The Laredo Independent School District's College, Career, and Military Readiness Department is providing rising seniors the opportunity to improve their work-based learning experience with various community partners, businesses, and district central offices during a four-week paid summer internship program.
The selected students were required to submit applications that included a resume, a personal statement, letters of recommendation, and a statement of commitment to Career and Technology Education programs. The initiative was launched to provide students with opportunities to study under the direction of field professionals in varying fields, but ultimately to gain experience also professionally.
LISD’s College, Career, and Military Readiness Department Coordinator Mayra Garcia said, “Due to its success, LISD’s internship program has been able to expand its partnerships with the community.” This year, Webb County Offices opened its doors, allowing high school students to shadow and work with professionals.
“My experience as an intern at the Risk Management Department in Webb County has been amazing. I am learning on the job. This opportunity has helped me improve my communication skills while also being able to provide assistance with important tasks. I work hand in hand with teams to make Webb County a safer place of employment,” Cigarroa High School Senior Martin Moncivais said.
With this summer internship program 45 students are able to hone skills they’ve learned throughout the school year such as culinary, barbering, communications, construction, and technology. A $50,000 grant for the program was made possible with the help of the Texas Education Agency. The students are processed in the LISD Office of Human Resources after being listed in the system for this summer job and are then regarded as district employees. The CCMR and Transportation Departments worked together to develop routes for those who need transportation after surveying students to ascertain whether they needed it.
The program provides these interns the opportunity to work in different educational job sites that include La Vida Fit, Casa Blanca Coffee Shop, Edible Arrangements, Webb County Offices, Laredo Police Department, Sports Clips, LISD Child Nutrition Program, LISD Plant Facilities and Public Services Department, LISD Information Technology Department, LISD Office of Communications, LISD Instructional Television Department, LISD CCMR Department, and LISD Human Resources Department.
“With this internship, students are learning responsibilities like they would with a regular job. As a participant of this program, they’re getting paid, while learning how to develop communication with their supervisors and employers along with how to collaborate with members of their teams," Garcia said.
Garcia continues to encourage any incoming seniors who would like to expand their classroom learning skills and dive into a professional field of their interest and develop their status as an employee. “We are extremely proud of our interns. Their mentors have expressed that they are all representing themselves, the community, and the district in a fantastic way. We encourage them to keep up the wonderful work, and we congratulate them. We can't wait to watch them all succeed in the future.”