UPDATE TIME!

So I would love to tell you all about my wonderful experience so far interning with the City of San Ramon. But to be honest, my internship hasn't started yet. It's not that I haven't put in the effort. I have had multiple conversations with the Aquatics Manager Keith Haase, but he continued to need more clarifying paperwork that does not exist.

Talking it over with Mrs. B., she suggested contacting the mayor.  My mom cautioned me about going directly to the "big guy" because it might cause more problems if it's an internal staff issue. My mom was talking about the situation with a friend from her Rotary Club who teaches in the Parks & Recreation department at Cal State East Bay.  She thought my interning with the City was a great idea and was puzzled, but did see that the bureaucracy could be the problem.  She suggested I contact Chris Chamberlain who also teaches at Cal State East Bay and used to run the Aquatics Center for the City for a suggestion of the next person in the City to talk to.

I spoke with Mr. Chamberlain last week. He also thought the internship sounded like a good idea especially since I'd worked at the pool all summer and already know many of their procedures. He suggested that I contact Esther Lucas.  Her phone number isn't on the city's website so I called the Parks and Recreational Services number listed on the website.  The person who answered informed me that Esther Lucas is on vacation for three weeks.  She asked what I wanted to talk to Mrs. Lucas about, and I explained.  After I was finished, she asked what degrees I had, and I re-explained that I’m a high school student in a career exploration/internship class.  She abruptly told me they don’t do anything like that.  She was about to go into a team meeting and would bring it up, and if anyone was interested she'd give them my email address.  She indicated that she thought it was not likely, and then suggested that I sign up for the city’s volunteer program.

It feels as if the City of San Ramon staff wouldn't know a good idea or a win/win situation if it dropped in their lap. It also bothered me how the person I talked to on the phone talked to me.  She treated me like I was about ten years old, rather than a young adult trying to be professional.

But I still haven't given up! My mom was at a meeting with Mayor Clarkson on Monday and she asked him for a suggestion.  He suggested emailing one of the Parks Commissioners and cc'ing both him and Karen McNamera, the Director of Parks & Community Services.  He thought this would be addressing it at a low enough level to not backlash, and by cc'ing the Director she wouldn't be blindsided, and he could gently weigh in, getting the request some attention.  I emailed Commission Rene Matsumoto this afternoon.  Hopefully, this will get the ball rolling!