Getting to know Jade!

Hi everyone! My name is Jade Patterson and I’m BYA’s social media intern. I am a senior at Morgan State University and from Baltimore, Maryland.

As stated, I attend Morgan State University with a major of multiplatform production. I have dreams of working in the field of production. For high school, I attended Western School of Technology and Environmental Science in Catonsville, MD where I studied graphic design. My dream job has changed over the years. I originally wanted to go to high school for cosmetology, but once I did not get in it changed my whole game plan. Studying graphic design helped my passion for production because I worked on projects like the school’s yearbook, making shirts and calendars, and working with a green screen. So, it gave me an open eye to doing things behind the scenes and now I am proficient in Adobe Premier and Adobe Photoshop.

I chose to work at BYA because I love what they stand for. Baltimore is a tough city and I will support anything that will help keep youth active and be able to express themselves. BYA not only helps young people with art, but prepares them for the real world, which most youth don’t get. I lived in Baltimore all my life and the county life is very different from the city. I feel like youth are not given the same opportunities in the city, but I believe more programs like BYA will definitely help.

My experience at BYA has been great. When I came for the interview, I did not know what expect. The environment is very welcoming and chill. Once I got the internship, I was excited to interact with staff and students. Seeing how talented these students are and how fast they learn is just amazing to me and I see a bright future in all of them.

One fun fact about me is that I have a balloon business called Jade’s Balloons, where I create balloon décor for events and parties. Also, I am a libra!