On humility, lifelong learning, and “the extra push”

Invincible. Know it all. Experienced. All adjectives and phrases that you believe about yourself once you come out of college and into the real world. You think you’ve done it all, think you’ve seen it all, think you’ve learned it all. But the truth is, you really haven’t. Being an intern at CTVN helps me to see everyday how I am still someone that is learning. And in fact, there are A LOT of things that I still do not know, and there are a lot of things I still have left to learn.

When you work with teenagers, you see it all; from the innocence of their youth, to the corruption that societies have placed in them. You see in their eyes a glimmer of childhood, a brief moment which their understanding of the world around them hasn’t been tainted. Jaded. Destroyed. And in an instant, you see their whole world turned upside down by a comment, an insult, a dirty look.

My experience so far is one that is rewarding, liberating, and heart wrenching all at the same time. It is a great internship where you learn the ins and outs of a non for profit. You get to meet and become allies with all the hard working individuals driving the success of these organizations and at the same time, you get to meet the teens that benefit from these organizations. The organization gives them a voice. An obligation. A duty. It gives them the encouragement and opportunity to make a difference in their communities and bring awareness of the social injustices that the world places on them. And while viewed as an educational extracurricular activity, it is also a safe place for these teens to come to after school where they can explore themselves. A place where it is okay to want to have dreams and want to aspire to become someone who will eventually make a difference in the future; who will create a brighter future where these injustices do not exist; a future where their children’s worlds won’t be turned upside down by a comment, an insult, or a dirty look.

Being an intern at CTVN has been the best experience thus far. In my eyes, this has been a great exposure for my future career as a clinical psychologist. It has really taught me how to function within an organization as a team player and has also taught me how to be an effective listener, friend, and colleague to these teens. Although they appear to be strong and tough, there is still a little part inside of these teens that seek guidance and approval from us; that view us as positive role models. This gives me the hope that we still have a chance to overcome these injustices together and allow these teens to see that the future is bright and that opportunities and resources are available. Sometimes, they just need some extra help and a little push into the right direction.

– Lauren Necesario, Adler School of Psychology Intern