DALLAS – Finding a job has been tough for anyone this year. For high school students seeking summer jobs, even entry-level positions are few and hard to find.
But thanks to the Mayor’s Intern Fellows program, 85 Dallas ISD students worked 40-hour weeks in coveted positions, soaking up real-world knowledge and eye-opening experiences at Dallas’ top corporations, non-profits, city departments and legal firms.
Depending on their internships, the students did everything from shadowing Fortune 500 executives, and working in architectural firms, to walking construction sites and visiting late-night crime scenes with Dallas Police detectives. Students evaluated recipes at a national restaurant corporation, experienced the launch of ad and PR campaigns, walked the halls of hospitals, and took an inside peek at a national food company.
Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert and lead partner AT&T (NYSE:T) launched the program in 2008 in conjunction with Education Is Freedom (EIF), a non-profit organization working to reduce the high school dropout rate; eliminate the social, academic and financial barriers to higher education; and promote equality of opportunity in college attendance.
The Mayor’s Intern Fellows is an eight-week paid internship program that has given qualified students a realistic view of the working world, allowing them to utilize their potential and visualize their future. Students have seen first-hand where a quality education can lead and the paths they’ll need to follow to get there.
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Pictured from left to right in the BACK row are Becky Trevino, Ginger Hukill, Laura Linthicum, Suzanne Keen and Traci Kerns.
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The internships ended Fri., Aug. 7. To celebrate, the mayor and the participating companies honored the students and celebrated their accomplishments at a luncheon at the Belo Mansion.
“The Mayor’s Intern Fellows program is much more than just a summer job,” said Mayor Leppert. “It gives Dallas ISD students invaluable exposure and immersion into a professional workplace environment. It helps students make the connection between a good education and a great career, a critical point so that teenagers understand the long-range importance of good grades, attendance, perseverance and graduating.”
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(l-r) Jim Keyes (EIF Founder/CEO Blockbuster), Francisco Lopez (EIF grad/former intern) and Jasmine Young (EIF grad/former intern).
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EIF Dallas students from W.H. Adamson High School, James Madison High School, North Dallas High School and David W. Carter High School participated (see list below of all students). Fifteen students returned as second-year interns. Both students and companies gave the program an enthusiastic “thumbs up.”
"AT&T is proud to be a leading supporter of the Mayor's internship program,” said Bill Blase, senior executive vice president of human resources at AT&T. “The program – which gives Dallas-area students first-hand exposure to the workplace – is a natural complement to our corporate commitment to education. Our nationwide $10 million AT&T Aspire program supports efforts focused on decreasing the high school drop out rate, and our employees are devoting some 400,000 hours to provide job shadowing opportunities to 100,000 students."
In addition to AT&T, over 40 other companies actively supported the program, including JP Morgan Chase, Brinker International, Austin Industries, Tenet Healthcare, Dean Foods, Alon USA, Central Dallas Ministries, Parkland Hospital and many others (see attached list of participating companies and organizations).
“This was Tenet’s first year to participate in the Mayor’s Intern Fellows program and work with Education is Freedom,” said Trevor Fetter, CEO of Tenet Healthcare. “We had the pleasure of hosting three students, and it is our hope that their experience at Tenet and exposure to the business of healthcare provided them with new ideas and career opportunities to consider. Working with the interns reminded us of the potential every student holds inside – and we look forward to participating again next year.”
Dr. Marcus Martin, president and CEO of Education Is Freedom, attributes the program’s success to advance preparation and the ongoing guidance given to the students and the employers. Students participated in several training programs focusing on communication, protocol, workplace attire, expectations, etc. EIF Dallas staff also stayed in close contact with the students and employers throughout the summer to assess the internship fit and address any concerns.
“We’ve been working with our EIF students since their freshman year to develop the skills, discipline, demeanor and mindset so they can succeed in college and ultimately in the work force, but this experience crystallizes the need for them to get a good education,” said Dr. Marcus Martin, president and CEO of Education is Freedom. “Our students now have concrete aspirations and a new confidence knowing that, with hard work and perseverance, there is a place for them in the business world.”
The students made a minimum of $9 per hour – wages that are often higher than what their parents earn. Most students saved their earnings to help cover costly senior fees, such as graduation announcements, gowns and such and for first-year college expenses. Others assisted with current family financial needs.
Throughout the summer, the students outlined progress of their internship with a written or multimedia project. They included analysis of their jobs, the company and industry, and expressed how the experience shaped their educational and career choices.
One student who benefited from the experience was Luis Retta, an incoming 11th-grade student at W. H. Adamson High School.
“Mack R. Douglas once said that when a ‘man has done his best, has given his all, and in the process supplied the needs of his family and his society, that man has made a habit of succeeding’,” said Luis Retta, an intern at AT&T. “I definitely tried my best and gave it my all at AT&T, and to add to it, I was able to help my family financially. It’s the kind of success that fuels you, and I feel fortunate to have gotten the opportunity.”
The summer internship program posed challenges – transportation, because most kids rely on DART; family responsibilities such as caring for younger siblings; attire, particularly for firms that require professional dress; and personal obligations, like sports and night school. Some employers provided DART passes and even transported students to and from bus stops.
“Bottom line, these young people’s lives have been changed for the better, as a result of these internships,” said Mayor Leppert.
MAYOR’S INTERN FELLOWS PROGRAM
WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH DALLAS EDUCATION IS FREEDOM
Summer 2009
ACS
Soniqua Adaway, 11th grade, W.H. Adamson High School
Esaul Barroquin, 11th grade, North Dallas High School
Kristen Crenshaw, 12th grade, David W. Carter High School (2nd year intern)
Alliance Data Systems
Ayesha Cobb, 12th grade, North Dallas High School (2nd year intern)
Mayra Corea, 11th grade, North Dallas High School
Allyn Partners
Jasmine Lampkin, 12th grade, David W. Carter High School
Alon USA
Kameron Bass, 12th grade, James Madison High School
Army & Air Force Exchange
Shekeitha Stanley, 12th grade, James Madison High School
AT&T
Cornelius White, 2009 graduate of James Madison High School (2nd year intern)
Adrianna Arrez, 12th grade, W.H. Adamson High School (2nd year intern)
Michael Booker, 12th grade, James Madison High School
Akemia Cade, 12th grade, W.H. Adamson High School
Luis Retta, 11th grade, W.H. Adamson High School
Atmos
Bruce Taylor, 12th grade, David W. Carter High School (2nd year intern)
Michael Woodard, 12th grade, North Dallas High School
Austin Industries
Courtney Walker, 12th grade, James Madison High School
Tekia Goines, 12th grade, James Madison High School
Elizabeth Martinez, 12th grade, North Dallas High School (2nd year intern)
Balfour Beatty
Bryant Clark, 12th grade, David W. Carter High School
Baylor Healthcare System
Dora Gbenjen, 12th grade, David W. Carter High School (2nd year intern)
Katherine Medina, 11th grade, North Dallas High School
BeautiControl
Gabriela Nabejar, 12th grade, W.H. Adamson High School
Blockbuster, Inc.
Oscar Garcia, 11th grade, W.H. Adamson High School
Cristal Mendez, 12th grade, North Dallas High School (2nd year intern)
Brinker International
LaShaneika Ephraim, 12th grade, David W. Carter High School
Tierra Freeman, 12th grade, James Madison High School (2nd year intern)
Lorena Watson, 12th grade, David W. Carter High School (2nd year intern)
Central Dallas Ministries (Sponsored by Neiman Marcus and Fossil)
Lenice Franklin, 12th grade, David W. Carter High School
Danielle Huerta, 11th grade, W.H. Adamson High School
Children’s Medical Center
Lashanta Green, 11th grade, David W. Carter High School
Chamin Herron, 12th grade, James Madison High School
Kendra Johnson, 11th grade, David W. Carter High School
Juquaya Moss, 12th grade, James Madison High School
Comerica Bank
Jamerlyn Whitaker, 12th grade, David W. Carter High School
DCVB (Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau)
Sylvia Barraza, 12th grade, W.H. Adamson High School
Dallas Police Department (Sponsored by Frito Lay)
Terry Sterns, 11th grade, James Madison High School
Amelia Tinajero, 11th grade, W.H. Adamson High School
Dean Foods
Chris Crawford, 11th grade, David W. Carter High School
Janet Perez, 12th grade, North Dallas High School
Deloitte & Touche USA LLP
Oscar Aranda, 11th grade, W.H. Adamson High School
Damian Reyes, 11th grade, North Dallas High School
Michael Wilson, 12th grade, David W. Carter High School
DFW AHEC
Brandi Brown, 12th grade, James Madison High School
(Sponsored by Global 360)
ENSCO International
Elva Aguilar, 12th grade, W.H. Adamson High School (2nd year intern)
Alejandro Lopez, 12th grade, W.H. Adamson High School
EssilorUSA
Mahogany Montgomery, 12th grade, James Madison High School
(2nd year intern)
Foundation for Community Empowerment (Sponsored by Texas Instruments and AT&T)
Anthony Williams, 11th grade, James Madison High School
Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.
Araceli Castillo, 12th grade, W.H. Adamson High School
Global 360
Tristin Williams, 12th grade, Adamson High School (2nd year intern)
Haynes and Boone
Elexus Allen, 12th grade, David W. Carter High School
Vo Nguyen, 12th grade, North Dallas High School (2nd year intern)
HKS
Quentin Bradford, 12th grade, James Madison High School
JP Morgan Chase
Stacie Green, 12th grade, David W. Carter High School
Tracie Green, 12th grade, David W. Carter High School
Jasmine Rogers, 12th grade, James Madison High School
Methodist Health Care System
Curtizia Alexander, 12th grade, David W. Carter High School
Kieona Johnson, 12th grade, James Madison High School
Ariel Tovar, 11th grade, W.H. Adamson High School
Parkland Health & Hospital System
Mayte DeLaTorre, 12th grade, W.H. Adamson High School (2nd year intern)
Diego Franco, 12th grade, North Dallas High School
Bridget Hall, 12th grade, James Madison High School
Erricka Hawthorne, 12th grade, David W. Carter High School
Xavier Russell, 12th grade, David W. Carter High School
Perot Systems
Maleni Saucedo, 11th grade, W.H. Adamson High School
Emmanuel Tamayo, 11th grade, W.H. Adamson High School
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Karla Castillo, 12th grade, W.H. Adamson High School
Southern Methodist University
Jose Leon, 12th grade, North Dallas High School
Shantae Thomas, 11th grade, North Dallas High School
Tenet Healthcare
Marco Johnson, 12th grade, David W. Carter High School
Alfredo Mendiola, 12th grade, North Dallas High School
Joshua Wilkerson, 12th grade, North Dallas High School
Texas Health Resources
Janiecia Jones, 11th grade, James Madison High School
Trinity Industries
Stanley Bell, 12th grade, James Madison High School
Andrew Brown, 11th grade, North Dallas High School
Javier Rangel, 11th grade, W.H. Adamson High School
TXU/ Oncor
Rachael Beck, 12th grade, David W. Carter High School
Louvhencye Dorsinvol, 11th grade, James Madison High School
Tamera Garret, 12th grade, James Madison High School
Jaron Pryor, 11th grade, David W. Carter High School
UNT Dallas
Joshua Martinez, 11th grade, North Dallas High School
Juan Martinez, 11th grade, North Dallas High School
Neiman Thomas, 11th grade, James Madison High School
Daniel Vasquez, 11th grade, W.H. Adamson High School
Webber Shandwick
Isabella Flores, 11th grade, W.H. Adamson High School
Williams Chicken
Taylor Townsend, 12th grade, David W. Carter High School
