Residents who watched the town council meeting on July 9 may have noticed several kids take turns sitting on the dais in the Mayor’s seat.
The six students are part of the Summer Youth Internship Program sponsored by Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
The Miami Lakes mayor’s office offered the students a chance to see how government works from inside town hall.
“They answered calls and assisted residents, in person, during meetings,” Joseph Sosa, Assistant to the Mayor, said in an email. “They were also tasked to assist with Mayor Manny Cid’s last Mayor’s Charity Gala” that is planned for Sept. 28.
The students also visited local businesses and attended a ribbon cutting ceremony for one with Cid, the Miami Lakes Economic Development Committee and the Miami Lakes Chamber of Commerce.
While some interns gained experience in local government, another student worked at the office of Miami-Dade County School Board Member Roberto Alonso, who represents District 4.
Jacob Orellana is a sophomore at Miami Lakes Educational Center.
He is the son of Jose “Oreo” Orellana, who is the green space superintendent for the Town of Miami Lakes and Jessie Orellana, who volunteers on the town’s Special Needs Advisory Board.
“He really became the highlight of the district office,” Alonso said.
Jacob focused on technology, and along with his mother helped advocate for the special needs population in the school district, Alonso said.
“[Also] helping me take a deep dive into the technological needs of the district, whether it be artificial intelligence, computer science and even focusing on our new aerospace program we’re going to have at [Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School],” Alonso said.
Jacob had an opportunity to accompany Alonso and his staff to Cape Canaveral to learn more about the new aerospace program.
“It expanded his horizons in other areas as well, and he actually got to meet various people,” Jose Orellana said of his son.
Jacob met with executives from Google to discuss how technology can help students with special needs, Alonso said.
To learn more about the Summer Youth Internship Program sponsored by Miami-Dade County Public Schools, go to www.miami.getmyinterns.org.
Interns in the Miami Lakes Mayor’s Office, from left: Alyssa Diaz from Barbara Goleman Senior High School; Lya Quintana from Jose Marti MAST 6-12 Center; Sophia Mora and Sheldon Gunness from Miami Lakes Educational Center; Maria Brocho from Hialeah Gardens High School and Melany Alverez from Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School.