College & Career Readiness Assistants (CCRAs)

This internship is a unique opportunity for interns to gain direct service experience working with youth in the public education system. Specifically, interns will support traditionally underserved students in navigating barriers to post-secondary education opportunities. CCRAs will also learn about some of the realities, complexities and challenges that students, families, school staff and administrators face in their day-to-day work and environments.

Description

CCRA interns will engage in the following activities: 

1. Direct service at a middle school or high school in South Seattle/King County, supporting the on-site college and career readiness specialist (10 hours/week)
2. Cohort meetings with professional development (bi-weekly, 2hrs/week) *CCRAs may recieve academic credit for the cohort meetings by enrolling in GEN ST 346: College and Career Readiness Assistants. 
3. Mentor Check-Ins with CCRA Mentor 

Some examples of a CCRA task list at their school site: 

• Support school/district college & career readiness initiatives
• Host & facilitate workshops for students and families on college & career readiness topics
• Host student-led panels to engage students with various aspects of college and career opportunities.
• Create classroom presentations on college and career readiness topics
• Coordinate various college events, workshops, field trips and tours with fellow counselors on and off site for middle & high school students
• Support students in completing college applications, writing personal statements, and understanding different types and aspects of financial aid
• Connect graduating seniors with resources at their post-secondary institution to support college persistence
• Work with graduating seniors on FAFSA/WAFSA completion to meet district/high school financial aid completion goals (High School)
• Provide College Bound Scholarship education and support

Required qualifications

•    Passionate about educational equity 
•    Experienced with and/or has knowledge of FAFSA, WASFA and other financial aid 
•    Ability to take initiative in creating and leading your own projects 
•    Self-motivated to solve issues as they arise
•    Willingness to commute off campus via public transportation, personal vehicle, or UCAR to the school site regularly each week
•    Must be current UW undergraduate students for the entirety of the 2024-2025 school year (Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters)
•    Must be currently enrolled at UW and be work study eligible through UW Financial Aid 
•    Must attend and participate in cohort meetings (held bi-weekly)  
•    Must be culturally responsive & respectful of diverse backgrounds and experiences 
•    Must maintain a schedule that allows for serving 10-12 hours per week in-person at a school placement site, in blocks of a minimum of two hours (travel time not included) 
•    Must be willing to adhere to school placement site policies while working. 
•    Acceptance to this internship is contingent upon obtaining satisfactory results from a criminal background check 

Desired skills and abilities

A strong CCRA candidate has:

• Experience working with a diverse student population
• Experience navigating the college applications process
• An ability to take initiative in creating and leading your own projects
• A willingness to work collaboratively and independently in a professional manner
• Public speaking and group facilitation skills
• Time Management skills
• Strong verbal and written communication skills

Compensation and employment benefits

Compensation: $19.97/hr through federal work-study 

• Undocumented students are encouraged to apply & will be paid through an equivalent stipend.

Educational Benefits

• Opportunity to build a professional network and connect with educators in the Seattle and south King County community.
• Hands-on experience working in schools and in the education field.
• Experience working with diverse communities and stakeholders.
• Development of professional skill sets beneficial to entering the workforce.
• Opportunity for academic credit through GEN ST 346

Application questions

Application for the 2024-2025 cohort is now closed. The application for the 2025-2026 cohort will open in Spring Quarter 2025.

Application Info

• You will be asked to submit a current resume, outlining prior or current work experience and/or school & extracurricular involvement.
• You will also be asked to respond to the following prompt:

  • Following the Dream Project’s mission, please write a statement (300-500 words) on how your past and/or present experiences might serve to advance the Dream Project’s mission and commitment to supporting young people from a variety of personal experiences, values, and world views as they prepare for post-secondary (after high school) pursuits. These experiences could be from other leadership positions, the workplace, the classroom or from other personal experiences.

Application Review Timeline

• Priority Deadline: August 12, 2024
• Interviews: August 26 - 30 (Virtual - Zoom)
• CCRA Orientation: September 23
  • Required for all new CCRAs, @ UW Seattle

Applications will be reviewed monthly until all roles are filled. 

Dream Project Mission Statement 

Due to historical and institutional racism, the U.S. education system does not support every student equally. Students of color and students from low-income households are less likely to receive the support and resources to prepare for their futures. Neither race nor socioeconomic status should predict any outcome. Through mentorship, we support students in navigating complex systems such as the workforce, financial aid, and college admissions. Our goal is to empower students with the tools and information to make and enact a plan for their futures.

School & District Partners

We work with many different schools in South Seattle and South King County. See our School / District partners for 2024-2025:

• Auburn School District: Auburn High School, Auburn Mountainview High School, Auburn Riverside High School, Rainier Middle School
• Federal Way Public Schools: Federal Way High School, Thomas Jefferson High School, Decatur High School, Todd Beamer High School
• Highline Public Schools: Sylvester Middle School, Mount Rainier High School, Tyee High School, Highline High School, Evergreen High School
• Seattle Public Schools: Roosevelt High School, Rainier Beach High School
• Rainier Prep

Email dreamproject@uw.edu. with any questions.