Ysleta Independent School District Students Participate in Summer S.T.E.M. Foundation Internship Program
Ysleta Independent School District (YISD) in El Paso, Texas partnered with the El Paso S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Foundation to offer a paid internship program for students participating in the robotics, architecture and CSI forensic science summer camps. Sixteen students from YISD participated in the program that was held in June and July. Funds for paid internships were provided through a $16K donation from ABM (NYSE:ABM), a leading provider of facility solutions.
This is the first time YISD teamed up with the El Paso S.T.E.M. Foundation to offer a summer internship program. The program began in early June with a “train the trainer” program for sixteen high school students. Once the students completed training to become a teacher for the camps, they began instructing YISD elementary students on object oriented computer programming, architecture concepts, robot design and implementation, and crime scene investigation. The six week program provided students the opportunity to acquire problem-solving abilities, independent thinking skills and learning to collaborate while having fun, building robots and watching their creations perform complex tasks.
YISD is a forward-thinking school district that offers innovative instruction for more than 42,500 students in El Paso. The district is committed to providing students and educators resources that will ensure academic success and prepare students to compete in the 21st century global society. It was a natural fit for them to partner with the El Paso S.T.E.M. Foundation which seeks to broaden the academic and career choices for El Paso students to help them succeed as they pursue their desired career path.
ABM is working with the El Paso S.T.E.M. Foundation on developing a long term plan to offer students additional opportunities to participate in internships that provide real world experience. Interns could learn about current bond renovations, HVAC system training and green energy education.
Supporting Quotes
“Our goals of the robotics program are to develop basic programming skills for Kindergarten through 5th grade students and create teams of students to compete at our Five Star Competition which will be held in March 2017,” said Liza Montelongo, Vice-President of the El Paso S.T.E.M. Foundation. “We are very thankful for ABM’s support of our program. It’s refreshing to have a company like ABM invest in our community and in our students. The intern program has had a positive impact on our students and provided them with the opportunity to mentor young students and motivate teachers.”
“The Ysleta Independent School District is proud to partner with ABM and the El Paso S.T.E.M. Foundation to further enrich the educational experiences for our students,” said Xavier De La Torre, Ed.D, Superintendent of Ysleta Independent School District. “Having strong partners at a local and national level enhances our ability to prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow.”
“The opportunity to partner with the El Paso S.T.E.M. Foundation and Ysleta Independent School District has truly been a rewarding experience,” said Dan Callahan, Account Executive for ABM. “We hope to become a resource for school districts looking to enhance their learning environments as well as their S.T.E.M. programs.”
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