Students Earning Green To Go Green

A group of Contra Costa high school students gave up part of summer vacation to get on the fast track for a career after graduation.

Nineteen current students and recent graduates from around the county honed their job and life skills during the Environmental Media Workshop, headquartered at Vicente Martinez High School in Martinez.

The students could see longterm benefits from spending part of the summer in the classroom with a job in manufacturing, digital media and health care industries. They also earned more immediate rewards as they were paid $800 for completing the 100-hour session.

The four-week program was created and managed by Lunchbox International and funded by the Contra Costa County Workforce Development Board.

Contra Costa County Office of Education’s Youth Development Services Specialist Denise Clarke said, “In addition with their classroom and hands-on education, these students learned life-skills that will certainly help them in school and on the job. These skills included employment interviewing, resume writing, and on-the-job proficiencies.”

The students studied about rainwater harvesting, and how to build efficient systems for homes and buildings by incorporating piping and specialized rain-collection barrels. Upon completion of this part of the workshop, students passed Green Building LEED Certification testing.

Incoming Concord High School senior, Michael Camilleri-Betz, said, “I really enjoy working with the math formulas as we created water-harvesting systems for different types of buildings. We would design specific systems and calculate the best way to collect water coming off a roof and into a rain barrel.”

During digital media training, students created a video public service announcement on rainwater harvesting, while learning about lighting, sound, video production and editing, and working with on-air talent.

“Our first order is to make sure these students earn their high school diploma, and then prepare them for post secondary education and careers. We are offering such trainings with this summer where local employment research forecasts the need to fill manufacturing, digital media and well as health care jobs," YDS Manager Catherine Giacalone said. "East Bay employers continue to look for trained and skilled employees in these areas. This is an expensive area for people to live in, and these work experiences will prepare youth for employment in high-wage, high-growth industry sectors.”