Student Moderates Statewide Town Hall Through Sage Hill Internship Program

The Sage Hill Internship Program (SHIP) encourages students to become agents of change by preparing and equipping them with the skills necessary to succeed in the professional world.

 

“By participating in SHIP, students can begin to build their professional curriculum for a future beyond Sage Hill,” SHIP Coordinator Kevin Garcia Cruz said. “As the SHIP Coordinator, the most rewarding part of this program is hearing from volunteers and employers about the level of confidence and professionalism students display during mock interviews or while participating in a shadow day or internship opportunity. Employers often reach out to SHIP to request additional interns as they now trust the quality of our program and students' readiness for real-world work environments.”  

 

After a six week internship with The LegiSchool Project, a civic education collaboration between California State University, Sacramento and the California State legislature, David Kim ‘22 moderated a virtual town hall meeting with The LegiSchool Project. The town hall was titled “The Pitfalls of Social Media” and focused on social media related bills and some dangers that come with social platforms.

We sat down with David to learn more about his experience and hear his advice to students who are thinking about taking on an internship opportunity. 

 

 

Conducting the “Pitfalls of Social Media” State Town Hall was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Having such a prominent role in front of hundreds of students across California was both exhilarating and intimidating. I had to come up with the questions myself, and I wasn’t sure if they were sufficient or relevant enough to ask the expert panelists that were present at the Town Hall. I had to adapt to the changing situations as well, constantly checking the time to determine the most valuable next question or move. Eventually, seeing a couple of my teachers and other Sage Hill community members on the participant list calmed me and I slowly adjusted to the webinar that was full of professionals and experts. Content-wise, it was really great to help raise awareness about the ever-growing dangers of social media to high schoolers. I think it’s extremely important, especially today for students to focus on both the positive and negative facets of the internet and social media.

 

 

As an intern at the LegiSchool Summer Institute, I was taught and asked to research California’s Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches. During my research, I had the opportunity to meet professionals and experts ranging from State District Attorneys to Government Officials of the State Legislature. Together with my peers, I conducted my research on the pitfalls of social media, delving into past legislatures, the role of the state executive, and potential solutions to the ever-growing problems that come with digital platforms. Our research covered topics like cybersecurity, safety on the internet, and mental health – they were all also covered in the Town Hall I moderated. The most memorable experience from the internship was attending a Mental Health Collaborative Court to research California’s Judicial Branch. Before this, I understood the court system as an intimidating space to convict people. As I listened for a couple of hours, I realized that collaborative courts such as the one I attended provide opportunities, people and resources in order to change one’s life for the better rather than punish people. The judge told me that he joined the court to be the positive beacon in a justice system filled with negativity. 

 

 

Not only do internship opportunities allow you to learn hands on about certain topics, it is also a great opportunity to meet new people, make valuable connections, and most importantly discover yourself. Before my first day, I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to do well because I lacked knowledge or previous experience in public policy and law, but I ended up learning vital skills and information from the internship that I wouldn’t have learned without the opportunity. I was also worried about what I wanted to do in the future, but the opportunity and information that I gained by meeting experts and researching different policies helped me discover public policy and political science as my passions. Internship opportunities can help you discover or reimagine your passions as they did for me. Not only did I learn new information about policy and my passions, but I also learned how to work amongst a team under an institution – being part of something bigger may not always be something you can experience at school. Additionally, every person you meet along the way is a vital connection made for your future. No matter what your passions are or how you feel about venturing outside your comfort zone, taking on an internship opportunity can really help you grow both as a student and person.