Twenty-five Natomas Unified juniors and seniors are seeing Sacramento city government firsthand this summer, up close and personal, through a wide-ranging career discovery program titled “”Summer @ City Hall,” sponsored partially by NUSD.
Tasks include working as interns in city departments or local non-profits, such as the Fire Department, Regional Transit or Breathe California. They’ll visit the California Museum, Sacramento Police Academy, and other key venues. They’ll perform community service. They’ll consider how youth can influence major decisions.
They’ll learn about nuts and bolts of city government. They’ll work in groups to identify community problems and devise solutions. They’ll learn about job interviews, life skills, professional etiquette. Guest speakers will include Mayor Darrell Steinberg and City Manager Howard Chan.
Students from Inderkum, Natomas High, Natomas Charter School and NP3 were chosen to participate in this summer’s six-week program.
Ammara Afzal, a Natomas High junior who wants to be a doctor someday, said she hopes to gain public-speaking experience from the program. She was attracted by the prospect of interning for a city department that helps people.
“I want to do something that helps others,” she said.
Adaeze Okoro, an Inderkum High junior, said the City Hall program can help her prepare for a career as a government prosecutor.
“I want to pursue a career as a district attorney, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to build relationships, make connections to certain people, and get that experience of working with my community and working with government,” she said.
When Summer @ City Hall program is over, in late July, the teens will gain more than an invaluable civics education. They’ll also earn a stipend of up to $350 and receive elective high school credits for their transcript. Not bad, eh?
