“Your dreams will never be fulfilled if you sit and wait for them to be fulfilled. You have to act upon it,” said John Daly, the board president of Partners in Education.
In an effort to do just that, 77 students from around the Santa Barbara County took on internships in a variety of industries and fields through Partners in Education or completed career-education-related courses at their schools.
The students, mostly Santa Barbara Unified School District high-schoolers, were recognized for their achievements Thursday at the Partners in Education’s 35th-annual awards breakfast.
Nearly 300 guests convened at the Bacara Resort and Spa in western Goleta for the event.
“We are here today to honor nearly 80 of our community’s most forward-thinking students — students who understand that soft skills and hands-on, real-world experience is just as valuable as academics,” said Chelsea Pacino Duffy, Partners in Education’s executive director.
The honors were divided into four categories: business and finance, health care and science, special technology and design, and education and nonprofit.
Students who completed career-education courses were nominated by their teachers.
Presenting the business and finances awards was Santa Barbara High School senior Victor Beltran, who interned at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.
Beltran emphasized the importance of discovering what one really wants to do and pursuing that, rather than aligning one’s academic and career trajectory with others’ expectations.
Kurt Ransohoff, the CEO and chief medical officer of Sansum Clinic, presented the health care and science awards.
Melissa Torres, a product of the county school system and a data content producer at LinkedIn, introduced the specialized technology and design category.
Marybeth Carty, who will be filling John Daly’s shoes as board president of the nonprofit for the 2016–17 year, presented the education and nonprofit awards.
Throughout the breakfast, videos by Dos Pueblos High School student Sira Eriksen, who worked with Partners in Education, highlighted her fellow students’ internships, the organizations and companies for whom they interned, and Partners in Education volunteers.
Partners in Education connects students with businesses, nonprofits, individuals, and foundations with the goal of preparing them for their futures. Organization volunteers also provide students with mock job interviews, résumé building, and money-management lessons.
The organization was formed by local business and education leaders in 1977, and is administered by the Santa Barbara County Education Office, an intermediate agency between the California Department of Education and the county’s 20 school districts.
The organization partnered with a wide variety of businesses and organizations for students’ internships, from Santa Barbara Tax and Accounting Services to Top Shop Automotive to Elite Performance and Rehabilitation Center.
— Noozhawk staff writer Sam Goldman can be reached at sgoldman@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.