After graduating from the Academy of Innovative Technology in 2022, Manny Lugo’s guidance counselor encouraged him to apply for the Summer Youth Employment Program’s Summer College and Career Intensive (Summer CCI) – a six-week program supported by The Pinkerton Foundation and designed to help recent high school graduates bridge the gap to college through paid work, college credit, and career-connected learning. At first, Manny wasn’t sure, but he decided to give it a try.
That summer, he gained work experience while earning five transferable CUNY credits through coursework that introduced him to positive youth development and college success strategies. The combination of a paycheck, five academic credits including for completing a CPR and First Aid course, and hands-on experience gave him “a jump start on my networking, skills, and confidence before I even set foot on a college campus.”
Today, Manny is a college coach at Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation, guiding a new cohort of students through the same program that shaped his own college path.
Q: How did participating in Summer CCI help you when you started college?
Manny: Getting those five college credits before I even stepped on campus gave me a big confidence boost. It wasn’t just the credits – it was learning how to “start the engine” for college and keep it running. Plus, I got to meet students from other schools right away, which helped me start building my network from day one, and that was one of my top goals going into college.
Q: What’s it like to come back as a coach?
Manny: It’s a full-circle moment. I see students asking the same questions I had about financial aid, scheduling classes, or just how to handle college life. I’ve been where they are, so I know how overwhelming it can be. My job is to hand them the “flashlight” so they can find their way through what feels like a complicated system, and to make sure they know they don’t have to go through it alone.
Q: What change do you see in the program and in the students you serve since you participated?
Manny: The classes are bigger now, but the engagement is still there – and that’s what matters. I’ve seen students explaining financial aid to each other in real time, and that’s when you know it’s working. Being in an actual classroom makes a huge difference too. When I was a participant, we were in a community center, and now it feels more like a real college setting. Plus, now that participants have both a teacher and a coach, I think, makes the overall learning experience run more smoothly for students.
Q: Why do you think this program works and is important?
Manny: Every single friend I made in my cohort is still in college and on track to graduate. That says a lot. For many students, the summer before college feels like their last chance to relax – they take time off, and then have to make a sudden jump into college, which can be tough. This program is like a tunnel from high school to college. You’re not just dropped in and told, “Figure it out.” You’re walking through with people guiding you the whole way. While you’re in that tunnel, you’re picking up the tools, the discipline, and the confidence you need so that when you come out the other side, you’re ready to keep going.
To learn more about Summer CCI, read our report.