High School Student-Run Nonprofit Organization, Project Talent Launch, Funds 40 Internships for High School Students

On Friday, August 5, community leaders gathered at La Casita Del Arroyo to celebrate Project Talent Launch (PTL), a student-run and student-founded nonprofit aiming to provide internships to all high school students, especially those in underserved areas. Every PTL Scholar who completes the program with a positive evaluation receives a $1000 scholarship. Among those present at the event were Pasadena Councilmember Felicia Williams, The Dragon Kim Foundation co-founders Grace Tsai and Daniel Kim, and other members of the PTL community.

This year, the organization has raised nearly $50,000, quadrupling their progress last year, to fund almost 40 internships that will continue throughout the school year. They have earned grants from the Dragon Kim Foundation and have received donations from organizations such as Himalaya Capital, AGBO, and GoFundMe.

At the event, past and present Project Talent Launch scholarship recipients had the opportunity to share their experiences with PTL, including 2021 scholars Devan Kelly and Bethany Chow as well as this year’s Ryan Galan Castellanos (Idealab), Logan Davis (The Office of Councilmember Felicia Williams), Summer Yang (Asian American Professional Association), and Fnu Anu (Visible Intellect).

“[Idealab] showed me that my aspirations weren’t as out of reach as I believed. Because of this, I feel more confident not only in my abilities to interact with people from different fields but in my ability to secure positions in the future,” reflected Gabrielino High School graduate Ryan Galan Castellanos.

In its second year of operation, Project Talent Launch has grown exponentially under the leadership of its student co-founders, Steven Li, Streak Honey, and Alhambra resident David Lara. Moving forward, the team will continue working towards its mission to build equitable talent pipelines by making meaningful internships more accessible.

The organization is proactively working to establish internships in Alhambra and connect with students attending Alhambra, Mark Keppel, and San Gabriel High School. Internship opportunities will be available to students throughout the school year. dProject Talent Launch is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. You can find more information at their website, www.projecttalentlaunch. org where they have internships in various industries available to high school students.