Planned Parenthood’s Intern Class of 2009

After the success of the 2008 Campaign Organizer Internship Program, Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates (PPPA) again implemented an innovative internship program. The 2009 internship program places twelve interns in strategic regions of the state as Grassroots Organizers. This year’s interns are charged with cultivating new supporters of comprehensive sex education in public schools.

To prepare for their final placement, the interns went through an intensive grassroots organizing training at a three day Harrisburg Action Camp. After the training, our interns began the 10 week program: working three days doing door-to-door canvassing, and one day phone banking each week, as well as tabling at community events outside of office hours. Throughout the internship, the Grassroots Organizer Interns are tasked with rallying support for the Healthy Youth Act, and the Notice Home Act (for more information, visit the Sex Education page on our website HERE. They will also have a role in educating the public on the severity of teen STI rates and the recent upswing in teen pregnancy rates.

We expect the impact of the program will be tremendous for Planned Parenthood, the interns, and the issue of comprehensive sex education. In anticipation of a committee vote on both the Healthy Youth and Notice Home Acts in the fall, identified supporters who were contacted through the internship program will be mobilized through email and phone calls to contact their legislators and urge their support for the bills. The summer effort will directly affect our method of securing supportive votes in the State House that otherwise would not have been cast.

In order to support and continue this program, we need financial contributions from our generous supporters! Please consider supporting the Grassroots Organizer Internship Program. Your donation can go to support travel costs, meal expenses, and phone banking. You can donate to our program to change the face of the Pennsylvania’s approach to teen health by check, or online:

Juliana, Southeast PA Haverford College		Anna M, Southeast PA Haverford College		Clarissa, Southeast PA Temple University		Sarah P, Southeast PA Middlebury College
Lisa, Southeast PA Swarthmore College		Madeline, Southeast PA West Chester Univ. of PA		Gemma, Northeast PA University of Scranton		Sarah W, Northeast PA Susquehanna University
Anna D, Western PA Carnegie Mellon University		Rachel, Western PA University of Pittsburgh		Elissa, Harrisburg/York Indiana University		Rhiannon, Harrisburg/York Duquesne University