Spring Break
More than words
by Rachel Marder
Senior Editor
Features | 2/12/08
Posted online at 3:54 AM EST on 2/12/08
/ Last updated at 2:34 PM EST on 2/12/08
"If your percentage drops below 80 percent, you'll get $50 out of your paycheck," Soloman tells the others, quickly explaining how they can earn back this money through continued, diligent work.
When I ask Ricci to tell me about herself, she gives me a brief summary. She was born and raised in Waltham, and spent time in a number of hospitals before her counselor from the Department of Social Services referred her to More Than Words, where she's been working for two months. Today she juggles a 20-hour a week work schedule and a busy senior year at Waltham High School. Ricci shifts to talking about her work at the store. A pattern of focusing on the present and the future becomes apparent the more employees I speak with.
More Than Words represents a clean slate for these youths. Whatever their background, they begin anew here on equal footing. When they work here, they're not talking about their past experiences or what circumstances brought them to work at the store. Instead, they focus on their day-to-day running of the store, building their professional tool kits and looking to plans for next year.
Many of the youths, who come from all around Boston, enter the store not knowing how to turn on a computer, but they leave knowing how to operate a variety of computer programs and a cash register, send professional e-mails, speak before a group of people and other skills.
"We really look for the youth who have a lot of need and definitely the want of the program," says Carolyn Gordon, the transitions manager, a social worker who plans with each youth their next steps in life.
Upstairs, the used bookstore, art gallery and performance space located at 376 Moody St. offers a warm, spacious respite along the downtown Waltham street. I peruse the sections: Psychology, Fiction, Parenting, and a special display on Boston. An artfully decorated front window displays some of the store's highlights: The World of the Dalai Lama, The Pursuit of Happyness and The Village of Waiting. The store's name is painted on a sky blue sign in white bubble letters above the door, greeting shoppers as they approach. The youth have painted encouraging words like "Equality", "Love" and "Knowledge" on the door.
When I ask Ricci to tell me about herself, she gives me a brief summary. She was born and raised in Waltham, and spent time in a number of hospitals before her counselor from the Department of Social Services referred her to More Than Words, where she's been working for two months. Today she juggles a 20-hour a week work schedule and a busy senior year at Waltham High School. Ricci shifts to talking about her work at the store. A pattern of focusing on the present and the future becomes apparent the more employees I speak with.
More Than Words represents a clean slate for these youths. Whatever their background, they begin anew here on equal footing. When they work here, they're not talking about their past experiences or what circumstances brought them to work at the store. Instead, they focus on their day-to-day running of the store, building their professional tool kits and looking to plans for next year.
Many of the youths, who come from all around Boston, enter the store not knowing how to turn on a computer, but they leave knowing how to operate a variety of computer programs and a cash register, send professional e-mails, speak before a group of people and other skills.
"We really look for the youth who have a lot of need and definitely the want of the program," says Carolyn Gordon, the transitions manager, a social worker who plans with each youth their next steps in life.
Upstairs, the used bookstore, art gallery and performance space located at 376 Moody St. offers a warm, spacious respite along the downtown Waltham street. I peruse the sections: Psychology, Fiction, Parenting, and a special display on Boston. An artfully decorated front window displays some of the store's highlights: The World of the Dalai Lama, The Pursuit of Happyness and The Village of Waiting. The store's name is painted on a sky blue sign in white bubble letters above the door, greeting shoppers as they approach. The youth have painted encouraging words like "Equality", "Love" and "Knowledge" on the door.
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Betsy
posted 2/12/08 @ 4:17 PM EST
This is a phenomenal article, and it sounds like an excellent program!!
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