Week One at the Partnership Office

Abigail Zambrana, Roosevelt High School Graduate

My first week as an intern at Partnership for Los Angeles Schools was really inspirational. My views on the Partnership and the work that come from it have completely changed.  I met with Monica Garcia and felt truly encouraged by the work that is being planned out to improve the education students are provided through LAUSD and the Partnership.  I am excited with what the Partnership can do to support our students and communities. I feel as if there is a lot of room for growth with the Partnership and all the schools. Interning here has inspired me to pursue a career closely knit to education. In the past, my view of the Partnership varied, but I am now glad that Roosevelt is one of the schools that are being transformed. I have seen first-hand that the Partnership cares about education and education reform for all schools, including Roosevelt. I strongly believe every students deserves a great education, but the process of transformation has been and will continue to be a great challenge to the different parties.

Joanna Martinez, Santee High School Graduate

I learned that the staff at Partnership for Los Angeles Schools is largely divided into three teams, with each focusing on a different area to improve the schools. At the Partnership everyone has the opportunity to provide input on projects that each team is working on. I also learned that the Partnership involves organizations that genuinely want to help the schools. Staff members are engaged in several meetings throughout the day and need to be prepared at all times.

Lauren Smith, Mendez High School Student

Over the course of the week, I learned the ropes about vital projects and programs used by my colleagues on a daily basis. I worked with a program called Survey Monkey, which enables the user to input data from surveys into the program and create a spreadsheet. Microsoft Excel is also a program I am trying my best to master, with little success as of yet. The project of the week would above all be the Jordan High School beautification project. It was an honor to help volunteers create a new environment for the incoming Jordan High School students. We are currently working on the S.H.O.W project. S.H.O.W is a project that targets low-performing schools and gives them a set academic goal, then at the end of the year, rewards students that achieved their goal with an exclusive concert.