Summer Interns 2024

CMSS provides paid internships to help young people in and around Springfield develop skills will help them succeed in their careers. This internship program developed out of an overwhelming demand from our current and former students and their families for opportunities to be part of CMSS’ work, as well as an identified need in our community for career building for young people that develop our future workforce and contribute to our local economy.

As an organization dedicated to lifting up our community and shining a light on its assets, CMSS works hard to foster an organizational culture that supports personal and professional growth and fulfillment. In keeping with these values, interns are paid a living wage, treated with respect, and provided with individualized education and training in the areas that interest them.

About our 2024 Summer Interns


Charisma Kocsmiersky, Front Desk Intern

Charisma Kocsmiersky, 18 years old, was born and raised in Springfield, MA. Starting in Fall 2024, Charisma will be studying management with a minor in music at UMass Boston. She is an avid singer and a part of the Bridge program at CMSS. Charisma’s main goal for the future is to learn about the music industry and enter the field as a creative professional. During her time at CMSS, Charisma hopes to grow her social and managerial skills, become more confident, and experience a professional work environment. Her experiences with the Bridge program and CMSS’ internship program have prepared her well. She hopes to inspire others to love the Community Music School of Springfield as much as she does!

Ndilei Lukulay, Youth Support Intern

Hi! My name is Ndilei Lukulay, and I was born and raised in Springfield. I am 18 years old and just recently graduated from Hampden Charter School of Science in Chicopee. In the fall, I will be starting a 6-year pharmacy program at Western New England University. Outside of my education, music has been my passion for as long as I can remember. I started with the Community Music School as a Prelude preschool student, and started my first ever bucket drumming class with Rick Marshall in the 4th grade. In 6th grade, I started on violin through the Sonido Musica program, and quickly made my switch to cello. I fell in love with the instrument, and continued my path with the instrument into Stringfield and String City as I moved into highschool. Recently as of last year, in addition to String City, I became a part of the Bridge Leaders program, which has been a very memorable experience! The Community Music School has made up a large part of who I am and have uplifted me to reach the greatest of heights. I hope to inspire more young black girls to want to pursue music. Whether it’s for a career or just as an escape from reality. We endure so much in the world, and music as a whole has been my safe place through it all. I want more young girls like me to have that same experience. I am truly grateful to the music school for allowing me to achieve this.


David Villanueva Duran, Youth Support Intern

My name is David Villanueva Duran, I am 19 years old, and I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo). At 17, I arrived in the United States for the first time in search of a better life and fulfilling the American dream that had always been spoken to me. I am currently studying in Baystate Charter Public School Grade 12 High School. I am interested right now in being able to graduate and enter a good university. The school has given me a lot of help and I have also joined important school activities such as the National Honor Society group, as well as different clubs which I have been able to express myself like music and cooking, which are areas that I currently like. I have the hope in the next few years of being able to graduate and go to a good university to study music or something to do with this area, also business management or audiovisual engineering with a 4-year bachelor’s degree. They are areas that I really like since they open doors for me to work in the future, to have my own events company or to be able to work in events such as concerts or events in venues as I like, also to continue working with the bridge leader group in CMSS since that group has opened many doors for me, into music and things I like to do. In CMSS I hope to be able to belong for a long time to be able to learn different instruments, and also to be part of CMSS helping the people and children who study there become better musicians and to be able to give them the best of me, and also to be able to help CMSS with community activities, to make the school a better environment.


Solomon Jones, Sonido Musica Intern

Hello my name is Solomon, I’m 20 and I’m attending Holyoke Community college this fall, I plan on studying Music education and mixing/mastering. Most of my jobs out of High school have been teaching music but some of my other interests are making my own music, photography and graphic design, and I currently play in a band called the Marlborough Street Band. I’d like to have multiple sources of music as a profession as most things with music interest me. During my time at CMSS I’ve learned how to interact with students, faculty and also people outside of CMSS and I’d like to continue building my own personal teaching style/beliefs and continue to go further with my instrument.


Jayla James, Prelude Preschool of the Arts Intern

Hello! My name is Jayla James and I am 19 years old. I go to Simmons University in Boston and grew up in Springfield Mass. I am currently studying Exercise Science/ Physical Therapy through the 3+3 DPT program. My other passions fall into the Simmons division 3 soccer team that I am proudly apart of. I plan to excel in my academics and continue to try my best, I want to succeed in this program and end with getting a doctorate. The first step is graduating with my bachelors while still being on track with the demands of the program. My hopes for my time at CMSS is to gain a new experience and build my communication skills. I will be working with a lot of different people being a physical therapist, allowing this internship to build my problem solving skills and important factors that make a professional conversation.


Ana Pagan, Prelude Preschool of the Arts Intern

My name is Ana Pagan, I am 18 years old and recently graduated from John J. Duggan Academy. I was born and raised in Springfield, and will be attending the University of Hartford in the fall. I am going into the healthcare field but love teaching and working with kids, which led me to Prelude at CMSS. Working here this summer gives me the opportunity to interact with little ones and gain that experience; no matter what my future career is, it will help to have those people skills. I also value the community aspect of being in the environment of CMSS and having a learning experience that feels like a home with a family.


Berenice Cruz, Prelude Preschool of the Arts Intern

Hi! My name is Berenice Cruz I am 17 years old and currently assist to Springfield Honors Academy. I am interested in entering the psychology field, specifically working with little kids. Which is why I am working with different age groups at CMSS. From kids in the preschool to middle school kids in their choir. I want to learn how kids grow and develop in their environment and how I can help them. I hope to gain experience to reach my goal of graduating in child psychology.

Elijah D., Youth Support Intern

I’m Elijah D. I was born and raised in Springfield MA and attended Duggan Academy for middle school and high school. I am currently a student at Elms College where I study business and play lacrosse. Some of my areas of interest are music and traveling the world, which both go hand in hand with the business marketing degree I am currently in pursuit of. For the future, I hope that I find peak success in both music and business fields wherever I put the threshold and if those don’t hold up, I’ll be happy with a jazz band and a masters degree in business. I also hope to continue my over a decade long relationship with CMSS and one day give back to the city of Springfield which made me the man I am and will one day become. One thing I was always told was to believe in myself, and another thing was to lean on other people when I get a spark to chase a goal. CMSS has helped me bridge the gap between the things I want to achieve and where I was at before I got there and I am determined to return the favor to the generations after me.


Raul Maldonado, Sonido Musica Intern

My name is Raul. I am a proud Puerto Rican trumpet player who was born and raised in the great city of Springfield. My goal in life is to spread the gift of music to as many as I can and this goal of mine was conceived in the band room of the High School of Science and Technology in Springfield. In particular, Mr. Gary Bernice was the main person that gave me that spark to want to teach. I first touched my current main instrument in 9th grade (2015) and from there I fell in love with music as a whole. During high school I was given lessons at CMSS by the awesome Jeremy Turgeon and after high school, I went on to attend the music program at Holyoke Community College where I was given private trumpet lessons by Dr. Peter Grimaldi. After receiving my associates degree, I transferred to Westfield State University where I improved my skills on the trumpet thanks to the amazing Dr. Karen LaVoie. Currently, I am striving to be the best music educator I can be at the high school level and I hope that my future consists of inspiring young minds to express their creativity not only through brass instruments which is my specialty but through music in general.


Z Amparo, Youth Support Intern

My name is Z Amparo, I’m 19 years old and currently attending Bridgewater State University as a Film and Video Arts Production major and a Theatre minor. I was born and raised in Springfield, MA. This summer I was an Intern with the Sonido Summer Camp which allowed me to interact with music in a new way. In the future I hope to make documentaries that shed light on what actually goes into the musical process and the work musicians put into their performance in both the professional and academic level.

 


Ricki Alfaro-Orozco, Front Desk & Youth Support Intern

Hello! My full name is Ricki Eduardo Alfaro-Orozco, I am 17 years-old I was born and raised in Springfield Massachusetts. I am currently attending The High School of Science and Technology and currently the President of The National Honor Society, Vice President for the Class of 25 and Band President! My interest are Volleyball, Photography and of course, Music. My hope, is to graduate and enroll into a 4 year college into a Music Business/Music Industry program! Eventually go into law school to become an entertainment lawyer! My hope and dream at CMSS is to connect and network with talented Musicians to learn more about the industry and learn about music in general! Overall CMSS is the foundation of connecting and learning more about myself and the start of my career in order to continue growing as a musician but especially as a person!


Kiara Lee, Prelude Preschool of the Arts Intern

My name is Kiara Lee. I’m 17 years old, and going into my Senior year of high school at Springfield Honors Academy. In the next 5-10 years I plan on being in my last year or graduating college with a Ph.D or Psy.D. I also plan on starting my career as a children psychologist or a correctional psychologist between that time as well. During my time at CMSS I plan on learning how to help people express their feelings/emotions in ways that aren’t harmful to them and their peers. I also plan on learning how to make people feel heard and valid even if they think they aren’t. This may connect with the career path I chose because learning these skills will make it easier for me to connect to my clients, but to also adapt to their personalities with little struggle.


Charlotte Kazalski, Youth Support Intern

My name is Charlotte Kazalski, and I recently graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Music Education/Performance and a minor in Spanish. At Ithaca, I was honored to be a BOLD Women’s Leadership scholar, which supported me in pursuing my passion for music across diverse communities. During my college years, I served as the SERV chair for Mu Phi Epsilon, organizing music educational initiatives such as creating educational packets for children, arranging performances at senior centers, and hosting Instrument Petting Zoos for the community. Finishing my Senior year at Ithaca College, I completed my senior student teaching experience with high school band and thoroughly enjoyed it. These experiences confirmed and strengthened my love for music and sharing it with others. Interning with the Summer Sing program at CMSS deepened my passion for teaching as I learned valuable insights from experienced educators. It reminded me of my love for both singing and playing instruments, which I am eager to share in future classrooms. This fall, I am excited to begin a fellowship with Chicago Arts and Music Project, where I will serve as a teaching artist and administrative assistant. My long-term goal is to pursue a master’s degree in Music Education and continue promoting access to music education for all.

CMSS Perform-A-Thon