Courtney Sargent said the Mayor Frank G. Jackson’s Summer Youth Employment Program has changed her life.  Sargent was an intern for summer 2016 on the Geographical Information System Team.  On a daily basis, she sits in on meetings with her supervisor and uses maps to locate fire hydrants around the city.  She also works with water engineers from the Department of Public Utilities and learns how critical plan reviews can be constructive.

Sargent said she has learned a lot in 2016 and during her time in the Post-Secondary Enrollment Option Program Team (later the College Credit Plus Team) the year before. “I learned that no matter what you want to do and how uncomfortable it may be, as long as you’re willing to learn about it, you will be fine,” said Sargent, a John Marshall High School alumna.   But the most important lesson that Sargent learned is the importance of networking. She explained that when you meet people, you should always get their card to follow up.  She added that you should also thank your fellow employees.

The reason she decided to return in 2016 to the Mayor Frank G. Jackson Summer Youth Employment Program is because her participation. Last year opened so many doors for her and helped her figure out her career path. Sargent will attend Baldwin Wallace University. Sargent and the GIS Team did something special for the End of Event Celebration. The team made an exact replica of the original safety hood for the 100-year commemoration of Garrett  A. Morgan’s courageous tunnel rescue in Cleveland.

How were they able to create this exactly? It took one week to plan and another week to complete the project. To build this replica, the team started by building a structure by using wire and a base. The replica was created using a cloth hood with the structure underneath. Plastic tubing goes through the safety hood, allowing clean air to be let in from the bottom through a valve at the top of the hood to let air out as well. Sargent said she had never expected to do anything like this.