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PRESS RELEASE. From Puente’s August 2026 News.
We recently celebrated the conclusion of the 2026 Cohort of Puente’s Young Professionals Internship Program! This summer, 18 local youth gained valuable hands-on experience by pairing with local businesses, school districts, healthcare providers, and community organizations. Watching these young leaders step into new fields, build professional skills, and explore career paths has been deeply inspiring.
We extend our sincere gratitude to all of this year’s host sites for opening their doors, sharing their expertise, and mentoring this cohort.
The sites this year include: Bartos Architecture Inc., Coastside Chamber Half Moon Bay, Coastside Children’s Program, Coastside News Group, HMBabies | Humphrey LU, M.D., La Honda-Pescadero-Unified School District, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Pescadero Veterinary Services, San Mateo County Elections and Registration Division, San Mateo County Legal Aid Society, Simms Plumbing, Sonrisas, VCA Half Moon Bay, and Vida Verde.
We are also grateful to Rep. Sam Liccardo and Senator Josh Becker for recognizing these students’ hard work with official certificates of achievement.
A special thank you to CIYA Mediterranean in Half Moon Bay for donating the delicious food for our closing ceremony to help us celebrate the youth and their achievements with the parents and host sites.
Hearing from our 2026 Young Professionals
Now that our 20th year of our Young Professionals Internship Program (YPIP) has come to a close, the true measure of impact comes directly from our youth. This summer, local interns stepped into new professional roles across the South Coast—building confidence, expanding their skill sets, and exploring potential career paths alongside dedicated mentors. Read below to hear directly from our 2026 cohort on what this summer experience meant to them!
Alexandra Coffey: Full-time Student at Foothill College
Internship: VCA Half Moon Bay Animal Hospital
“I think it’s been great to learn about the environment that I’m going to be working in in the future…I would recommend (this program) because it’s a really good way for youth to get introduced to the job that they want to do.”
Perla Hernandez: Senior at Pescadero High School
Internship: LHPUSD Panther Camp (La Honda Pescadero Unified School District)
“It prepared me to really see how a real classroom setting is. It really taught me new life skills that I’m going to use in the future since I do want to go into education. I think everyone should enter the internship program because it shows you real-life experience of what you want to go into.”
Jessica Garcia: First year student at California State University, Fullerton Internship: Coastside Children’s Programs
“It’s prepared me because I did look into the education field. So if I decide to pursue it, I would now have something to fall back on, like, a little bit more experience…. I’d recommend it because it’s a great way to meet new people…I was able to interact with the staff and also the students’ parents…I learned more about responsibility, patience, and communication between the staff.”
Dulce Rodriguez: First-year student California State University, Chico
Internship: Pescadero Veterinary Services
“Next school year, I want to go into animal sciences, and this just kind of helped me get more of an idea of how this field works…I definitely think it’s important, because it helps you grow a different mentality….it gets you prepared for what you want to do in your next chapter of life.”
Marlen Gonzalez: First-year student California State University, Chico
Internship: Coastside Children’s Programs
“I would recommend this internship because it gives you the space to get hands-on experience… some new skills I developed is having more patience because we are working with little kids.”
Author: mdrag
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