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THE PESA POST
The latest news, views and announcements from
Parents, Educators/Teachers & Students in Action
July 7, 2022
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SCHOOL’S OUT, BUT LEARNING’S ON
For a group of inquisitive high school students, PESA’s internship program makes for a productive summer
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The word “summertime” conjures images of long days at the beach, enjoying ice cream in the heat, and … studying law? For 11 student participants in PESA’s High School Summer Internship Program, that’s exactly what summer means.
Following the success of last year’s inaugural program, we are excited to once again educate high school youth on the intricacies of the U.S. justice system and how PESA supports the Los Angeles Superior Court Teen Court Program. Over the course of eight weeks, interns will explore theories of crime and criminology, as well as the role of the jury in a trial and the unique role of the jury in Teen Court trials. Additionally, they will participate in our Distinguished Speaker seminars with a lawyer, a judge, and a social worker, to learn more about these different career paths. Interns will then have the opportunity to actively apply everything they’ve learned, as jury members on real Teen Court cases. The final activity is a cumulative capstone project, which provides our interns with the skills to become community advocates.
We extend a warm welcome to Jared Salisbury, Béla Tanner, Anastasia Zubkoff (John Burroughs High School), Audrey Quintana, Leslie Santos (Narbonne High School), Shyla Greene, Susana Rendon (City of Angels), Letty Calderon (Bravo Medical Magnet School), Jailene Gomez (John C. Fremont High School), Hannah Martinez (STEM Academy of Hollywood), and Carter Yean (Palisades Charter High School).
When asked why he chose to participate in PESA’s High School Summer Internship Program, Carter Yean explained, “I've had some great experiences working with PESA through my school's Teen Court program, and I reached out to see if there was any way I could continue to help over the summer. In this internship, I'm hoping to gain more hands-on experience, broaden my knowledge about law and related careers, and most importantly give back to the community [as a Teen Court juror].”
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Interns’ parents are just as excited about the opportunities PESA’s program will bring their students. Audrey Quintana’s mother, Anaí Paredes-Quintana, said, “I think the benefit of having a high-schooler participate in a summer internship is that it helps keep them engaged with their goals. I’m hoping that PESA’s program will provide Audrey with guidance and options to help her towards her career goals.”
Staying true to the Teen Court philosophy of peer education, PESA’s High School Summer Internship Program is led by four college students and recent graduates. They were all PESA interns at one point, which creates an understanding for what students really want out of an internship experience. As leaders, they now have the chance to put that into action.
“I think the purpose of an internship is to try something new,” said Sophia Venables, a 2021 Loyola Marymount University graduate and PESA staff member. “I’m excited to cultivate a space where students feel free to explore whatever topics are most intriguing to them. I really want them to feel comfortable asking questions.”
Fellow group lead and USC senior, Sarah Kim, reflected on her own past internship experiences. “During my summer internships and camps throughout high school, some of the most valuable takeaways were being able to learn higher concepts that weren't taught to me at the high school level and building friendships with peers who had the same interest in critical education. I want PESA's high school interns to be able to have a similar experience, in the context of criminal justice and education.”
Diana Salkic, a USC junior, emphasized her desire to be the kind of leader who helps others learn to lead. “Throughout their internship, I would like the students to develop their leadership abilities, to learn how they can use these skills to better their community and transform society to be more equitable for all.”
This theme rings true for all the group leads, as Emory Gutierrez, a sophomore at Long Beach Community College, remarked, “Throughout their time in PESA, I want the interns to keep moving forward on their mission of defining justice. I want them to feel more confident in their ability to have tough but meaningful conversations, and to use the skills they gain [as part of the internship] in real life.”
We are thrilled to welcome this new cohort of student interns, and we look forward to watching their capstone projects at the end of the summer. ■
If you’d like to support PESA’s many social and educational initiatives, please contact us.
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