06/04/2026
Dear Summer Internship Applicants,
This is a special time of year.
Many of you are celebrating achievements, completing important chapters, making plans for the future, and enjoying moments with the people who have supported you along the way. It is a season filled with excitement, possibility, reflection, and change.
In the midst of all that, we wanted to take a moment to reach out to everyone who applied for the 2026 Summer Internship Program.
The response to this year's program has been incredible, and we have been encouraged by the number of young people willing to step forward, apply, interview, and look for ways to grow, contribute, and engage in their communities.
Throughout this process, many of you have had parents, grandparents, teachers, mentors, and family members cheering you on. We are grateful for their support, but we also want to recognize you. You have shown up as young adults—completing applications, responding to questionnaires, attending interviews, asking thoughtful questions, and being willing to take a chance on new opportunities.
We are proud of you.
As we continue moving through the internship process, we want to make sure every applicant has had the opportunity to interview. If you did not receive or were unable to respond to the interview scheduling email, we will hold one final interview opportunity this Friday. We simply do not want anyone to feel overlooked or left out. We want the opportunity to meet each of you, hear from you, and thank you personally for your interest and effort.
While internships are one way to get involved, they are certainly not the only way.
Tonight, we would like to invite every applicant to be part of the Levitt AMP Whitesburg Music Series as we kick off another summer of music, community, and connection.
We will begin helping with setup at 3:00 p.m., assist with the Farmers Market as vendors arrive, welcome community members throughout the evening, and help create a great experience for everyone who attends. The market opens at 6:00 p.m., the opening act begins at 6:30 p.m., and the headliner takes the stage at 7:30 p.m.
Tonight's artist has local roots. I attended school with his mother. This evening, a Kentucky Music Hall of Fame inductee will stand on a stage in Whitesburg after beginning life in the same mountains many of us call home. His story is a reminder that where you come from does not determine where you can go. There are no limits on what young people from Eastern Kentucky can accomplish.
Whether or not you attend has absolutely no connection to the internship selection process. We want to keep those things separate and open to everyone. This invitation is about community, not hiring.
If you join us, please park as far away from the event area as possible and enjoy the walk through town and the market. We want to leave the closest parking spaces available for community members who may need easier access.
You are welcome to arrive at any point during the evening. Whether you can help with setup at 3:00 p.m., spend time at the market, enjoy the music, stay for the entire event, or simply stop by for a few minutes, we would love to see you.
If you choose to volunteer, please sign in and out at the Farmers Market table when you arrive and before you leave. This helps us recognize your participation and keep track of community involvement throughout the summer.
You are also welcome to bring an activity, game, craft, conversation, or idea to share. There is no single way to participate. Some people enjoy helping behind the scenes. Some enjoy connecting with others. Some simply enjoy being present. However you choose to engage, you are welcome.
Most importantly, come because you want this in your hometown.
Community events like this only happen when people decide they matter. Places like this exist because people care enough to show up.
We are also working on a small thank-you for everyone who applied and participated in the internship process, and we look forward to sharing more details soon.
If you have not yet had the opportunity to interview, or if you believe you may have missed our previous scheduling email, you may sign up for our final interview session using the link below:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0445A8AD2AA2FBC07-64429114-cowan #/
Thank you again for your patience, your flexibility, and your willingness to walk through this process with us. No matter what happens with internship placements, we hope you will continue finding ways to stay connected, contribute, and lead.
This summer, we hope you'll join us at the Levitt AMP Whitesburg Music Series—not because of an internship application, but because communities need people who care enough to show up.
This event belongs to the community, and you belong here.
With gratitude,
Valerie Horn
Cowan Community Center
Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up. Thank you!
