LSTA Spotlight: Teens Lead at Neuse Regional Library System
Building Workforce Development and Personal Skills in Teens
Amanda Johnson and Lynda Reynolds
Every other month we showcase a LSTA grant project from a North Carolina library. This month we are featuring a conversation with grant project managers Monique Summer and Amber Hargett, of Neuse Regional Library System. Thanks to SLNC staff member’s Lynda Reynolds for contributing this story.
Please note that this grant project was completed in fiscal year 2023-24 before Executive Order dated March 14, 2025 was issued calling for the reduction of the Institute of Museum and Libraries Services to statutory requirements and the subsequent termination of many grant programs. While SLNC has received all expected federal funds for 2024-25, the availability of future LSTA grants is uncertain. See our website to learn more about the potential impact changes in federal funding could have for North Carolina libraries and cultural organizations.
Teens leading library programs, assisting in outreach services and teaching skills in the digital media lab.
Q&A with Monique Summer, Youth Services Librarian and Amber Hargett, Head of Youth Services for Neuse Regional Library System
Teens Lead aims to educate teens about careers in librarianship through the completion of a capstone project. The workforce development program focuses on developing life skills and immersing teens in real-life work experiences through community volunteering for teens entering the 11th or 12th grade. Each of our interns completed a STEM-focused project that exemplified the library and promoted literacy in the community. Interns developed programs representative of themselves, bringing their broad interests front and center. They produced, marketed, and led teen-oriented programs in our teen library spaces including:
Food literacy programming through a cooking class program
Virtual Reality programming,
A teen entrepreneur program led by a business-minded teen
Building an eco-conscious solar oven building
Interns assisted youth services staff with library programming like Master Chef Jr and storytimes. They learned valuable, forward-facing customer service skills, such as assisting at the public service desk and the Digital Resource Rover. Each intern worked with a mentor to develop resumes reflective of the skills built during their internship.
In addition, teens participated in courses on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, work etiquette, and healthy lifestyle choices. Financial guest speakers from Edward Jones and PNC Bank led sessions for interns, and local teen entrepreneurs also led sessions on their careers beginning as teens, ranging from Personal Trainer to Funeral Home Director. See video: Teens Lead
How did the idea for this grant project come about?
As part of the NRL’s 2023-2028 Strategic and Action Plan process, which included surveys and facilitation workshops, the library identified a strong desire within the community to have a safe space for teens where they could connect with one another and participate in active learning programs throughout the region with a commitment to providing meaningful, paid learning opportunities. The Teens Lead program creates opportunities for young adults in our community to gain meaningful, hands-on experience creating positive learning experiences in librarianship and supporting the next generation of library professionals. Our teen volunteer program has dedicated teens who assist with programs and often guide the development of teen programs. This program created a whole new experience as a workforce development program.
What has been the impact of this project in your community?
Local students responded with remarkable enthusiasm, and we received many applications. As a mentor working directly with teen interns at Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library and coordinating with mentors at the Greene County Public Library, teens developed more than teen programming; they developed communities inside and outside of the library, and they also witnessed existing connections that were revealed to them through the library environment. After successfully completing the program, the Fall 2024 Cohort I and Spring 2025 Cohort II interns each received a $500 stipend and the laptop they were assigned to use for their project to provide greater accessibility and opportunity for future success in their educational endeavors.
What are your future plans for this project?
The Neuse Regional Libraries plan to expand the Teens Lead Internship Program throughout our region, which serves Lenoir, Jones, and Greene counties. To aid in this goal, NRL has applied for a Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Grant.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
We are grateful for the generous funding opportunities provided by the State Library and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which drive meaningful change for the youth in our communities. Working closely with our teen interns and watching them transform into library ambassadors throughout our communities has been a pleasure.
Learn more about LSTA grant opportunities and guidelines by visiting our website. Additional questions can be sent to Catherine Prince, Federal Programs Consultant.
LSTA grant awards are made possible by funding from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. LSTA grants are awarded in response to specific needs of North Carolina’s public and academic libraries. These federal funds are investments that help libraries deliver relevant and up-to-date services to their communities.
*published with permission from original content creator.
Neuse News is an independent, locally-owned startup based in downtown Kinston. We’re committed to providing free, hyper-local news across Lenoir, Greene, and Jones counties—the kind of stories that matter most, delivered in a format built for today.
We don't charge subscriptions. Instead, we rely on readers like you—and the businesses that serve our community. When you shop local, dine local, and click on our sponsor ads, you help us keep real journalism free and accessible.
