Salem Students Show Off Skills At LEAP For Education Gallery Walk

SALEM, MA — Fifty students each from Salem and Lynn showed off their summer of work and skill-building on Thursday at the LEAP For Education Gallery Walk at Salem State University.

Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll was among the invitees who got to see the efforts of the students in the six-week, paid work program that pairs teens with mentors to work on career-based projects.

The projects included designs, business plans, art pieces, and career exploration studies.

"For many of our younger students, they're just starting to dip their toes into thinking about what they want to do after high school," said Linda Saris, executive director of LEAP for Education. "This is what we call a 'learn and earn' program. It allows students to engage in an academic program and learn about careers, but also get paid for it so they don't have to make a choice between working a typical teen summer job and going to an academic program.

"Students only get paid for hours attended, and only if they complete their project."

The program ran in partnership with Salem State University, which provided the facility at no cost, and MassHire, which provided a portion of student salaries. The Lynn and Salem Public Schools districts are also partners for their recruiting efforts.

Program speakers included District Attorney Paul Tucker; Samantha Parker, system administrator at Harvard Business School; Lydia Smyers, vice president of Northeast US markets for Microsoft, to talk about artificial intelligence; and Joe St. Pierre, project manager for Crowley Wind, developer of the Salem Offshore Wind Terminal.

"By working with a mentor and going to the local speaker series, they're making local connections, able to make some money, and for many, it'll either validate a career interest or help them eliminate one," Saris said.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)