San Rafael, CA – An eight-week summer internship program at the County of Marin was just too valuable to cancel because of the COVID-19 public health emergency. The fifth year of Career Explorer Youth Program will be one to remember as both the interns and staff adapted to 100% online experience for young people to gain career experience in local government.
The fifth summer of the Career Explorers program was an online-only experience because of COVID-19.Sixty-two interns between ages 16 and 22 participated in the program coordinated and funded by the
Marin County Probation Department. The interns were exposed to a wide variety of jobs within the County, heard about the career paths of County employees, and in some cases found a new potential trajectory as they prepare for wage-earning adulthood.
The interns participated in an online graduation ceremony August 7 that included members of the Marin County Board of Supervisors, top administrators from various departments, and the mentors who provided personal guidance.
Employment Development Counselor Luis Luciano and Director of Juvenile Probation Services Eric Olson were determined not to put the program in mothballs because of the pandemic.
“I hope we were able to give you the skills and relationships needed to give you a sense of purpose, to find who you want to serve in our community, and to make us your first choice as an employer,” Luciano said to the interns.
Probation Chief Marlon Washington also spoke to the grads in the online ceremony.
“One of the things I always say is, no matter what, education, training, and experience are things no one can take away from you,” Washington said. “From there, you will continue to grow … and in time, you will have work opportunities. This is that first step in exploring, so I wish you all luck and continued success.”
Noah Block was the recipient of the Dan Daniels Spirit of Service Award, given to the participant who demonstrates a passion for serving clients, co-workers and community partners while stating a goal of eventually becoming a full-fledged County employee. Daniels, a respected mentor for many County programs, was on hand to congratulate Block.
The following interns graduated:
- Javier Aguirre
- Ashley Anavisca
- Caitlin Barnes
- Kaleb Long
- Noah Block
- Ronald Board
- Sofia Brusci
- Denise Calderon
- Emily Carmona
- Natalia Castillo
- Renelle Damasco
- Colvin De Paz
- Gabriel Diaz
- Caterin Duarte
- Eber Escobar
- Byron Finley
- Kristin Garcia
- Shavonne Gash
- Dominga Gomez
- Ciara Greany
- Rachel Gutierrez
- Ari Guzman
- Nadine Hairston
- Talia Harter
- Andre Hensley
- Heaven Hensley
- Maritza Herrera
- Jonaven Hill
- Joshua Horowitz
- Gerald Ingraham
- Aidan Kern
- Faiz Khaliq
- Alyssa Krusinski
- Orlando Lewis
- Carmela Lopez
- Elyse Martinez
- Sophia Martin
- Ana Mendoza
- Annum Angalia
- Annika Overaa
- Brandon Pooner
- Brittany Panela
- Leslie Parra
- Ariana Pillitteri
- Michael Pina
- Xitlalli Pineda
- Mark Quilter
- Emely Reyes Rodas
- Wendoly Rodas
- Julian Sanchez
- Inham Sanchez
- Tomas Santoyo
- Elizabeth Snyder
- Dévona Times
- Lilian Truong
- Nicholas Uribe
- Jaliyah Wiggins
- Savanna Williams
- Zephram Williams
- Matthew Woody
- Hajra Yacoobali
- Vicky Yah
Samantha Klein, the Administrative Services Director for Probation, credited the interns for taking the initiative to better themselves not only amid the challenges of COVID-19 but also the civil rights crisis. “Your commitment was inspiring,” she told the graduates. “I hope and look forward to seeing many of you hopefully in County service but also working with our many community partners.”
The program’s main goal is to provide work readiness skills to young people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to engage in career exploration. It is accomplished through a combination of intensive workshops, networking with professionals in various departments across the County government, and the internship itself.
Some of the program participants have experienced barriers or challenges to employment. Those can include contact with the juvenile justice system, family members with experience in either the juvenile or adult justice systems, or residence in neighborhoods often impacted by crime.
Interns this year participated in 7.5 hours per week in online instruction. They were given assignments utilizing Google Classroom and received remote assignments from County departments and community partners for a possible total of 15 hours per week. The interns were paid $14 per hour, and the Probation Department used state grant funds to cover the costs.
To learn more about the program, contact Employment Development Counselor Luis Luciano at 415-473-6676.