Interns – Youthlinc

Real Life

REAL LIFE INTERNS

Real Life Interns work directly with the Real Life Director to manage and run our partnering Real Life sites and their volunteers. Interns take part in academic tutoring and lead activities intended to teach “real-life” skills. This paid position is available to any individual who meets the below qualifications.

Intern Qualifications

Intern must:

Have a passion for education and working with youth of diverse backgrounds
Be a natural leader, excited to make a positive impact on the volunteers and youth you work with
Live in the Salt Lake area or have access to reliable transportation
Commit to 5 hours of work per week through the Real Life Year
Be a high school graduate

Real Life Intern applications for the 2023-24 school year will open on August 15th!

APPLY NOW

2023-24 Real Life Intern Applications are open until September 15th!

APPLY

2022-2023 REAL LIFE INTERNS

Emily Arnold, Elementary - Sunnyvale Neighborhood Center

“Hey, what’s up? My name is Emily Arnold. I’m currently doing school online at BYUI. My goal is to became a school therapist.I enjoy spending time outside! I got involved with Real Life last year and fell in love”

Bridgett Rodriguez Acero, Lincoln Elementary School

“Hi! My name is Bridgett Rodriguez Acero. I am currently a Sophomore at Salt Lake Community College, majoring in Elementary Education. I’m looking forward to interning this year because of the wonderful experiences I’ve had with Youthlinc and community service.

Outside of Youthlinc, I enjoy hiking with my dachshund, exploring and collecting house plants.”

Melissa Johnson, Olene Walker Elementary

“I am so excited to be joining the Real Life team! I am working on my elementary education degree with SUU Online. I first got involved with Youthlinc when I went on a GCL Cambodia trip in 2019. I am so excited to be able to continue volunteering with Youthlinc!”

Lucy Whitaker, Holladay Hills Community Center

“Hi! My name is Lucy Whitaker<3

I have been volunteering with Real Life since my freshman year of high school! I am currently living in Thailand teaching English and I can’t wait to start interning when I get back!

When I’m not working or traveling I love spending time with my family and playing pickleball! I would 100% recommend this program to anyone interested, we’re going to have so much fun!”

Ellie Bearnson, James E. Moss Elementary

“Hi! My name is Ellie and I’m so excited to be interning for Real Life this year! I’m currently in Nursing School and hoping to go into labor and delivery or women’s health. I love doing anything outside and being with kids!”

Isabel Larsen, Hser Ner Moo

“Hi! My name is Isabel and I’m a Sophomore at the U! I’m currently an undecided major, but am leaning towards Economics. My favorite things include reading, rock climbing, sweets, and traveling! I’m so excited to work at Hser Ner Moo!”

Sammi Snyder, Evergreen Junior High School

“Hi! My name is Sammi Snyder. I am currently a Sophomore at the University of Utah studying Biology and Psychology. I first got involved with Youthlinc in 2019. I went to Peru in the summer of 2021 and fell in love with the program. I went to Vietnam in the summer of 2022 and am going to Fiji as an Assistant Team Leader this year! I am so excited to be an intern for Evergreen Jr. High this year!

I also volunteer at Primary Children’s Hospital and coach gymnastics. When I am not working or at school, you can find me playing guitar, hanging out with friends, listening to music, reading, or camping with family.”

Brandt Bosworth, Teens - Sunnyvale Neighborhood Center

“Hey I’m Brandt! Currently I attend the University of Utah as a PreMed student majoring in Spanish. I first got involved with Youthlinc in 2020 as a humanitarian and then as an ATL the year following. I am super stoked to return this year with Real Life! Outside of Youthlinc I work as a Medical Assistant at Wasatch Pediatrics + I love to play guitar, climb, and watch some good flicks.“

Laegaw K'Chawtee, Utah International Charter School

“Hi there! My name is K’Chawtee (K’-Chaw-Tee). I was born in a refugee camp in northern Thailand but I grew up in Buffalo, New York. I love to play guitar, sing, and learn languages!

I just love experiencing different cultures and connecting with fellow human beings! This is why I am so excited to be an intern with Youthlinc! Right now, I am studying International Relations with a minor in Linguistics at Brigham Young University. I hope to work at the State Department one day as a Foreign Service Office and also be involved in humanitarian work as much as I can!”

Neh Meh, Cottonwood High School

“Hi, I am Neh. I am originally from a refugee camp in Thailand. I came to the states about 10 years ago. Right now I’m studying business at Utah State University. One day, I hope to empower women in my country by helping them sell traditional clothing they hand make. I like rock climbing, camping and photography.”

Sorate Mamesani, Olympus High School

“Hi! My name is Sorate Mamesani. I was born in Ethiopia and raised in Kenya. I’m a college student. I’m pursing a degree in Social Work at Salt Lake Community College. I hope to become a CSW one day so I can help my community.”

Ali Natale, Highland High School

“My name is Alessandra (Ali) Natale and I am a senior at Highland High. I am an intern for Real Life and have been with the program since 2020. I enjoy playing sports and traveling to all different kinds of places with my family. I also love to work with kids. I am so excited to be the intern this year at Highland and help out so many students!”

2022-2023 REAL LIFE ASSISTANT DIRECTORS

Mariah Ahlstrom, Assistant

Mariah has been involved with Youthlinc since 2018 when she joined as a student on the first team to Fiji. The experience changed her life and she fell in love with everything about Youthlinc. Throughout the next years she came back to volunteer with Youthlinc for community events. Last year she was a Mentor on the Costa Rica August team. Both trips have changed her perspective on different things in life, and both times she found a strong love for the people she served. One of her favorite things about the Service Year is to see the growth of the students on the teams.

From a young age she was taught the importance of service, and it has always been a passion of hers. Another passion she has is working with children. She started volunteering in an elementary school her Senior year of high school. Once she graduated, she continued at the school as an employee. She held Para Educator positions in 4th grade and then in Resource (for 4th-6th grade) for a total of 4.5 years. With her time at the school, she also worked in the After-School and Summer School programs. When COVID-19 hit and schools closed down, she became a nanny and tutor for a friend’s family for a year.

Working with kids and service are big parts of her life, so she’s very excited to be entering her second year with Real Life. She’s looking forward to this next chapter in her life and she can’t wait to start working with not only the kids, but also the interns and volunteers.

Rian Trombetti, Assistant

“Hi I’m Rian, I am currently studying special education at the University of Utah. I first got involved with Real Life my junior year of high school in preparation for my trip to Kenya. I have loved growing with this program and am so excited to be back as an assistant this year!

Outside of volunteering, I love reading, traveling, and being with friends and family.”

Melissa Johnson, Assistant

I have absolutely loved my time working as a Real Life intern at Cottonwood High School. What an amazing opportunity this has been for me as it has broadened my perspective and opened my eyes and heart to the students at Cottonwood High as well as my co-volunteers. I have grown such a love, respect and admiration for these students. I am astounded by the impact that after-school programs like Real Life have on these students' lives. It is such a pleasure to watch the personal and academic growth of each student we interact with over the course of the school year as we work side by side completing many homework assignments and talking through their various friend and high school related problems. It is very apparent to me that many of these students do not have someone to talk to or lean on and do not receive adequate individual attention regarding their schooling and personal struggles so it has become a personal goal of mine to help them find that in the after-school programming at Real Life. I have loved watching them gain an interest in their own personal college and career journeys and goals as we work on college preparedness together. Each of these students are so unique, talented and have so much potential lying ahead of them. I cannot wait to help them discover this potential and growth available through Real Life and the various opportunities through Cottonwood High School.

“I have appreciated being a Real Life Intern at Sunnyvale Neighborhood Center this year. It has been an amazing opportunity and I have loved helping the students learn meaningful life skills. I have enjoyed helping one of our refugee students, who is a senior in high school, apply and get accepted into college. This student promised his dad, before he passed away, that he would go to college so he could help provide for his family. He has been making his dad proud every day by working hard at school and applying for college admission and scholarships. He constantly shows gratitude toward Real Life volunteers who are helping him achieve his goals. He expresses that this would not be possible if it were not for Sunnyvale!”

Being able to return to the same Real Life site I volunteered at in high school has shown me so much. Seeing firsthand the students I used to volunteer with growing up and excelling in their school work and engaging in the lessons has been one of the most rewarding things. From helping the quieter students with their homework and participating in the lessons then now seeing them ask for help on their own has equally been one of the best parts. As well seeing volunteers come back and keep the connections they had with the students in past years has been amazing. I would genuinely recommend this program to anyone looking and am so excited to continue in the years to come!

As a refugee, I understand the adversities that come from adjusting to a new culture, being the odd one, and usually the first to pioneer into the daunting frontier. Having people who are willing to take your hand and walk you through the journey makes all the difference in the world. My family and I have been greatly blessed by the efforts of the International Rescue Committee, Catholic Community Services, the United Nations, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I understand how impactful compassion and service are and the Real Life Program is an incredible opportunity for me to serve and give back to the community that has given me so much.