Never Too Late to Graduate - the SDP Re-Engagement Center by Maddie Thomas ‘26

Name: Maddie Thomas 
Class Year: 2026 
Majors: Literatures in English & Sociology 
Minor: Education 
Hometown: Centerville, Ohio  
 
Internship Organization: School District of Philadelphia Re-Engagement Center 
Internship Title: Peer Support Specialist 
Location: Philadelphia, PA 
 
What's happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing! 
The School District of Philadelphia Re-Engagement Center (REC) provides services to students who have become disengaged from their education – also known as Opportunity Youth. Students who receive services from the REC come from a variety of circumstances – some are high school students who have fallen behind, some are about my age and are deciding to return and finish up their diploma, and some are old enough to be my grandparents. Depending on age and credits, they may enroll in an accelerated high school specifically designed to help Opportunity Youth graduate, they may go to evening classes in the Adult Diploma program, or they may get a referral from us to GED test preparation classes in the community. 

My work includes some direct work with students who walk-in, email, or call the REC, as well as some follow-up with people who have visited the REC in the past and potentially need additional services to complete their diploma, but I’m primarily working on a database of resources that may be accessible to the public as well as to REC staff. This includes a map and a series of spreadsheets to enable users to quickly find what they’re looking for. Students who receive services from the REC often need help with not only classes, but also support services like childcare, housing, food, and legal assistance. We aren’t able to directly provide these supports, but the hope is that through this database, we can refer them to those who can. 
 
Why did you apply for this internship? 
I applied to this internship because I was looking for a way to explore other options in the field of education, and because I’m considering working for the School District of Philadelphia as a teacher or as general school district staff (like the work I’m doing now). I wanted to get to know the kind of work that is done at the Re-Engagement Center as well as the culture of the school district. I also wanted to learn more about Philadelphia in general, as the city to which I am closest while at Bryn Mawr, and between the Tri-Co program last semester and my internship this summer, I would say that I’m accomplishing that goal. 

What has been your favorite part of this internship? 
My favorite part of this internship has been following up on people who previously visited the REC. Because we are part of the school district, we’ve been spending the summer, among other things, transitioning records and spreadsheets from the 23-24 to the 24-25 school year. One of my tasks has been to look up records of students who previously visited the Re-Engagement Center and determine if they were still on-track to graduate. I liked working to make sure students didn’t fall through the cracks, but rather received extra support if they needed it. It was gratifying, though, to also see how many students had graduated or made significant progress towards graduation since we last saw them in the REC. It showed me how the services, support, and encouragement offered in the REC really make a difference in the lives of students who would not otherwise have gotten a diploma or GED. 
 
What is something you have learned from your internship that you didn't expect? 
During this internship, I’ve gotten to meet so many people who work in my building. The School District of Philadelphia administration building on 440 North Broad Street is a massive building, and it contains a vast array of different student support offices. I grew up in a relatively small district, and I had no idea that big urban school districts like SDP had so many systems in place to keep the district running and support student success. It can sometimes be overwhelming to navigate all of the red tape and the different resources available, but it is also helpful to have many support services available in the building to which the REC can refer students and families, and I really love the working environment. 

Career & Civic Engagement Center  Literatures in English  Sociology  Education