Child First Authority is committed to building the capacity of Child First schools while grooming the next cadre of social justice professionals. Child First is cultivating the next generation of leaders grounded in community practice at the clinical and macro levels so that children and families in Baltimore are physically, socially and emotionally healthy; students succeed academically; and their families are civically engaged and leaders in their communities.
Under the supervision of two Community School Coordinators, including a master’s level social worker, Child First hosted four bachelor’s level social work interns from Morgan State University and one undergraduate intern from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Social Concern. Interns supported key community school practice areas of youth development, outreach and communication, program/project management, data management and tracking, and resource development; and meet the requirements of their social worker competencies.
Specifically, at Dorothy I. Height Elementary School, the team of interns worked closely with external partners to bring a host of opportunities into the school such as girl scouts, chess and foreign languages. At City Springs Elementary Middle School, the team of interns managed a caseload of 30 students to combat attendance barriers and to increase daily attendance. They also conducted research to help address the food insecurities that the community surrounding the school faces. Through their research efforts, interns were able to make a case for the importance of implementing a food pantry at the school.
