Sueños Youth Sucess Stories

A youth completed her job shadowing at Watsonville City Hall with an administrative secretary. This evolved into a new work experience placement. After she completed her work experience hours the City of Watsonville hired her part-time and she was inspired by her supervisor to return to school to obtain a degree in business management.

A 17 year old with a four year old daughter completed the Sueños Academy and Roadmap Series, work experience at Salud Para La Gente, finished her GED and attended Cabrillo College classes. She was very inspired by two young, Latina, women career speakers. One is a local attorney and was a very young mother herself. The other works at Bay Federal Credit Union and mentored and inspired the student to apply for work there. The student is currently employed full time there. She also completed an informational interview with an experienced social worker and is seriously considering pursuing her education to join that field of work.

Two Sueños participants completed job shadowing at Graniterock. They were then offered new work experience placements at West Marine Human Resources in marketing and accounting jobs. One student continued on at West Marine as a paid intern during the summer and was inspired by her supervisor to take a keyboarding class at Cabrillo. Both students are now enrolled in college.

A youth who was interested in law enforcement enrolled in the Sueños Program. Sueños staff assisted her in enrolling her at Cabrillo College and placed her at the Watsonville Police Department to complete her work experience. The Watsonville PD then hired her as a permanent employee.

A youth who stopped going to school in 8th grade completed the Roadmap Series sponsored by the Sueños Program. He completed a 7-hour job shadowing at Dominican Hospital ER, and was mentored by a male nurse and the ER supervising nurse. At the ER he dressed in scrubs and helped patients who, along with the ER staff, thought he was already part of the ER team! This student also completed three semesters at Cabrillo College and became an accomplished student leader and the main student recruiter for the Cabrillo College Digital Bridge Academy. He attended the Leon Panetta Leadership Institute and the Workforce Investment Act Conference in Anaheim as youth representative. He is currently employed as a student intern at Cabrillo College and the Teen Peer Court Program. He is a well-known student mentor in the Watsonville area and has referred many young people to the Sueños Program.