Teen internships pave a pathway to careers — and belonging — in science

For more than 30 years, the California Science Center has worked to build a pathway for local teens to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics — and at the very least, show them science isn’t boring.

The paid Community Teen Intern program is open to students who live or attend school near the center’s Exposition Park campus, and starting their sophomore year of high school.

“A lot of our students from these communities are from under-resourced communities, and so we want to break down barriers and give them access to science,” said Community Program Manager Rosemary Garista.

Black, Latino and women workers have long been underrepresented in science, tech, engineering and math-related jobs.

The pandemic may have further damaged the educational pipeline to these jobs. Research from the Public Policy Institute of California found the COVID-19 pandemic “derailed science education” because few schools prioritized the subject, provided additional support for students and requested help from county education agencies.

Finding a sense of belonging in science

Huntington Park High School senior Ingryd Hernandez had never visited the Science Center before someone came to her class to talk about the internship.

“ There were so many, like, other smarter kids than me. I was like ‘Oh my god, I do not belong here,’” Hernandez remembered thinking after she found out her internship application was accepted. “They… made me feel so welcomed and it made me calm down and be like, ‘I did deserve to be here because… they might have seen something that I didn’t see in me.’”

Since she started in fall 2022, Hernandez has researched plant growth, air and space, and worked at the center’s summer camp.

The interns also meet with center staff, from the CEO to the marine life veterinarians.

“Seeing the diversity of people that are here, too, with different, like, backgrounds and wanting to go into different fields,” Hernandez said. “It’s just mind-opening.”

Finding a second home

Some students stick around even after graduation.

Program alumna Julissan Gonzalez is studying mechanical engineering and astronomy at Santa Monica College and mentors other students in STEM. She said working at the Science Center helped her overcome imposter syndrome, the feeling that she didn’t belong in the field.

“That’s where I started to build my networking, talking to others,” Gonzalez said. “That’s actually where my journey started.”

Gonzalez now works part-time in the center’s education department.

“ I could say this very proudly, I consider the Science Center as a second home,” Gonzalez said.

On an August day during the center’s summer camp, Anaya Camacho explained to dozens of elementary school students how pounding their fists into the bouncy drum-like surface of an air cannon rippled the sequined curtain hanging above them.

“ When I first tried it, I was in awe myself,” Camacho said. “Like, ‘Wow, I can really see the force of the air hitting against it.’”

Camacho said her internship experience has made her feel more confident in school.

“ I am not afraid to share my knowledge,” Camacho said. “I will help anybody that’s confused, and I feel like this program has also taught me how to break down science into simpler terms to make it easier for somebody to understand.”

The community teen interns usually sign on for a year, but can extend for up to three. Camacho is now in her second year.

“I really, like, have never been in, like, such a positive place,” Camacho said. “At school, you don’t really look forward to it. But here, it’s my Saturday morning. I wake up kind of tired, but I can’t wait to go to work on Saturday.”

Science Center youth programs

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