Interning at SFYT
SFYT Interns (from left, clockwise) Zameer Masquod, Vanely Abrego, Josie Fontana, Gabrielle Davis, Hannah Birch
SFYT loves its alumni! Every summer, SFYT partners with high school and college alumni or other youth who want to the inside scoop about arts and education. This past summer, a fantastic group of young people supported the day-to-day tasks of running SFYT’s summer programs: Mission Playhouse and Teen Playmaking. Interns make a huge impact on younger students who look to them as role models. Here are some of our interns thoughts on their experience.
Why did you want to intern at SFYT?
I wanted to intern with SFYT because in doing my research for summer theatre education opportunities in the Bay Area. I really resonate with SFYT's message and the community work being done. The environment seemed very welcoming and aligned with all of my personal theatrical goals and desires of an internship. — Gabrielle Davis, BFA Drama Student UC Irvine
I wanted to do something productive with my summer, gain more experience in the theater world, and get a clearer picture of what goes into the creation of a play for youth. — Ila Finn, BFA Playwriting Student, NYU
What was surprising about your experience?
I was surprised by how engaging and thoughtful the students were. They had so many brilliant things to say. A lot of the time, people think children aren’t smart, that because they are young, they are lesser than adults. These students were very mature and were able to talk about social justice issues and political issues in a respectful manner. It was really amazing to see. — Josie Fontana, SFYT Alumna, Burlingame High School
Something that surprised me was how much patience staff needs to have, especially working with younger kids. — Vanely Abrego, SFYT Student, Ruth Asawa SOTA
What was challenging about your experience?
It was a bit challenging to step out of my comfort zone into roles I haven’t really occupied before, taking part in activities I was unfamiliar with (such as improvisation activities). I’m grateful that I was exposed to these challenges, because otherwise I never would have learned as much as I did. — Ila
What was your best or most memorable moment?
I enjoyed the circus sessions with Maica Folch. The kids really enjoyed them and I enjoyed how ready they were to participate and excited to show me their skills. I also enjoyed lunch time breaks, because I got to connect with a lot of the kids and formed bonds that helped in the more structured portions of the day. My most memorable moment was definitely the "Stone Soup" performance. The kids were so excited for their families and friends to see all of the hard work they had invested over the time of the camp. It was amazing to see the positive impact and the magic that comes from being on stage and collaboration and teamwork. — Gabrielle
How did completing this internship contribute to your future career or educational goals?
Right now, I’m looking into a career in speech pathology where I’m hoping to work with students with learning differences. This internship exposed me to students from many different backgrounds and gave me some amazing insight which will help me going forward. — Josie
This internship helped me practice communication, problem solving, and leadership, which are all skills that I will need for any career. — Vanely
San Francisco Youth Theatre accepts internship applications year-round, so students who are interested in working with us during the school year or during the summer are encouraged to apply at any time. We’re delighted to be a part of educating students throughout their arts journey!