual and training video for senior counselors on effective communication and developed a six-month, one-year and five-year plan for VAV.
Intern Statements:
Emmanuela Abraham: “During my time at Voices Against Violence, I had the opportunity to learn more about myself personally and put into play many social work skills such as the trauma-informed approach. I stepped out of my comfort zone and ended up with a new friend and a family. Thank you so much to my partner and community mentors for making this an experience I will never forget and reminding me why I chose my field: to make a difference one child at a time.
Srinidhi Alur: "I feel like I learned so much in a few short weeks working at Voices Against Violence and Bridging the Gaps that they can't teach you in a classroom. We found ourselves utilizing many of the concepts we learned in our social work and public health courses, such as considering the person-in-environment and best practices in community engagement. Thank you to our community mentors for treating us as family and making us feel like our input was valued. I'm so thankful to have been paired with Emmanuela and to tackle so many new adventures together."
Youth Enrichment Services
Skills Spotlight (click to view Poster)
Student Interns:
Imani Beard, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health
Wendeline Frederic, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health
Academic Preceptor:
Emma Barinas-Mitchell, PhD, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health
Community Preceptors:
Ashlee Freeman, MA, Manager, Pathways to Access Program
Denise Jones, MEd, Ombudswoman and Legacy Liaison, Youth Enrichment Services
Community Site:
Youth Enrichment Services (YES) is a nonprofit organization located in East Liberty, Pittsburgh. YES provides mentorship, programming and diversion services for at-risk youth between the ages of 14 and 21. Mentoring is provided peer to peer, near-peer to peer, staff to student and staff to family. Programming efforts offer young people unique academic, empowerment and employment experiences. Examples include college prep, female empowerment curriculum and summer employment. The diversion program offers monitoring and mentoring of juvenile offenders as an alternative to a detention center.
https://www.youthenrichmentservices.org/
Project:
The Bridging the Gaps interns created five weeks’ worth of curriculum, called Skills Spotlight, which focused on life skills that adolescents aged 13 to 15 should learn or master at this stage of their development. Each week for three hours, the students were taught about five different life skills and engaged in activities that allowed them to interact with one another to reinforce the learned material. The curriculum comprised detailed lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations, worksheets and activities that strengthened the students’ understanding of the skill(s). In addition to the Skills Spotlight, the BTG interns created content for apprenticeship workshops, which they led in smaller groups, to teach the youth skills to produce a tangible product related to their apprenticeship, such as gardening/agriculture and epidemiology. Lastly, the BTG interns assisted YES staff with content facilitation for the job readiness workshops, the research-based community outreach and subsequent paper creation, and student onboarding.
Intern Statements:
Imani Beard: “Interning at YES this summer has given me space to go outside of my comfort zone and thrive. As a result of this experience, I have been able to develop connections with youth and through that have been able to further understand the importance of engaging with the community as a tool to create a sustainable impact. As someone who is interested in health literacy, having the responsibility of creating content in a manner that is digestible for different age ranges that can be both educational and interactive taught me skills I will use long after this experience is over.”
Wendeline Frederic: “This experience has forced me to get out of my comfort zone to produce meaningful content, which will be beneficial as I progress throughout my career. With each session I facilitated, I was reminded of the impact of early intervention. Providing an outlet for at-risk youth to enhance their skills through programming efforts has the potential to create a long-lasting impact.”
Youth Opportunities Development
Financial Education Curriculum and Toolkit (click to view Poster)
Student Interns:
Kestrel Allawos, University of Pittsburgh, School of Public Health
Mikhaila Fogel, University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work
Academic Preceptor:
Martha Terry, PhD, School of Public Health
Community Preceptor:
Brandon Ziats, Executive Director, Youth Opportunities Development
Community Site:
Youth Opportunities Development is a year-round program for adolescent boys in Clairton, Pa., with a primary focus on behavioral and academic improvement.
Project:
The Bridging the Gaps interns created a financial literacy curriculum and toolkit to expose the students to relevant concepts about personal finance. The project was intended to fill a gap in the YOD students’ knowledge, as there is no personal finance class offered at the local school. Such education is important, because finances and money management affect well-being and stress in so many ways. Among other things, strong financial health relates to the ability to pay bills on time, build credit, purchase insurance, buy healthy foods and access safe housing. The BTG interns designed a four-week curriculum that included slideshows, videos, simulations and quizzes. For the last week, the interns created a final budgeting activity in which participating students could apply many of the skills and concepts they learned throughout the weekly lessons. The personal finance toolkit goes into greater detail than the weekly lessons and covers topics that the interns couldn’t get to during the week. The toolkit can be used by the students into young adulthood as the different financial skills become increasingly relevant.
Intern Statements:
Kestrel Allawos: “I feel so lucky to have been welcomed into the tight-knit YOD community, and we had fun teaching the students and learning from them along the way. The boys have taught me so much about strength and resilience, and I was constantly impressed by their respectful behavior, eagerness to learn and witty senses of humor. I will have to miss the über-competitiveness of every single game and the chaos of all the many things going on in the rec room each day. I am very grateful for the experience and time that we spent in Clairton, and I wish we had a few more weeks to expand on our project and foster relationships even more. BTG and this project have made me think more deeply about all of the aspects involved in physical and mental health, and I can see myself working with communities in a similar way throughout my professional career.”
Mikhaila Fogel: “I am so grateful to have spent the summer alongside a group of 15 fun, caring and genuine students who made up the summer crew of YOD. Through the many competitions, games and outdoor adventures, the students of YOD have graciously welcomed Kestrel and I to be a part of this little community that they have built. Watching the students interact, learn to solve problems and work together has been an immense joy, and I’ve loved getting to know each student individually and as members of the larger group. Before starting the BTG internship, I was still unsure of how I wanted to use my MSW; however, my time at YOD has ignited my passion for creating safe community spaces and building meaningful relationships through anti-violence work. I am so thankful to have learned alongside the students and I will deeply miss the constant chaos, curiosity and kinships that I witnessed here.”