LYNN — Last summer, Mayor Jared C. Nicholson made a commitment to hire every youth who applied for a job through Lynn’s Youth Summer Employment Program. That resulted in about 400 youth being employed in City Hall and throughout the City.
Now an alumnus of that program has leveraged their experience to secure a part-time position at the Lynn Public Library.
In 2023, Tyjei DiRico-Vanloan served as a summer youth worker at the City Hall Veterans Services Office, where he helped organize files and completed other assigned tasks, assisting Debbie Smalley, veterans benefits administrator. Due to his demonstrated leadership skills, DiRico-Vanloan, who aged out of the program last summer, was rehired as a supervisor in 2024. Last summer, he oversaw 20 youth workers in their efforts to clean the downtown area.
“We made sure the Lynn Commons and other areas were clean,” DiRico-Vanloan said. “I was hard-working and did the best I could and I was able to build relationships.”
His impactful work earned DiRico-Vanloan a part-time library associate position at the Lynn Public Library, which he started on March 17. In this role, he organizes books and contributes to creating a welcoming atmosphere for visitors.
“It’s been fantastic. I’m amazed by the opportunity,” said DiRico-Vanloan, who learned of the job opening through Faustina Cuevas, the City’s director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, whom he built a relationship with last summer. “City Hall helps people. I always try to be respectful, show up on time, and do the job.”
“Tyjei brings such an upbeat, positive energy. He is very eager to learn and to help and really is a joy to work with,” said Theresa Hurley, library director. “He has a great outlook and seems to be very community-oriented. I think he is a great addition to the library.”
DiRico-Vanloan graduated in 2019 from Lynn Vocational Technical Institute, where he studied TV/Media and worked on taping sporting events and other school activities. He planned to pursue a career in film and video as a broadcaster, but discovered he could have a greater impact in a job where he could help others.
He went on to North Shore Community College and graduated last December from Bridgewater State University with a degree in communications. He had been looking for a job for a few months when the library opportunity arose.
“I think they gained respect for my strong work ethic,” DiRico-Vanloan said. “I showed that I appreciated the opportunities I was given and they liked how hard-working I was. It paid off.”
