Summer 2024 Intern Reflection: Vy Duong
This summer, I had the privilege of working as a Summer Enrichment Intern for MeshEd’s Summer Innovation Lab program. I learned how to develop MeshEd’s innovative curriculum and how to teach the Art of Podcast Action Lab at the Capital Region Education Council (CREC) Academy of Aerospace and Engineering. The internship lasted for six weeks. The first two weeks were for intensive online training in teaching MeshEd’s Action Labs, which are project-based learning classes that introduce students to various rewarding careers. The training set me up for success in co-teaching my own podcasting course to middle schoolers. MeshEd’s project-based learning elective courses build skills in creative uses of emerging technologies, such as AI for digital animation and digital editing for podcasts or short-form documentaries. The courses are called Action Labs, and they introduce middle schoolers to the exciting fields of new media journalism, coding for creative game design, digital animation, and graphic novel storytelling.
MeshEd’s free Summer Innovation Labs are four-week programs for middle schoolers. The morning is for academic enrichment with the Lavinia Group’s Summer Rise Curriculum. The afternoons are for MeshEd Action Labs. A generous grant from the CT State Department of Education (CSED) supported MeshEd's innovative summer enrichment this summer in the greater Hartford Region. This was the third — and largest— grant awarded to MeshEd from the CSED for innovative middle school summer enrichment. MeshEd’s summer programs provide ample opportunity for student choice and voice —and they develop middle schoolers' 21st-century skills and social-emotional capacities. MeshEd believes that the best way to foster student engagement is to give middle schoolers more agency in constructing their learning experiences. So, in their Summer Innovation Labs, students personalize their summer program by choosing the high-quality electives that interest them most. This is essential preparation for the increasing independence of course selection in most high schools and colleges. Here is the flyer for the 2024 Summer Innovation Lab TM:
I came across MeshEd summer internship postings on Handshake and became interested in the educational program MeshEd offered close to Trinity College, where I’m currently a Senior. I attended MeshEd’s online info session and applied shortly after. The application process was extremely smooth and transparent, and I had a chance to learn about MeshEd’s missions and project-based learning in depth. During the application, I was given the chance to showcase my past projects as a film major at Trinity College. This was an exciting opportunity to highlight how the skills I had developed in storytelling, media production, and visual communication could translate to the classroom setting at MeshEd.
My teaching experience at MeshEd was nothing short of fun and meaningful. My students impressed me so many times with how knowledgeable, thoughtful and quick-witted they were. Every session was filled with energy and a sense of curiosity that made teaching them such a joy. I loved to see the world through their unique stories and very genuine interests: basketball, animals, Lego, future career, games – you name it! What’s more, students were capable of transforming their original ideas into meaningful questions and thus, elaborate projects. I was always looking forward to all student presentations on Fridays, since I was amazed by their talent and hard work. Examples of student projects included investigating how adults and children play games and a 10-minute long podcast interviewing a friend about Lego creations. Giving students agency over their work was incredibly rewarding.
Vy instructing the Art of the Podcast Action Lab at CREC
Photo courtesy: Libby Kern
I was pleased to discover that my colleagues and I shared similar sentiments about our experience with MeshEd. Emmanuel Mitikie, my co-instructor for the Art of Podcast course, mentioned that the internship provided him with valuable insights into the inner workings of education, especially in understanding "how curriculum works." Similarly, Grace Wright-Goodison, an instructor for the Coding and Game Design course, observed that "students love creating." She highlighted their daily enthusiasm for using MakeCode and working on their projects, driven by their eagerness to create something unique to share with their loved ones.
I would not be able to wrap up this reflection without paying tribute to my fellow interns. The MeshEd Intern team was made up of individuals from various schools throughout Connecticut and even beyond, as one of my colleagues even went to Occidental College in California! We bonded well as a group during either breaks or meetings. We even created a TikTok together (shout out to Grace for the idea!) and had a meal together when the internship ended. One of my favorite routines was during the students' lunch break. Some of us were assigned to help supervise the lunch, and while on duty, we were able to get to know each other better and build lasting connections.
When the internship came to an end, I felt a mix of sadness and fulfillment. Saying goodbye to my colleagues and students was bittersweet, but I walked away with a strong sense of accomplishment. I was proud that my students had gained useful skills and confidence through completing their podcasting projects. Equally fulfilling was the realization that I had formed meaningful friendships with my fellow interns in such a short period of time. Overall, the MeshEd internship helped me become not only a better instructor, but also a better person.
My colleagues made my internship much more memorable!
Photo courtesy: Madelyn Smith
In the summer program, we had a Twin day and all the interns dressed the same!
Can you tell who from who?
Photo courtesy: Grace Wright-Goodison
Here is the full MeshEd + CREC Summer Innovation Team just after setting up our classrooms. In the middle is our amazing Summer Innovation Lab Director, Ashley Hanse, an experienced middle school classroom teacher and leader. She met with the MeshEd intern teaching team daily, observed our instruction, and helped us build meaningful relationships with our students.
Our wonderful Associate Director, Natasha Franco, gave us daily real-time feedback on our instruction and helped us stay organized, on pace, and cheerful with her daily white-board messages.