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Your Gift Helped Haifa Graduate College

By Eric Steckel
July 5, 2022

Servant Leadership Inspires Her Pursuit of Medical Degree

Haifa “dared to dream” of a career in medicine but needed financial support to attend college. CareerBridge helped her graduate from Mills College with financial stability.”

2018 Eddie Scholarship winner Haifa Algabri is destined for a career in health sciences. She graduated from Mills College in May with a double major in biopsychology and public health and has ambitions to become a physician. A devout Muslim who immigrated from Yemen, she is the first member of her family to graduate.

Haifa joined CareerBridge during her time at McClymonds High School in West Oakland. The workshops she participated in prepared her for a paid summer internship that was tailor-made for her. Haifa tutored children in math at Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School and assisted with the Science Horizons STEM Labs.

CareerBridge also prepared her for her next experience with Kaiser Permanente’s KP Launch Program. Career mentors helped her learn to “stabilize her energy” and communicate more professionally. “Before, I wouldn’t really know how to organize my thoughts and communicate effectively,” she explained. “Having that workshop helped me reflect on how to be an effective communicator that I continue to learn, even today.”

Children Rising’s Mission Aligned With Haifa’s Faith

“In my faith, you get held accountable for everything—even knowledge. Whatever knowledge you acquire, if it’s beneficial, you should share it,” she said. “Through servant leadership, we can use our privilege and whatever assets we have to eradicate racial injustices and any form of discrimination.”

“I’m not a person to see an issue and not do something about it.”– Haifa Algabri

That passion for racial equity intersects with her studies in public health. “I’ve noticed the STEM department at Mills College is very exclusive of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) students.” Her graduate thesis evaluated the STEM department’s role in the retention and support of BIPOC STEM students compared to other departments. “I’m not a person to see an issue and not do something about it.”

Haifa is grateful that her scholarship helped her stay financially stable throughout college. She will now turn her sights toward gaining acceptance to Medical School. Although she is an intensely-driven young lady, she puts her future career into perspective. “I would like a profession within medicine that will have balance with family and friends.” She also sees medicine as a way to be an advocate for others. Haifa is well on the path to making that a reality.

Your gifts help eager youth see beyond their neighborhood and discover their career potential. Give today!

If you are interested in mentoring an eager youth, learn more about opportunities with Children Rising.

 I want to learn more about CareerBridge to see if mentoring is right for me!

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Amber Found a (Career)Bridge of Hope

By Eric Steckel
December 23, 2020

Amber did not expect to participate in a summer internship this year. Your support of CareerBridge meant that she had a rewarding, nurturing experience.

For many youths, high school is a time to try new things, explore the unknown, and look forward to a limitless future. Amber, a junior at Newark Memorial High School, seizes opportunities with the enthusiasm and vigor of youth. In addition to completing a summer internship through CareerBridge, she has participated in Boost@BerkeleyHaas since her freshman year, is the treasurer of her school’s Mind Wellness Club and Dreamcatchers Club, and participates in both the Debate Club and Scholarship Club.

However, it has not always been easy for Amber. As a first-generation Mexican-American, she carries the burden of being the first generation of her family who will graduate high school and aspire to a college education. Her parents encourage her, but it can be hard for them to understand the stress she feels to succeed in school, and manage time with her many activities.

She also feels pressure from what she describes as imposter syndrome. In 2019, she won a scholarship to participate in a prestigious summer program. “I just felt so out of place,” she confessed. “There were a lot of things that all the other students knew right away. I just felt so behind. Now looking back at it, I should’ve just asked for help, but it made me feel not very smart.”

“I never realized that knowledge opens up opportunities to not only succeed in life, but also grow as a person. I feel like CareerBridge has allowed me to do that in many ways.”

Although the experience made her nervous to participate in a CareerBridge summer internship, she was thankful for the opportunity. “I had so many plans, and most of them got canceled,” she said. “While all the other internships had to say, ‘You know what? We just have to close. I guess it’s not happening.’ CareerBridge was saying, ‘Okay, how are we going to do this now online?’” Amber was so grateful that she had an opportunity to learn job skills, and receive a stipend for her hard work, something she feels is often overlooked. “That’s a resource that CareerBridge offers that’s very important and it allows CareerBridge to be open to more people.”

CareerBridge encourages youth to give back to their community. Amber volunteered as an election poll worker in November.

CareerBridge opened her eyes to so many opportunities. Due to the constraints imposed by COVID-19, the entire internship was conducted through a wide variety of online workshops and projects. The cohort learned about transportation jobs from Caltrans and BART, mind wellness through a workshop presented by Kylie Walsh Osteo, and started a small business, Heart2Heart Greeting Cards. Best of all, she has carried what she has learned into the school year and is applying it to help others.

“Towards the beginning of the school year, my friend was telling me about how everyone was feeling stressed,” Amber explained. “She said she wanted to start a Mind Wellness Club, and she asked me if I wanted to be a part of it. Of course, I said, ‘Yes.’ I feel like the things I learned in Ms. Kylie’s workshop, I wanted all the people in the club to learn as well.”

She also feels optimistic about her future career, even if she doesn’t have any firm plans. “I’ve never had one career in mind,” she admitted. “CareerBridge made me feel like, okay, there’s a lot of opportunities out there and there are options for me.”

Your gift today helps eager youth realize their dreams of a fulfilling career.

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CareerBridge Students Thrive in Distance Summer Internships

By Eric Steckel
October 9, 2020

COVID-19 has disrupted so many aspects of life for children and youth. But try as it might, it couldn’t put a stop to our CareerBridge summer internship program.

You helped eager youth learn vital career and life lessons through CareerBridge.

This year, 20 eager high school students participated in a “distance learning” version of our one-of-a-kind internship. Instead of spending 6 weeks at Caltrans, BART, or our other community partners, CareerBridge students participated in online workshops focusing on diverse workplace topics such as finance, accounting, product development, marketing, leadership, and more. They applied what they learned and created their very own business — Heart2Heart, “Greeting Cards to Inspire.” Despite never being in the same place at the same time, they set up a business, designed a line of greeting cards, and brought them to market, all in a summer!

“It was a challenge, but we knew it was an important skill they needed to learn, especially in these times of distance learning and distance employment,” said Margena Wade-Green, CareerBridge program director.
“These skills will help them adapt to their future endeavors, distance or not. The students thrived using tools like Zoom, collaborating as teams, and discovering new uses for our resources. They learned how to react under difficult circumstances. These are vital career and life lessons, and we couldn’t be prouder of our team.”

A few of our interns shared their experiences and observations.

Community partners and businesses are providing summer internship oportunities, paving the way for Malik to pursue a career in architectural engineering.

Malik

I’m a rising junior at Jesse Bethel HS and recently joined the Caltrans internship with CareerBridge. I will be an architectural engineer in the future, but until I started working with CareerBridge, I wasn’t sure where to begin. It helped me understand that there are many places to start and many different jobs from which to choose. That helped me focus my vision for the future. This summer has been challenging, but I was able to keep busy and continue learning with CareerBridge. Communication has been the biggest challenge. I’m usually a very social person, but distancing has given me some trouble. I am really glad all of the interns have such a wide set of communication skills and accountability. Each one of us strived to make this year’s internship succeed, pushing past wifi, time management, and family issues. CareerBridge has taught me that with hard work and dedication, I can accomplish anything. My journey these past weeks has been very fruitful, and I am very thankful.

“It helped me understand that there are many places to start and many different jobs from which to choose. That helped me focus my vision for the future.” – Malik

Sabine

You are helping Sabine find a career that speaks to her and that she loves.

My CareerBridge summer internship experience has been really great. Even through Zoom, and the uncertainty COVID-19 has brought to our lives, I made a lot of real connections, and learned so much. CareerBridge taught me financial literacy, professionalism, the importance of equal opportunity, conflict resolution, marketing, leadership, and so much more. These skills are extremely important in college and choosing a career, and I’m really glad I got the opportunity to learn in such a helpful environment. Ms. Margena, Ms. Michelle, Ms. Meca, and all the other interns are such amazing people I’m blessed to have spent time with and discussed important topics with. Through my time at CareerBridge, I realized the importance of finding a career that speaks to me and that I love. I also learned many skills I need in order to get the job of my dreams, which I will always be thankful for.

“Through my time at CareerBridge, I realized the importance of finding a career that speaks to me and that I love.” – Sabine

Daniel

Your support of the CareerBridge summer internship program will help Daniel realize his ambition to be a software engineer.

My summer internship experience with CareerBridge has been astonishing so far. I received a lot of support from the staff and my fellow colleagues. This was my very first internship/job, and I struggled to find the right balance between work life and my personal life. Working from home gave me a lot of flexibility, although I often got interrupted by my family members. At the same time, I was able to become more disciplined. My favorite part of the internship was working with real professionals. They gave many insights into what it’s like to work at a particular department at Caltrans. We covered many topics, in particular social justice. I believe it’s important due to the current situation our country and the world is facing. I really appreciate CareerBridge for this opportunity because it exposed me to opportunities in the workforce. I hope to realize my ambition to be a software engineer in the future.

“My favorite part of the internship was working with real professionals. They gave many insights into what it’s like to work at a particular department at Caltrans.” – Daniel

Your support of CareerBridge has made it possible for 20 eager youth to learn vital career and life lessons. We are so proud of their hard work and dedication. If you want to support CareerBridge, here are a few ways you can help an enterprising youth!

YES, I CAN help an enterprising youth learn vital career and life lessons.

 I want to order Heart2Heart Greeting Cards!

 I want help fund Children Rising online tutoring and mentoring programs to empower more children this year.

CareerBridge Internship Opens New Opportunities In Engineering

By Eric Steckel
January 3, 2020

Partnership with Boost@BerkeleyHass helps students gain on-the-job experience

Corey imagined he would one day be a doctor, but a CareerBridge internship at Caltrans opened up the world of engineering to him.

Corey Reeves came to CareerBridge with big plans for his life. He was an excellent student at San Leandro High School, passionate about volleyball, and he dreamed of being a doctor. “I’m really passionate about learning. I realize that no matter where I go in life, I can always learn, and I’m always going to be a student.”

Like many CareerBridge students, Corey spent the last four years participating in the Boost@BerkeleyHaas program. With similar goals to CareerBridge, Boost is a rigorous four-year program designed to inspire, elevate, and support academic and career pursuits for first generation, under-resourced youths. 

While Boost urges their students to participate in a summer internship, the program does not directly provide those opportunities. Through a partnership with Children Rising, Boost students like Corey are offered a wide array of options to spend a summer learning on-the-job skills at organizations like Caltrans, BART and Intel, as well as local businesses like the Kylie Walsh Osteopathy clinic.

CareerBridge “…lets you see the different work environments that you can do like engineering, science, technology, math, education, child development, all those sorts of things.”

Corey chose to intern at Caltrans. Although he had participated in several internships which reinforced his dream to pursue a career in medicine, he still felt anxious about entering an organization with 4,000 employees. He started in the communications department, working with stock photography. 

“At first I was in a department where I didn’t really like what I was doing. I wasn’t challenged, I wanted to give up,” Corey confessed. The CareerBridge staff were able to help him through the difficult start. “They encouraged me to keep trying harder because eventually something positive would happen.”

Corey was discouraged at the beginning of his internship, but persevered and gained invaluable experience that changed his career ambitions and opened up a job at Caltrans.

Corey stuck with it, and before long, he was transferred to the department of electrical engineers. That’s when things took off, and Corey discovered an all-new passion. 

“They would actually pull me aside and talk to me separately, and show me what they do, what it requires, and what I would need to do in school in order to get where they are,” Corey explained. “And we took a couple tours and they showed us the bridges they’re working on or the bridges they had worked on, like the Bay Bridge when it was being built. It was cool, and so much more challenging.”

Corey’s internship at Caltrans has changed his career ambitions. He now wants to become an engineer, and was offered a job with Caltrans starting in January, 2020.

“CareerBridge really helps you understand that even if you do have a certain passion, it exposes you to different ones. And it lets you see the different work environments that you can do like engineering, science, technology, math, education, child development, all those sorts of things.”

YES, I CAN help an enthusiastic youth SOAR to their God-given potential.

 I want to attend an upcoming mentor or tutor orientation session to see if it is right for me!

 I want help fund Children Rising tutoring and mentoring programs to empower more children this year.

CareerBridge Provides Opportunity For Hadiya To Give Back To Her Community

By Eric Steckel
October 22, 2019

CareerBridge – and her own past experiences – inspired Hadiya to give back to her community and help others.

One of our greatest hopes is that we can inspire and enable CareerBridge students to give back to the community. Hadiya, a CareerBridge alum and a recipient of our Eddie College Scholarship, is one who is fulfilling that hope!

Hadiya joined our program as a junior in high school. She carried herself with poise and confidence, juggling the demands of both academics and club volleyball with grace. But we learned during her scholarship interview that Hadiya had a difficult time early in high school. Despite being an accomplished student-athlete – or perhaps because of it – she was bullied by other students. Like with so many youths, the bullying chipped away at her self-esteem.

“I worried about what others were saying about me, and I was falling into depression,” she bravely admitted. “My mother, a law enforcement officer, reminded me that I was ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’ and that she faces bullies every day. She didn’t allow other people’s words to affect who she is – a child of God. After that pep talk and a whole lot of prayer, I never again allowed their actions to bring me down.”

“I used my own difficult experiences to help others in a way no one else can.”

With newfound confidence, Hadiya made the decision to help others. She joined her high school’s Link Crew program, where she used her own experiences to help underclassman with issues like social anxiety and adjusting to high school. She also sought out opportunities to uplift her community.

CareerBridge was happy to connect her with Today’s Youth Matter (TYM) and City Team Oakland. After Hadiya completed her first CareerBridge internship in 2018, program director Margena Wade-Green encouraged her to become a TYM camp counselor, which she did for two years. As a cabin leader, Hadiya counseled young girls, all of whom come from very traumatic backgrounds. She also found time to prepare and serve food to the homeless at City Team.

In addition to being a top student and star athlete, Hadiya juggled a CareerBridge internship, Today’s Youth Matter camp schedule, and college application demands, so that she could participate – and excel – in all three.

“She juggled a CareerBridge internship, TYM camp schedule, and college application demands, so that she could also participate – and excel – in all three,” said CareerBridge director Margena Wade-Green. “These were all incredibly demanding. But she didn’t just ‘move on’ – she took on more responsibility.”

That attitude served her well during her internship at the Kylie Walsh Osteopathy clinic this past summer. Dr. Kylie Walsh was so impressed by Hadiya’s digital marketing strategy that she hired Hadiya to manage the clinic’s marketing platform while she is away at college.

Today, we are proud that Hadiya is at Loyola Marymount University where she will put her scholarship money to good use. But we are prouder still that she demonstrates the power of perseverance and a commitment to give back to her community each and every day.

YES, I CAN help a struggling child reach their God-given potential.

 I want help attend the Hope for Children Now LIVE online event May 16.

6 CareerBridge Students Celebrate Graduation From Ralph J. Bunche Academy

By Eric Steckel
January 22, 2018

As in life, there is no single path to a fulfilling career. Pursuing a career path that aligns your values and your passions is a very good place to start. As our CareerBridge program enters its fourth year at the Ralph J. Bunche Academy in West Oakland, we have witnessed many Oakland youth start down their own personal career path with excitement and confidence. 

Valedictorian Yasmine Lewis – with the Red CareerBridge sash – celebrates her graduation.

The Bunche Academy is a unique educational environment that cultivates and nurtures young scholars in a Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation (HTR) curriculum. Just as importantly, it is “grounded in the values of service, leadership, and connection.” The concepts of service, leadership and connection align perfectly with Children Rising’s mission to prepare today’s youth for a life of serving others and contributing positively to their communities.

This year, after listening and responding to the needs of Principal Betsye Steele, we added a Business Administrative Certification Workshop. Students were able to take a 24-hour series of classes to earn credit, experience hands-on learning, and receive special recognition at their graduation. After students complete our Business Essentials Workshops, they are offered an internship opportunity. Because of the skills they’ve learned, they are more confident, prepared, and have a better chance to be successful. It also offers students a glimpse of themselves in a workplace. 

At the conclusion of our last BAC workshop, our student Ashley Price said, “Thank you for today. I knew business was something I needed to learn, but I didn’t know how I was going to get it and I know now why I need to understand it.”

Of the 18 students in this year’s winter graduating class, there were six students in particular who displayed extraordinary confidence at their graduation ceremony. Their caps and gowns were complimented by distinct red sashes indicating that they had completed our CareerBridge BAC Workshops. Each of these six students, including Valedictorian Yasmine Lewis, learned skills that they will carry with them in their prospective college and career pursuits. 

“This past semester we’ve seen lives and attitudes change for the better,” explains Margena Wade-Green, Director of CareerBridge. “Some students begin our classes with no idea of what their futures could be, the difference between a job and a career and furthermore, no clue of the concepts of ‘business.’ ”

We are proud to be a part of the community that has supported their growth into the exceptional young adults that they are today, and we are excited to see what the future holds for them.

We encourage you to volunteer in our Career Bridge program as a mentor or by hosting a summer intern. Just 1 hour per week in spring and summer can help a young adult prepare for their crucial final years of high school. We provide the training. You provide the wisdom.

Meet Dave Sundman!

By Children Rising
December 6, 2017

In October, we welcomed Dave to the Children Rising team as CareerBridge Program Manager. Since 2015, Dave has been living in Oakland where he discovered his passion for mission ministries and education. In addition to Children Rising, Dave also serves at Cityteam Oakland Program and has founded a God-centered organization called DIVIN3KINGDOM, which uses hip-hop and mentorship to inspire youth to serve within their community. He’s currently studying to be an English Professor. In his free time Dave loves to play basketball and run around beautiful Lake Merritt.

Call and Response

By Children Rising
December 6, 2017

Article by Dave Sundman, CareerBridge Program Manager

Principal Steele helping a student with Microsoft Excel.

One of the things Children Rising strives to do is to be responsive to needs expressed by teachers and staff. A month or so into the school year, Principal Betsye Steele of Ralph J. Bunche Academy voiced her concern that, due to scheduling issues, students graduating in December wouldn’t be around to complete CareerBridge’s Business Essentials series, which is 24 hours of instruction spread over many weeks.

With Ms. Steele and other Ralph Bunche staff, program directors Margena Wade-Green and Michelle Hutcherson came up with a condensed version of the series, the majority of which took place in an intensive 6-hour workshop on a Saturday. The Saturday workshop not only simplified the scheduling process but, as Ms. Steele explained, was more impactful because it placed all instruction “into a business management context so that the children could get the full and deepened experience of working in an office and business workplace.”

Stoking the enthusiasm of high school students attending class on a sunny Saturday morning can be a difficult task but we encountered a surprising level of excitement at the Business Administration Certification Workshop. Students were eager to discuss their plans for future businesses ranging from cosmetology studios to restaurants to black-owned financial institutions. They began to see how each subject and skill might play a role in their personal career development. Witnessing their passionate involvement was exciting for all of us instructors.

It was a blessing to see these students realize that being a business owner is an accomplishment within their reach! By listening to and collaborating with Ralph Bunche staff, we were able to serve more students more effectively.

“I can say with confidence that Career Bridge is one of the most effective programs I’ve ever engaged with in 6 years of youth engagement. Our school community is grateful for their expertise and professionalism and look forward to impacting more youth.”

Terrence Holliday, Work-Based Learning Liaison at Ralph J. Bunche Academy

Student Spotlight: Karyn Lee

By Sophia Wambach
October 2, 2017

In September, our CareerBridge directors Margena Wade-Green and Michelle Hutcherson received a wonderful email from a CareerBridge student.

Karyn Lee at Caltrans

Subject: Thank You

Dear Ms. Margena and Ms. Michelle,

I never got the chance to formally thank you for giving me an opportunity to intern at Caltrans through your program. I learned so much and it was an experience that I will never forget. I liked Caltrans so much that I decided to apply for a permanent intern position. I am happy to share that I was offered the position and I start this Friday. I will be working in the same department that I interned in. This opportunity would not have been possible if it wasn’t for you ladies. I am forever grateful, thank you!

Sincerely,

Karyn Lee

Karyn, we are so happy for you! CareerBridge exists so that we can give you and other resilient students opportunities, training, and experience to pursue a successful career. Thank you for letting us know how we’ve helped you!

From Michelle Hutcherson, Assistant Director of CareerBridge: My first impression of Karyn was that she was shy and quiet. Once you spend any length of time with her, you learn that, wow, this young lady is full of personality, very sharp, bold, beautiful, and speaks her mind.  It was a real pleasure working with Karyn this summer.

About Karyn Lee: Karyn, 21, worked as an Intern at Caltrans in the Public Affairs Department through CareerBridge this past summer. At 13, her father passed away, making the transition into high school very hard. She attended 5 high schools and a boarding school before dropping out, defeated. 

When Karyn turned 17, she realized that she had zero school credits. She decided not to let life get the best of her. Karyn enrolled in an independent studies program in Oakland and completed 4 years of high school in 2 years with honors. She was accepted to 29 colleges and is currently majoring in English at Holy Names University. When she graduates, she will pursue a career in journalism. In her spare time she enjoys singing and writing a blog. Karyn wants others to know, it’s never too late to reach your goals. Perseverance is the key to being successful in life.

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Meet Our Summer 2017 Career Bridge Interns

By Chelsea Boniak
September 11, 2017

This July and August we had the privilege to work with some amazing students in our CareerBridge students.  We are proud of each of them for working hard, learning new skills and taking advice from their mentors and employers.  Two of our interns published newsletters profiling some of their CareerBridge peers.

Check out the newsletters here:
CB Newsletter Issue 4
CB Newsletter Issue 5

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