Putting Her Passion to Work: Meet YWCA Delaware’s Summer Intern Jada Fisher

Some people discover their life's calling over time. Others seem to carry it with them wherever they go. For one rising senior at Glasgow High School, that calling has always been helping others. 

This summer, through the Jobs for Delaware Graduates program and its partnership with Goodwill and YWCA Delaware, Jada Fisher is interning at YWCA Delaware's Home-Life Management Center. While many teenagers spend their summers enjoying a break from school, she is gaining firsthand experience serving families, supporting children, and learning what it means to meet people where they are. 

"I just want to see everybody win," Jada says with a smile. 

Her passion for serving children, specifically children with disabilities, began years ago while she was a student at Skyline Middle School. After moving from Brooklyn, New York to Delaware, Jada struggled to adjust to a new school and unfamiliar surroundings. During that difficult transition, a school counselor introduced her to students with disabilities, an experience that would change the course of her life. 

YWCA Delaware summer intern Jada shares her passion for working with children during an art workshop at the Home-Life Management Center.

She formed a special bond with one student who was hesitant to trust others and struggled with loud noises and unfamiliar situations. Day after day, she patiently built that friendship, encouraging him to try new experiences, supporting him through school assemblies, and celebrating every small victory along the way. 

"I realized that I could help children grow in different ways," she says. "Every child is different, and every day I learn something new." 

That experience ignited a passion she has carried ever since. 

Today, Jada dreams of becoming a social worker who advocates for children with disabilities within the school system. One day, she hopes to combine her interests in social work, architecture, and real estate to create a center thoughtfully designed to help children with disabilities reach their full potential. 

Her creativity extends beyond her career aspirations. She enjoys styling hair, nails, and lashes, and has long been fascinated by architecture and real estate. While those interests continue to inspire her, serving children has become the purpose that guides her future. 

Three weeks into her internship at YWCA Delaware, every day has brought a new opportunity to learn. 

She has welcomed visitors at the front desk, prepared spaces for workshops, assisted with administrative projects, and spent time engaging children staying at the Home-Life Management Center. Each responsibility has given her a deeper appreciation for the many ways YWCA Delaware supports families experiencing difficult circumstances. 

"I thought I was coming to work in a daycare," she admits. "I didn't realize how much happened here." 

Working with children in a residential setting has challenged her to think differently. Unlike in a classroom, every child has different needs, emotions, and experiences. She has learned how to adapt activities for children of various ages, build trust, and approach each interaction with patience and understanding. 

Perhaps the most valuable lesson has been one Jada hopes to carry throughout her life. 

"You should never judge anybody," she says. "You don't know their story." 

Those words have become the lens through which she views the families she serves. She recognizes that every person responds to life's challenges differently and believes everyone deserves compassion, dignity, and the opportunity to succeed. 

Her supervisors have also noticed something special. 

Whether helping organize the front desk, watching children, preparing for workshops, or simply offering a warm smile, she approaches every task with curiosity and enthusiasm. She keeps a journal close by where she takes notes on observations, reflects on each experience, and records lessons from the people around her. 

She’s starting to think about which college she may attend and hopes to volunteer at YWCA Delaware during school breaks to continue serving the community. 

"Even if it wasn't paid," she says, "I'd still want to come back and help." 

Jada’s story is exactly why YWCA Delaware offers internships to high school and college students. 

At YWCA Delaware, we believe that investing in young people through hands-on learning opportunities and mentorships helps students gain the knowledge and leadership skills to become advocates, professionals, and changemakers in their own communities.