Mentor/Partner FAQs
Is the CEO Program free for partner organizations?
- Yes, there is no monetary cost for partner organizations. Interns are paid for their participation by DC Public Schools.
When does the CEO Program take place?
- CEO Program Work Readiness Training Classes run from January to June. Student interns must attend weekly training sessions from 4:30-6PM. Mentors and student interns must attend Career Focused Project Sessions monthly from 4:30-6pm. Internships run for 80 hours June through August, on a flexible schedule to be determined by student interns and their mentors.
What are the mentor responsibilities?
- Attend monthly Career Focused Project Sessions in order to assist student interns with the design and completion of a project that demonstrates knowledge and skills necessary for success at your workplace.
- Respond to, at minimum, one email per week to your student with substantive information and corrections on proper form and grammar for professional emails.
- Serve as the primary supervisor for your student intern during the summer internship.
- Evaluate student performance during the summer.
What are the mentor time commitments?
- Career Focused Project Sessions: 1.5 hours at 8 sessions during the spring semester: Tuesdays from 4:30-6PM at the National Youth Transition Center.
- Internship: 80 hours in July, on a flexible schedule to be determined by student interns and their mentors.
- Emailing: Time spent responding to, at minimum, one email per week to your student
Which organizations provide mentors for the CEO Program?
Where is the National Youth Transition Center (NYTC) located?
- The NYTC is located at 2013 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.
Student Intern FAQs
Who is eligible for the CEO Program?
- Diploma track students age 15 – 22 with a disability who are actively enrolled in the District of Columbia Public Schools.
- Students should have a 2.0 GPA. Students with a GPA lower than 2.0 are required to write and submit with their application a 100-250 word explanation of how they have made a commitment to increased academic achievement moving forward.
- Students are required to supply the contact information of a recommending faculty member at their school during the application process.
How do you apply for the CEO Program?
- The application period for the 2013 CEO Program is now closed. The application period for the 2014 CEO Program will open in August 2013.
When does the CEO Program take place?
- CEO Program Work Readiness Training Classes run from January to June. Student Interns must attend weekly training sessions from 4:30-6PM. Mentors and student interns must attend Career Focused Project Sessions monthly from 4:30-6pm. Internships run for 80 hours June through August, on a flexible schedule to be determined by student interns and their mentors.
What are the intern responsibilities / time commitments?
- Student interns must attend a mandatory intern orientation and expectations meeting.
- Student interns must attend all Work Readiness Training Courses and Career Focused Project Sessions on Tuesdays from 4:00pm – 6:00pm. All trainings are held at the National Youth Transition Center (NYTC) at 2013 H Street NW. The NYTC is located near the Blue and Orange line – Foggy Bottom Metro stop.
- Student interns must write, at minimal, one professional email to their mentor per week. These emails are an opportunity for interns to learn about the world of competitive employment through career-focused questions. The CEO Program Instructor will explain the focus of each weeks email conversation at the end of each professional development session.
- After competing the required professional development courses, each student intern will be considered for a summer internship at their mentor’s place of employment. Internship placement will be contingent on intern performance throughout the course of the program. Student interns will undergo two performance evaluations during the course of the program. Internship placement decisions will be handled on a case by case basis.
How much are students paid?
- Student interns are paid for their participation in all Work Readiness Training Courses and Career Focused Project Sessions, as well as their internship experiences, at a base rate of $8.00 per hour. Students are eligible for raises via quarterly performance evaluations and can earn up to $9.00 per hour by program completion. Qualified students are encouraged to deposit their earnings into Individualized Development Accounts (IDA) in order to maximize their savings.
Is there a dress code?
- Student interns are not required to wear business casual clothing to CEO professional development classes but interns are expected to wear appropriate clothing to all CEO Program classes and events. The National Youth Transition Center is a professional environment and she be treated as such. Interns are required to wear business casual clothing to their internships over the summer. If you are interested in learning about organizations that provide business casual clothing to youth in DC, free of cost, give us an email at raymond.hutchison@dc.gov and we will help you explore some options.
