Thank you for the article Jan. 17 announcing an innovative and exciting program to provide paid internship opportunities for high school students in Hampshire and Franklin counties (“Grant to boost internships in STEM”).

The internships will be in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and involve local employers. The Franklin-Hampshire Regional Employment Board received a two-year grant from the Baker-Polito administration to organize and implement this effort.

The Collaborative for Educational Services in Northampton is taking the lead on this project, and building from our STEM Employer Action Group. The collaborative of 36 school districts in Franklin and Hampshire counties is uniquely positioned to implement regional education projects such as this.

We also work closely with the employment board and are most appreciative of its many years of successful work in regional workforce development and youth employment activities.

The collaborative welcomes inquiries from students, schools, or employers about this internship program to Matt Rigney at mrigney@collaborative.org.