Welcome Back, Supervisors and Students! Reflecting on First Month Milestones of CWS


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October 3, 2024

Dear supervisors, students, and families,

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year! We are beyond excited to have you back, and we extend our heartfelt gratitude for your continued support in mentoring our students into your workplaces.

We are grateful to welcome several new companies to our Corporate Work Study (CWS) family this year. Your commitment to providing meaningful opportunities for our students is greatly appreciated, and we are looking forward to witnessing the impact you’ll be making on their professional growth and development!

In this issue, you’ll hear directly from our students as they reflect on their first month of work. Their experiences and the positive feedback they’ve shared showcase the incredible partnerships we continue to foster.

Here’s to a new school year filled with growth, collaboration and success for all!

Warm regards,

The Corporate Work Study Team

Welcoming Our Exciting New Partners!

We are grateful to welcome our new Corporate Work Study partners this school year!

AirBnb
Gensler
Life Science Cares Bay Area
Samaritan House
UC Berkeley, College of Engineering

Reflecting on Our First Month Milestone

Corporate Leadership Intern Program (CLIP) members and 9th graders doing a skit at summer MAPS Training.

As we reach the one-month mark since the start of a new year of our Corporate Work Study program, it’s time to reflect on the journey our students have taken so far. Over the summer, the 9th grade class participated in our MAPS (Motivation, Attitude, Professionalism, Skills) Training - a comprehensive 2-week program designed to introduce our students to essential professional development, office, and computer skills needed for the workplace.

Thanks to our wonderful CWS Ambassadors and the All-Stars Project, who led engaging community-building activities that helped forge new connections within the 9th grade class. These experiences inspired our students to embrace courage and collaboration, preparing them for their first steps into the workplace and the new school year.

Corporate Work Study Ambassador, Webcor, presenting at MAP Training.

What Our Students Are Saying:

We spoke with some of our 9th graders to hear how they’ve been adjusting to their work-study placements. Here’s what they had to say:

“I was initially nervous, until I met my supervisors.” - Hannah P., ‘28 (pictured to the left)

Hannah reflects on how nervous she was feeling to start her work study placement at Morrison Foerster. “It felt scary to start high school let alone my work study placement. I feel like MAPS Training helped me understand what to expect, how to be professional, and introduced me to new technology skills.” Even then, Hannah walked into her new office feeling nervous to meet her supervisor. “I was grateful to have been greeted with such reassurance. My supervisors have been so patient teaching me routines step-by-step and now I walk into the workplace feeling confident and ready to take on the day.”

Hannah’s experience is echoed by her classmate, Camila M., ‘28 who shares how her professional skills has grown with time: "When I first started, I was unsure how to professionally answer the main office phone, but the more chances I was given to do this task, the more confident I felt to properly word my phone greetings each time."

With each new task and opportunity, both Hannah and Camila have developed the skills and self-assurance needed to thrive in their work study roles.

Building Confidence Through Communication

Our students are learning that communication is key, not just in the classroom, but in the workplace as well. With the support of their supervisors and coworkers, they are becoming more confident in expressing their needs and asking for help when they need clarity.

As Alicia M., ‘28 (pictured to the right) shares, “I have gotten more confident about communicating, especially when I need help understanding a task.” This growth is echoed by many of our students, who are finding strength in the encouragement they receive from their workplace teams. Danna S., ‘28 reflected, “Having coworkers who encourage me to speak up has made me feel more confident about communicating my needs to my supervisor.”

Finding Importance in Building Connections

In addition to preparing our students for the workplace, the MAPS Summer Training also helped foster new friendships and connections among the 9th grade class. As Brianna C., ‘28 shared, “MAPS helped me find community and made it easy to build relationships.”

When reflecting on her favorite MAPS Training memory, Brianna highlighted the community-building activities. She loved how these moments allowed her to meet new peers, discover common interests, and learn more about one another. She also noted how this experience made it easier to connect with her supervisors and understand the importance of networking through building relationships - a skill she’s already applying in her workplace!

Morrison Foerster Supervisor Luncheon

Thank you to everyone who joined us at our recent Corporate Work Study Supervisor Luncheon! This event marked a significant milestone in our collaborative efforts, bringing together over 30 Corporate Work Study Supervisors from 26 of our esteemed corporate partners.

The day was filled with insightful discussions centered around the supervisors' experiences working with our ICA Cristo Rey Student Associates. We are immensely grateful for the commitment of all our Corporate Work Study partners, who play a vital role in mentoring our students and providing them with invaluable learning opportunities.

Dr. Karen Kenkel, delivered an inspiring welcome speech, emphasizing the growth our students experience throughout the year: “At the beginning of the school year, students are gaining confidence as they adapt to being in your workspaces. By the end of the year, they are running your office.”

A special thank you goes to Katherine Long and Michael Radigue of Morrison Foerster for hosting the event, and to their ICA Student Associate, Anastasia A., ‘26 for her support with logistics on the day of the event. We also appreciate the presence of our board members, Maria, Mark, and Paul, who added to the collaborative spirit of the luncheon.

This successful event is a testament to the strong community we are continuing to build together at ICA Cristo Rey. Thank you to all our Corporate Work Study partners in attendance for your continued support and dedication to our students’ success!

Looking Ahead

Calendar

Friday, October 11th is End of Quarter 1 (No School). As this is an ICA Cristo Rey holiday, this is an option for a make up day.

Monday, October 14th is Indigenous People's Day. As this is an ICA Cristo Rey holiday, this is an option for a make-up day.

Wednesday, October 16th is National Testing Day. Students will not be working this day.

Student Associate of the Month Nominations

Supervisors, if you would like to nominate your student(s) for Student Associate of the Month, please fill out this form.

Corporate Work Study Partners Engagement Survey

The purpose of the engagement survey is to learn more from our Corporate Work Study (CWS) Partners about the types of engagement opportunities you would like to see over the next year.

We appreciate your feedback and invite you to complete the survey before it closes on Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Click here

Level Up

Wednesday, October 23 (5:00-7:00 pm)

Level Up sessions engage ICA Cristo Rey students with professionals in industry conversations, giving the young women industry-specific insights and access to expertise. Meet new friends and colleagues and see ICA students shine as they get outside their comfort zones to practice their networking skills.

Attendance

Students and families: If your student is running late or will be absent, please email workattendance@icacademy.org.

ICA Cristo Rey Academy is a Dominican Catholic college preparatory that empowers girls from underserved communities to become confident young women able to realize their full potential. By providing an excellent academic curriculum, a unique corporate work study experience and the support of our spiritual community, we prepare students for a life of faith, purpose, and service.

Support Our Mission

ICA Cristo Rey Academy

3625 24th Street, San Francisco
CA 94110 United States

(415) 824-2052

www.icacristorey.org

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