In September 2013, Joe Pollio and his wife Terry made a major gift to launch an internship program for US students to experience Boys' and Girls' Towns in Rome.

"We wanted to invest in an initiative that would help the organization grow and connect BGTI with new stakeholders who are interested in promoting the self-government approach for marginalized youth," said Joe, a third generation BGTI donor.

"Visiting the Towns in Rome was the emotional highlight of our trip to Italy. These kids have a sense of community that I have rarely experienced. And they often come back to visit. It's clear the Towns are their home," Terry added.

The BGTI Internship Selection Committee chose Artemisa Valeri as the first recipient of The Pollio Family Foundation Internship for Youth Development.

Artimesia is a junior at New York University where she is majoring in Applied Psychology with a minor in Italian Language Studies. Starting in May, she will live at Boys' Town Rome for six weeks, participating in all aspects of the community and leading a cultural activity with the citizens.