November 2023 Newsletter

Welcome, Santa Fe Community! We're thrilled to unveil the inaugural edition of the Work-Based Learning program newsletter, a vibrant platform designed to showcase the inspiring synergy between education and real-world experiences. Join us on this exciting journey as we highlight the invaluable opportunities, stories, and successes of our SFPS students embarking on transformative work-based experiences with some of Santa Fe's most reputable businesses & organizations!

During WBL bootcamp, interns research business partners, build resumes, practice interview skills, & learn employability skills. Pictured are interns with the SFPS Human Resources Department which hosts an orientation for each new cohort of interns. Interns learn to navigate new hire paperwork such as applications, W-4 forms & direct deposit forms.

On October 4, Santa Fe High School hosted the WBL Interview Event attended by 75 interns & 32 business partners. Above, Tenzin Dawoe interviews with Cecilia Garcia of NNM Gastroenterology Associates, one of our newest business partners.

Following the interview event, interns were matched with various Santa Fe offices & businesses. Pictured is Morgan Taylor who was a Reading Quest intern for Summer '23 & returned to Reading Quest this school year to tutor as well as interview & train new tutors. Other return interns promoted to the interview & training team are Dulce Garcia for the SFPS Early Childhood Center & Chris Calle Mejia for the SFPD.

Each month, we will spotlight different employers and interns.

Sydney Branchal is one of our social media assistants at Sports Primo. She is also a dedicated student and is saving up her paychecks for college. Sydney says her internship has made her more confident in her abilities. “It has gone beyond my expectations. We have so much creative freedom at Sports Primo. They put full trust in us and it has been a great experience so far.” Besides becoming more confident in her abilities, Sydney is learning that social media is sometimes a physical sport; she was almost tackled by two football players while filming!

Josh is a camera man for Sports Primo. He is saving money to buy a car. Josh says that he has learned a lot about filming this year and has had the chance to work alongside some amazing people. The experience has sparked Josh's interest in the film industry. Josh works hard, but says, "I balance work by going to school in the morning, working afternoons, and spending time with my family in the evenings."

David is a social media assistant working with Sports Primo. He is a return intern with work experience, so he’s learned a lot about work-life balance already. He plans on starting to invest his money and save for college. Working on this internship has ignited David’s interest in content creation and social media. “I have learned there is a lot more to social media than meets the eye. It is detailed work.”

In addition to being a Sports Primo intern, Veronica is a devoted student athlete. Veronica plans to spend some money on herself and save for college. During this internship, she has had the opportunity to learn more about the sports she hasn’t had the chance to play herself. She says it’s sometimes scary to take pictures of athletes, but she really enjoys the work. Although she is busy as a student-athlete and also working, Sports Primo is understanding and allows her a flexible schedule. “I’ve really enjoyed working with Sports Primo and working with other interns.”

Israel is an intern with the SFPD. He is saving his paychecks for an apartment of his own and to use on his car. Israel says he is learning computer skills in his internship, and he's also meeting new people and forming new relationships. Israel is working after school 3 days a week, so he still has weekends off to relax and hang out with friends.

Christopher was a SFPD intern this summer and returned this school year as an intern in the records department. Christopher was also part of the interview team hiring new interns for SFPD. Christopher has an excellent work ethic and professional attitude. He says that he thought working with the SFPD would be serious and even boring, but he was pleasantly surprised to see how comfortable and fun the job is. “Although things are always professional, we still have fun.” One of his nicknames at his job is “squirrel” due to him wearing a squirrel costume at an event.

As an intern this past summer at Bishop's Lodge, Alyce Rubio learned the hotel's PBX system and worked the front desk. Her current internship is in the records department of SFPD. Alyce is saving money for college where she plans to study criminal justice. “Something that I have learned through this internship so far is that things take time and you have to work hard everyday to get what you want.” Another thing she has learned with the SFPD is the importance of good relationships at work. She says, “When you have a manager that is understanding and good at communicating, it makes your job easier.”

Isaiah is a return intern for the SFPD from summer '23. He earned another opportunity this school year with the Police Department by interviewing and sharing his aspirations to continue to learn under the Deputy Chief. He plans to save his paychecks towards his next step in life. "My approach is to create a savings and strategically prepare for the future when I graduate and move out."

At her internship with the SFPD, Leah said she's learned "how hard police work to keep everyone safe and how much they really do for our community." She's looking forward to ride-alongs with the police and helping out in any way she can. Leah has a great time at work. "I love to work with Mr. Valdez and Mrs. Montoya and getting to know the people I work with." Leah is planning to save the money she is earning for things she knows she'll need in the future.

Gisella, an intern since 2022, worked with SFPS Human Resources to directly deposit the majority of her paychecks into her savings accounts. This October, Gisella had saved enough money to pay cash for her new car! We are so proud of you, Gisella!

Thank you to all of our city offices for mentoring interns this past summer and the 23/24 school year. Thank you also to Youth & Family Services, the SF Mayor's Office, SF City Council, & the Office of Economic Development for funding our WBL program. Your investment in our youth is a testament to your belief in the potential of the next generation. City of SF Website Facebook

• Superintendent Hilario "Larry" Chavez & the SFPS Leadership Team
• Dr. Carmen Gonzales & the SFPS Board of Education
• Mayor Alan Webber & the City of Santa Fe
• Level Up Founders: Lutz Arnhold, Rik Blyth, Bixente Pery, Paul Margetson
• LANL Foundation: Alvin Warren, Tobie Baker-Wright
• Krista Valdez & the SFPS Human Resources team
• Lori Gutierrez & the SFPS Payroll team
• Ann Chavez & Amanda Reyes at Nusenda Credit Union
• David Vincent, Jaime Chavez & Gina Branch at Santa Fe High School
• SFPS High School Counselors
• SFPS Facilities & Maintenance
• Cody Dynarski, SFPS Public Information Officer
• Kate Gomez, SFHS Digital Learning Coach
• Santa Fe Basketball Officials Association

Employers be on the lookout for our monthly student intern evaluation survey coming up during the last week of November, after Thanksgiving. This evaluation is a critical component to the structure of our WBL program. It helps student interns understand their workforce strengths and weaknesses. It is also a great tool to communicate with our WBL staff. Furthermore, interns love to learn how they are performing - and this feedback will provide a foundation for improvement, and an overall quality experience.

Interns, be sure to keep track of your hours and have your supervisor sign off on your hours. Parents, thank you for helping your interns remember to submit their timesheets on time! Remember interns, timesheets submitted late are not paid until the following pay date.

Thank you to Demon Tattler reporter Ariella Santana for her story on the WBL program. A beautifully written article from a student for students. Thank you Ariella, Barb Gerber, and the Demon Tattler team!

Jose is a New Mexico native, and is passionate about creating life changing opportunities for our New Mexican youth. "Work-based learning changes the traditional education paradigm by filling the opportunity gap, and this is what our students and employers are hungry for. Any student that joins our program has an opportunity to prove their talents to the world, and that is powerful."

Michelle has been in education for over 16 years and has two children of her own in Santa Fe public schools. "WBL provides young people an opportunity to learn what they are good at and discover what they love to do. Our interns are contributing to and also gaining a better understanding of our community. Every day, interns stop by or text me about their accomplishments on the job. It's an honor to be a part of this program. WBL provides these young people a bridge into the adult world, helping to insure their success and make our community stronger."

Marquita has deep roots in our community. She is a former Capital High student and has had many roles as an educator in SFPS. "I am very grateful to be a part of the WBL program which is beyond innovative, engaging, and dynamic. Being able to work closely with students in this unique setting brings a whole other perspective to teaching and learning. WBL takes education to another level while raising the bar with real world applications of our students’ education, talents, interests, and grit. I’ve observed our kiddos being able to shine bright while reaching and exceeding their potential. They are gaining skills and tools that create abundant opportunities and enhance the high school experience."

Linda has been an educator for 24 years. She has served our students as an administrator, a classroom teacher, and special education teacher. She has been a part of the WBL team since 2022. "I love the WBL program because it provides students opportunities to make informed choices about their long-term career interests through authentic learning experiences in a real-world environment."

Tammy teaches Computer Technology at Capital High. She recently accomplished her national board certification. She joined the WBL program this year, and fully believes in it's potential. "As a high school Deca student I was exposed to the world of work in my Junior year. I love getting students to explore the world of work before they graduate. It is an invaluable experience."

Work-based learning (WBL) is a structured internship program that collaboratively engages local high-value employers and SFPS high schools offering junior and senior high school students quality internship, job-shadow and mentorship experiences. Our program is currently active in 4 public high schools: Capital High, Santa Fe High, Early College Opportunities, & Desert Sage Academy.

WBL interns are paid ($14.03/hr) by a grant with the City of Santa Fe, and interns earn an elective credit for completing their internship. Student interns are covered with Workers Compensation Insurance and Student Blanket Accident Insurance. Students participate in a "bootcamp" preparing them for their interviews and employment, and they maintain close contact with their WBL teacher throughout their internship. We help them get the job and also support them in succeeding & growing at their job.

Our program is growing! This WBL program started in Summer 2022 with 4 business partners & 22 student interns. For the 22/23 school year, we had 14 business partners & 35 interns. In the summer of 2023, we had 35 business partners & 100 interns. For the 23/24 school year, we have 40+ business partners & 75 student interns. We plan to have 150 interns this summer, and our list of business partners continues to grow every month.