First Baptist Church of Hampton Servant Leader Internship Position Description

Background

First Baptist Church of Hampton (FBCH) will sponsor its second Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools^® Program this summer.  The FBCH Freedom School program is free of charge to all of its participants and will operate from June 23, 2025 to August 1, 2025 serving fifty (50) Scholars who have completed grades K-4.

Nature and Scope

The Children’s Defense Fund mission is to ensure every child has a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.  The Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools program is a direct service initiative coordinated nationally by the Children’s Defense Fund’s Freedom Schools in partnership with local community organizations.  The program is an educational and cultural enrichment program that provides summer options for children and strengthens family and community involvement.

The mission of the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools program is to boost student motivations to read, generate more positive attitudes toward learning, increase self-esteem and connect the needs of children and families to the resources in their communities.  The activity based Integrated Reading Curriculum (IRC), which is aligned to the Common Core State Standards, integrates reading, conflict resolution, and social action, and is designed to promote social, cultural, and historical awareness.  A multi-year assessment of Freedom Schools across the country demonstrated the program effectively averted children’s summer learning loss in reading achievement.

College-age young adults (ages 18-30) and recent college graduates play a key role in the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools program in the position of Servant Leader Interns (SLIs).  Each Servant Leader Intern serves as the teacher for a maximum of 10 scholars.  Servant Leader Interns participating in this paid internship have access to further leadership development and networking opportunities geared toward continued direct service and advocacy on behalf of children and families.  

Visit https://thefbch.org/fbch-freedom-school/ for more information about the First Baptist Church of Hampton Freedom School.  To apply for the Servant Leader Internship, please visit https://thefbch.org/freedom-school-intern-application.  To learn more about the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools and the program’s impact, visit www.childrensdefense.org/programs/cdf-freedom-schools/our-impact/. Please submit your resume together with the application.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a positive role model for all scholars;
• Supervise and maintain safety of scholars;
• Maintain a professional decorum;
• Set up, manage and breakdown classroom space according to standards outlined by CDF and the sponsor organization;
• Engage a maximum of 10 scholars per class in the Integrated Reading Curriculum as outlined in the guide provided by CDF;
• Serve as primary daily instructor for the 10 scholars;
• Attend all required Ella Baker Child Policy Training Institute training sessions from June 3, 2025 to June 8, 2025 in addition to local pre/post training;
• Work with site team to ensure that all program components are implemented with fidelity; and
• Report any issues or concerns regarding program operation to the Site Coordinator.

Qualifications

• Must have completed at least one year of college in good academic standing (typical age range is 18-30);
• Ability to motivate others and work as part of an intergenerational team;
• Solid commitment to the success and well-being of children;
• Exhibit positive behavior and attitude, modeling a mature and professional demeanor;
• Collaborate with other site team members to establish and maintain a supportive and structured environment for the students entrusted in their care;
• Strong appreciation and understanding of individual cultural history and the willingness to be open and respectful of all cultures;
• Solid commitment to the success and well-being of children;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; and
• In addition to the above responsibilities, other duties may be assigned.

Position Open Date:  February 19, 2025
Position Close Date: March 15, 2025

*Please note, submission of an application does not guarantee employment for this paid internship program. Successful applicants will be contacted to schedule a virtual interview.