Nearly 80 rising seniors from the Garden Grove School District were paired with employers from different career fields. 
Every student who completed the six-week program was given certificates of completion. 
The summer program concluded with a celebration on July 15 where the students were acknowledged for their participation. (Orange County United Way) 
The students were invited to speak about their summer internship experience at the culmination event. 
The students were recognized by Garden Grove Unified School District and Orange County United Way leaders.
Summer plans look different for every student, but nearly 80 rising seniors from the Garden Grove Unified School District maximized their weeks off from school by preparing for their future.
The high school students participated in the district’s six-week summer internship program where they were paired with more than 30 local partners, offering internships and mentorship opportunities. The program was established ten years ago and in the past five years has expanded with a collaboration through Orange County United Way’s work-based learning initiative called Youth Career Connections.
Some of the local partners include Microsoft, Eaton Aerospace, Disneyland Resort, Alcon and Children’s Health of Orange County.
Eligible students are incoming seniors who have taken career and technical education pathway coursework and maintained a GPA of 3.0 or higher. They learned how to communicate professionally, craft effective resumes and prepare for job interviews as they heard about different career opportunities. Following a competitive interview process, the students were placed with an employer where they spent a month interning and gaining real-world skills.
“These internships provide an incredibly eye-opening experience for students who are learning skills and gaining knowledge that cannot be provided in a classroom or from a textbook,” said GGUSD Board of Education Vice President Lan Nguyen. “We are grateful for the support of the Orange County United Way and the corporate partners who took our students in to mentor them and give them a deeper understanding of their industries.”
The summer program concluded on July 15 with the district hosting its internship culmination celebration at the Don Wash Auditorium, located at Garden Grove High School. The students received certificates and scholarships provided by Bank of America for completing their internships.
For more information about Garden Grove Unified’s CTE program, visit: https://cte.ggusd.us.