AHS Students Experience Work During Job Shadow Day

By Michelle Aselstine

On Thursday March 14, 89 juniors from Albany High School participated in the school's annual Job Shadow Day.

This voluntary event gives students the chance to shadow a mentor in a career field of their choosing, allowing kids to experience a real workplace first-hand.

Students submit a resume to their mentor and hold an informational interview to find out more about how the mentor chose and prepared for his or her career.

For many students this was a first chance to experience the working world and to start thinking about their own futures.

Albany’s Job Shadow Day is special because a tremendous effort is made to ensure that students are placed with mentors in their first choice career field.

This year, students were paired with mentors in diverse careers as diverse such as: forester biological technician, auto mechanic, politician, producer of television commercials, music producer, teacher, pilot, glass blower, hair stylist, animator, emergency room nurse, police officer and zoo keeper.

The feedback from students was overwhelmingly positive. At least three participants were offered a summer internship, and others plan to volunteer for the companies they visited.

Job Shadow Day was a huge success thanks to the hard work of a handful of tireless parent volunteers: Natalie Brice, Ashley Verinsky, Barbara Grady – Ayer, Beth Thomsen, Claudia Kaufman, Jon Bashor, Jonathan Slack, Judy Dinglasah, Judy Fuckumae, Jules Kobelin, Laura Driussi, Leda Schulak, Linda Wong –Westbrooke, Patricia O’Regan and Teresa Agate who lined up mentors.

Also, thanks to our brilliant mentors who generously gave up their time to provide our students with a view into their futures. The following mentors included:

Matt Estes, Animation Mentor

Randy Strong, Randy Strong Glass

Victor Alm, Oakland Zoo

Nicholas Chin, Kid’s Teeth Doctor

Steven Gardner, VCA Animal Hospital

Jamie Fukumae & Sally Saman, Jamie T. Fukumae CPA & Fukumae & Saman LLC

Diane Delany, US Forest Service; Pacific SW Research Station

Karla Mendoza, Office of Assembly member Nancy Skinner

Hanah Zahner – Isenberg, Shotgun Players

Charlie Wilson, Sonic Zen Records

Jonathan Slack, Hans Johansen, Nelson Coates, Danela Ushizima

Terry Ligocki, Kathleen Bjornstad, Andrew Nonaka, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Fiona McChesney - Oakland Flyers

Katherine Kwong & Jamila Pierson – Jase, Office of Congresswoman Barbara Lee

James Horner, Goodby Silverstein and Partners

Beth Phiminster, Kensington Veterinary Hospital

Jeff Shannon, Berkeley Police Department

Michelle Cappello, Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine Center for Young Athletes

Daniel Santos, RC Imports Auto

Karen Sorey & Lester Reffigee, Kaiser Permanente Richmond Facility

Gloria Burke, Music Teacher Self Employed

Jenny Warwick, Solano Hair Design

Diane Lee, Diane Di Lee, M.D.

Susan Freightman, Albany Physical Therapy

Cherilyn Brunetti & Calvin Deng, Kaiser Permanente Pinole Facility

David Walden, CAL Athletics

Joan Wickstrom, Cornell Elementary School, AUSD

Monica Barry & Rebecca Sarikakis, Ocean View Elementary School, AUSD

Teresa Goldberg, Albany-Berkeley Optometry

Beth Chiarelli, University of California San Francisco

Elisa Kleven, Children Book Author and Illustrator Self Employed

Nicole Almaguer, Albany City Hall

Patrick Kriwanek, Berkeley Digital Film Institute (BDFI)

Kristen Look, Pivot Interiors

Greg Johnson, Human Nature Studios

James Berry, Albany Fire Department

Alan Wong, The Medicine Shoppe

Dawn, Kawamoto, Dice Holding Incorporation

Joan McLoughlin, McLoughlin Gallery

Michael Roberts, Public Works Depart City of Emeryville

Leon Seidel, Paula Le Duc Fine Catering