Teen Services Blog

The smiles were plentiful and with good reason as Becky Jo Peterson, Teen Services Sonoma Executive Director, welcomed teens, family members, staff, board members and friends to celebrate the accomplishment of 32 amazing teens. The event was held Friday, April 12th at the Krug Event Center, Best Western Sonoma Valley Inn. 

Congratulations go to: Naomi Aho, Marisol Aparicio, Natalie Arguello, Laura Benitez, Alaery Carmona, Armando Cazares, Christian Cazares, Aurora Claris, Noe Contreras, Maria Garcia, Sophia Girguis, Dani Grippi, Brianna Guitierez, Juliana Guiterrez, Lily Hamilton, Diana Hernandez, Ramses Hernandez, Annabelle Hunter, Leo Inigues, Armella Irakoze, Breanna Knierim, Nathan Lopez, Edwin Martin, Janette Martinez, Abel Morales, Kapono Myer, Karla Perez, Adal Ramirez, Jazmin Rodriguez, Tita Rodriguez, Victoria Santos, and Rocio Sosa.

For more information and photos, click here.

Technology Isn’t Just About Programming

There was an air of confidence and accomplishment at the Ready to Work Graduation Celebration on Friday, March 16th held at the Krug Event Center.

Our congratulations to Pollyanna Dominquez Alvarez, Laura Avila-Vega, Chelsey Crespo, Clarissa Escobar, Pedro Galindo-Martinez, Brissa Gonzalez, Ivan Gomez, Erica Lee, Holly Lee, Jose Brian Alfaro Pineda, Alejandra Renteria, Cesar Solis, Christina Standley, Olivia Thorgersen, and Jorge Zamora.

The smiles were plentiful and with good reason as Cristin Felso, Teen Services Executive Director, welcomed teens, family members, staff, board members and friends to celebrate the accomplishment of 15 amazing teens.

Over the past seven weeks, despite the disruption of classes due to our tragic fires, these young people diligently participated in a series of after-school workshops to learn the skills needed for securing their first jobs. They gained self-confidence; learned about the application and hiring process, money management, and customer service; completed their first resumes; and participated in mock interviews with local business professionals.

Each graduating teen has now been assigned a personal coach and will be completing an action plan as part of the Ready to Work process. Coaches will work with their teens through the job search and placement processes and will continue to support them for the first 90 days of employment.

Cristin acknowledged the incredible network of employers who provide that crucial first work experience that empowers our teens and thanked all those who have supported the teens and the Ready to Work program. Special recognition was given to RTW facilitator, Jennifer Blackwood; RTW Manager, Gabby Petersen; the volunteer employment coaches; and, of course, the graduates:

Sophie Armer, Michel Bernal, Maggie Castro, Yaquelyn Cruz, Nick Diaz, Silvia Flores, Georgia Griffin, Fernando Hernandez, Amanda Horn. Gabby Knudsen, Andrea Labrador, Itzel Montes, Luis Ortiz, Sandy Pulido, James Sorrells

Teen Services is extremely grateful to MacArthur Place, Saddles Restaurant, and Director of Food and Beverage, David Daniel and his staff for generously donating the venue, sound system, and set-up for this special event.

 

Launched in the summer of 2017, The Building Project provides opportunities for youth to gain valuable skills in high-demand career pathways – specifically the construction sector. Participants were offered five Ready to Work (RTW) workshops, 49 hours of hands-on welding and carpentry training, and coaching. They gained valuable work experience for their resumes, met potential employers and industry representatives, and identified next steps for moving into a welding or construction career.
In addition, students earned three elective credits from Hanna Boys School that can be transferred to Sonoma Valley High School (SVHS) or applied toward the Welding Certificate Program at Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC).

The class was co-taught by Mike Snowden, Hanna’s vocational instructor; a highly-skilled local woman blacksmith, Anastatia Chiurco, who specializes in ornamental welding; and Diana Planson, who trains future metalworkers and welders and started her own business, DC Metal Works.

For more information on the Building Project, click here.

Many thanks to our partner Hanna Boys Center and our funder Impact100 Sonoma.

The co-ed collaborative class between Hanna Boys Center and Teen Services Sonoma, which spans seven Saturdays from June 24^th to August 5^th, offers students an opportunity to develop construction skills through project-based-learning with specific focuses on welding, blacksmithing, and carpentry. The project is being underwritten by a grant from Impact100 Sonoma. Tools, equipment, and safety gear have been supplemented through grants from the CTE Foundation and the Exchange Bank Foundation. The class is being taught by Mike Snowden, Anastatia Chiurco and Diana Coopersmith Planson.