Introducing Our Summer Interns


Charal Steele and Giancarlo Levano assisting with youth BY KATHY SCHMIED


While other church ministries may use summertime to take a deep breath and regroup, the opposite is true for Youth Ministry. With gratitude, Dana Yashou, director of High School Ministry and Kathy Schmied, director of Middle School Ministry, embrace this year’s two summer Youth Ministry interns, Charal Steele and Giancarlo Levano.


Charal and Giancarlo engaged in an intense orientation and hit the ground running in preparing for a great summer with our FPCA youth. Allow us to introduce them to you.


A member of this church family, Charal Steele first served as a tween leader at FPCA. “My favorite thing about our church is that it’s a place to come together and make new friends, and a place to learn and grow in your faith. First Presbyterian has really helped me grow in my faith, and I want to be that role model for youth as well,” Charal says.


She is excited about the opportunity to connect with our youth and experience all the love and joy that God has to offer. Charal enjoys spending time with her family hiking, antiquing, visiting museums, and walking their two dogs. Charal’s favorite hobbies are building lasting relationships, getting to know people, hearing their stories, and making them feel welcome and part of our church family. She feels blessed


and truly enjoys serving God’s people here at First Presbyterian Church and in our community. Charal is looking forward to high school work camp in Baltimore, volunteering there with Soaring Eagles Learning Camp.


Giancarlo is extremely excited to be working with the youth as a 2019 summer youth intern. Having this experience allows him to recollect fond memories from when he was a part of the program back in 2014 and make new ones! He is attending Ithaca College and studies music education and percussion performance. He is happy to say that he can proficiently play every single band instrument—not to mention the accordion, recorder, jaw harp, and the occasional spoon.


During his free time, Giancarlo likes to eat all kinds of cheeses, go on hikes, make music with others, and hang out with people. He learned fluent Spanish while growing up in a Hispanic family. His household includes his mom, Lugy; dad, Willie; sister, Jenine; and grandmother, Luz. He found his interest in youth ministry while singing at a small church in Ithaca, where he would hang out and observe Sunday school classes. He never imagined that the reality of becoming a summer youth intern would happen, and he is embracing the adventure and making new friends.


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