Planting the Seeds of Tomorrow: Reflections from Project HOME’s IT Interns

When you pass through the doors of the Honickman Learning Center Comcast Technology Labs (HLCCTL), you step into more than a community center. You step into possibility. For students like Andy and Mouhamadou, HLCCTL was more than just afterschool activities. It became the gateway for discovering new passions, building confidence, and stepping into their futures.

Andy, just 16 years old and heading into his senior year at Mercy Career & Technical High School, first came to HLCCTL out of curiosity. “I wasn’t really doing anything after school, and I wanted to get a head start on some extracurriculars,” he recalled. He started with photography, but it was robotics that hooked him. The program, which is led by Mr. Aaron, became an avenue where Andy could channel his fascination with technology into something tangible. “I’ve always liked technology. I grew up with it. People born in 2007 or 2008, we’ve always had tablets or phones. It’s just something I naturally understood.”

For 18-year-old Mouhamadou, a senior at the same high school, his journey began earlier. He was introduced to HLCCTL as a freshman when staff visited his class. “Me and my family, we had nothing else to do. So, I thought okay, what goes on at HCCTL?” he laughed. He gravitated toward robotics as well, and the skills he learned there became the foundation for something bigger. “Sometimes you got to take a leap of faith,” he reflected. “I didn’t know if I wanted to do this or not. Initially, I wanted to spend my summer doing nothing. But doing nothing is not going to really benefit you. Sometimes you’ve got be brave.”

That bravery led both Andy and Mouhamadou to apply for a six-week internship with Project HOME’s IT department, working under Help Desk Administrator Richard Eliassen. For Richard, hosting youth interns isn’t merely a summer project, it’s an investment in our youth. “I wanted them to understand how dynamic and diverse our roles are within this organization,” he said. “Not just HLCCTL, but the pantry at Helen Brown Community Center, the Stephen Klein Wellness Center, even our Epstein Street Medicine team. I wanted them to see what we do for people, to love this organization, and essentially to become ambassadors of our work.”

The internship became a classroom without walls. Together they crisscrossed Philadelphia, visiting nearly every Project HOME location from Kairos House to Hub of Hope. Along the way, they learned not just about technology but about people. Mouhamadou realized quickly that “people don’t want to troubleshoot for themselves. They want somebody else to solve the problems. So, you’ve got to be ready and use your mind and problem-solving skills to find out the solution.” Andy, too, found lessons in patience. “Some things may just be unplugged, right in front of them, but they don’t want to touch it. It taught me patience, and that’s something I’ll carry far beyond this internship.”

Richard watched their growth with admiration. “It reinvigorated my role,” he said. “At my stage in life, I feel a pull toward doing this more and more. Young people fascinate me, and they help me grow. I’ve had interns before, but this was my first duo. Their dynamic and the way they approached things together was something special.”

For both Andy and Mouhamadou, the internship wasn’t just about creating a new line on a résumé. It was a mirror reflecting what they could become. “One of the main reasons I liked this internship was because I wanted something on my resume,” Mouhamadou admitted. “This was my first job. I wasn’t really a professional before, so it helped me visualize how professional I had to be in an actual job.” He’s now preparing college applications and exploring what branch of technology or engineering he’ll pursue.  

Meanwhile, Andy has his eyes set on engineering as well. “I think it’s very important that you always start early,” he explained. “Like the saying: the best time to plant a tree was ten years ago, but the next best time is now. That’s why I wanted to get a feel for what I was going into.” A profound saying with so much depth that he learned from a fellow staff member at Project HOME.  

Both young men credit HLCCTL with helping to open new doors to endless opportunities. “The program is great,” Andy said with a grin. “There are great people. It’s very relaxed. There are great programs. The staff will help you if you need help. Like Miss Liz (our Director of K-12 Education) who is a wonderful lady.” Mouhamadou echoed the sentiment with urgency. “Do not wait. You think you have all the time in the world, but you don’t. Time doesn’t stop. If you wait, the bus is going to pass you.”

That wisdom, spoken with the clarity of young men who chose to spend a summer not on the sidelines but leaning into growth, is a reminder for all of us. The seeds planted at HLCCTL, through robotics, internships, and mentorship, will grow into something far greater. As Richard put it, “It’s an investment into younger people.” And in Andy and Mouhamadou, that investment is already bearing fruit, reaching for tomorrow.