My name is Raymond I am a regularly irregular person. I am a son, a
father, a brother and a CYES LIFT member. I live in Richmond and I worked
at the CYES Richmond site for the summer in 2009. I look forward to
working with all the youth in 2010. 2009 was my second time around with
the CYES program and every year it seems to get better. The CYES program
has its advantages; for example dealing with so many customers in my
past experience has given me certain social skills that you could only
acquire through experience. I have gained a lot from this program, professional
experience being one thing and now advanced job placement being another.
I applied for the LIFT position because it's a great opportunity. Rising Sun has picked up the ball where most employers drop it by giving youth a set experience and training. They've given youth the tools to realize the potential they all hold within, which is something not everyone does. I appreciate that greatly on a personal level. I'm hoping to gain more leadership skills that will further help me in life so I can become a manager and help those around me get the skills to be better off.
My name is Tyler Bronstein. I was born in San Francisco and raised in
San Rafael, California. I have been an environmentally conscious person
from a young age because my parents always encouraged energy conservation
and efficiency. About seven years ago we installed solar panels on the
roof of our home and around two years ago we had CYES visit our home
and perform an energy audit. Not only did a friend tell me about the
program, but he also serviced my home. In 2008 I applied for the job
and worked for CYES all summer at the Mill Valley/ Marin City site.
2009 was my second summer with CYES.
Working for CYES was a great experience, which is why I wanted to come back and become a part of the new LIFT program. I have become more educated about energy conservation and energy efficiency through CYES. I have also learned to talk to clients and possible future clients in an effective way that encourages their participation as well as their willingness to refer more clients to the program. I applied to be a LIFT Energy Specialist because I wished to do more for the CYES program and Rising Sun Energy Center. I believe in the goals of the organization and think that working for them is enjoyable.
I like helping people and the environment, therefore, the LIFT position is perfect for me. Also, I hope to improve my leadership skills further by being a role model for the Energy Specialists at my site. A leader I wish to emulate is Cesar Chavez because of his ability to unite workers effectively and fairly.
Hi my name is Tarissa Waldemar, I am a college student at Cal State
University Northridge. Biochemistry is my focus and my major. I graduated
from Berkeley High school in 2007, and I worked for CYES every summer
since then. What I have gained from working with CYES is indescribable.
I have watched myself grow mentally, physically, and spiritually throughout
this program. I have become more of a leader, listener, and achiever.
I find myself referencing things from the program in my daily life.
Being involved in this program is like having a second family. They
support you and they teach you. CYES we can!
I applied to become a LIFT Energy Specialist because I was looking to challenge myself. Before applying to become a LIFT I had been in the program for two years as an Energy Specialist and I wanted to become a manager, but didn't think I was ready yet. I hope to gain many leadership skills from being a LIFT. One in particular is how to be a good leader. Anyone can lead, but not everyone can be a good leader. A leader that I would like to emulate would be MLK Jr. He spoke volumes through his messages. He supported non-violence and that is what I believe in.
Hello, my name is Harry Regan. I was born at Marin General and I am 19 years old. I am slowly becoming a music producer. I have been producing electronic music since 2004. It is one of my biggest hobbies. My other hobby is skateboarding. I have been skateboarding since I was 8 and I still enjoy it very much to this day. This will be my third year working with Rising Sun. I moved to Novato when I was 13 years old and that is where I currently reside. During the school year I go to UC Santa Cruz and I am majoring in Computer Engineering and minoring in Electronic Music. I applied to be a LIFT because I wanted to be able to have more responsibilities with CYES. I also wanted to do more than just be an Energy Specialist. I am hoping to learn how to show people what to do without specifically telling them. I want to be able to lead someone without commanding them to do something.
My leadership goals are to have an organized site with Energy Specialists that know exactly what they are doing. I hope to teach the Energy Specialists how to do home visits with the best of customer service and to be knowledgeable of energy efficient facts.
My name is Greyson Tarantino and I am 20 years old from Pinole, California. I was born on April 17, 1989 in San Francisco. I am a highly motivated and energetic person that is into many different endeavors that include sports, drawing, reading, and hanging out with my friends. I go to UC Davis and am in pursuit of my degree in Biotechnology. I am a hardworking person and I apply my work ethic to everything I do whether it is school, work, sports or even helping someone out.
My ultimate goal is to be successful in life as a businessman and be able to help people in any way that I can. Some interesting things about me are that I used to run Division 1 track and field at Davis in my freshman year, but I chose a different path so I am not part of it anymore. I also am a decent artist, but I need to work on it more and get some formal lessons.
I applied to be a LIFT Energy Specialist because I really feel that my experience last year has prepared me to be a good leader amongst the youth. I worked with CYES last year at the San Pablo site, which was my first year working with the company. I gained a lot of experience in energy efficiency working with CYES that taught me some valuable lessons in energy efficiency and professionalism. I came back this year to be a LIFT Energy Specialist because I want to help the community be more energy efficient. I hope to gain better leadership skills in communication with the youth and be a helping hand to them in anyway that I can.
I would like for the youth to remember this job after they are done and tell of their experiences to everyone. A leader that I wish to emulate is President Obama because of his charisma and determination to prove to the US that change is possible. My leadership goals are to provide a positive experience for the youth and the city of Pittsburg, and have CYES become a household name in California as we expand this great organization.
Well my name is Cordell Hayes and what makes me interesting is that
I've been a graphic designer for about five years. For the last two
years I've been studying various great philosophers to support a book
I am writing based on several theories I've came up with on life and
the way people think. I have been working with CYES for two years. What
I have gotten out of working with CYES was a lot of experience and knowledge
in what energy efficiency really is.
I applied for the LIFT position because I wanted to be an example on what an energy specialist does in the field and acquire more management skills for future reference. The leadership skills I hope to obtain is to learn how to manage my work environment professionally. The leader I wish to emulate is Malcolm X because he was well organized in what he did and never let down in what he believed in. My leadership goal is to lead others by good example.
My name is Kyle Quick. I am 22 and I live in Pinole CA. I graduated from Pinole Valley High School in 2005. As of now I go to Contra Costa College. I've always been very interested in sports and physical fitness. I like to play football, baseball, basketball, whenever I can. I also like to exercise. I lift weights 3 times a week. When I kick back and relax I listen to music, play video games, or watch movies. I have a dog named Kibbles, and I walk her to the park everyday. This will be my third year working with the CYES program. I've learned lots of ways on how to save and conserve energy and water since joining CYES. I've also learned how to deal with all different types of people.
I applied to be a LIFT Energy Specialist because it seemed like a great learning experience, and a job that could open the door for many other opportunities. Also because I really love working for CYES and helping out people in my community. A leader I wish to emulate is Barack Obama, because he is a very strong minded individual. Also, a leader is someone who does the right thing, even when it's the harder decision and so far Obama has done just that. He also has the charisma and swagger to gain people's attention and respect when times get out of control. Basically I'm just hoping to gain more overall leadership skills and use and practice the leadership abilities I already contain.
My name is Adriana Medina. I am 18 years old and have been working with CYES for four years. I was born and raised in Richmond, California, but I do not fall under the many statistics of the teens in Richmond. What makes me interesting and different is I can adapt to places outside of my community and comfort zone. I am not stuck within the streets of Richmond because I am strict on myself to see what else the world has to offer and be able to explore it with an open mind. Working with CYES has helped me with accepting my community and wanting to make it better instead of neglecting it. I have gained communication skills, leadership skills, listening skills, and most of all how to remain optimistic in life.I applied to be a LIFT Energy Specialist because it is a great opportunity to take everything that I have learned and really put it to work. Being able to take on a great amount of responsibility and succeeding with it is an important skill to have in life. As a young adult this training will help me learn how to effectively work under pressure. The LIFT program will help me strengthen all the qualities I have gained throughout my time with CYES.
A leader I wish to emulate is Barack Obama for a variety of reasons. Obama is not afraid of challenges, and does not let any obstacles get in his way of what it is he has his mind set on. He's honest, genuine, and remains calm and collective under all the pressure he is forced to deal with. He is a great example of how to handle a leadership role.
My name is Cesar Gutierrez, I'm 23 years old and was born and raised
in Oakland, CA. Things I like to do include bike riding, reading good
novels or articles, traveling, playing video games, spending time with
friends and family and going out with them to do various fun activities.
I had a good childhood growing up, but moved around a lot in the Los
Angeles area after my parents divorced when I was 12. I ended up going
back to the Bay Area a couple of years later to attend Alameda High
School.
Since graduating, I really didn't have a clear idea of what I wanted to do with my life, career-wise. But after working for CYES for what is going to be my fifth summer, I can honestly say that I'm more serious than ever before in trying to get into a good school. CYES helped me realized that I do have self worth, and that I do have potential to do great things with my life, and that is something I'll always thank the program for.
The reason I applied for the LIFT ES position is because for a few years I wanted to try my hand at being a Site Manager, and a months ago, Alex gave me the call about applying for the LIFT position, and of course I took it! I get to have more responsibilities in this job, and I wanted to take on that challenge and push myself up to that higher level. I hope that working as a LIFT, I can be more assertive, more inclusive and not so passive; because I do want to earn that respect from my peers, and I do want them to feel free to ask me questions about their job because that's part of what I'm there for.
As for a leader I wish to emulate...it might sound strange, but my mother is who I look up to as a leader: through tough times, and life's circumstances, my mom became a really strong person, and she made what seemed impossible into reality. It took lots of energy on her part, and she did it just for us. I look up to her for those reasons. I kind of want to bring out those positive qualities as a LIFT, and make our site a success. As a LIFT, I hope to learn how to become a better leader in general, and I hope to make many new friendships for years to come.
I am Carlos Moran, and I worked with Rising Sun as an Energy Specialist
in 2008, as an intern during the 2008-2009 school year, and as a LIFT
Energy Specialist in 2009. Graduating from Berkeley High School, which
is a school that is very environmentally focused, made me very interested
in the environment and concerned about how we can improve our quality
of living by improving the environment around us. From working as an
Energy Specialist I have improved my customer services skills, my interviewing
skills and my professional skills.
I applied for this job because I wanted to keep working with this organization that has had such a big impact in my life. Working in the field that I am interested in, as well as working with youth like myself, has been the best experience. I also hope to improve my big decision making skills that will allow me to grow in life and take more responsibilities. My leadership goal is to be able to be a positive example to other Energy Specialists.
If you were to describe me, the first quality that stands out the most
is my outgoing personality. I tend to speak my mind and express my feelings.
I make people laugh and I make people think. I spent most of my life
growing up in Minnesota, spending time playing out in the forest. I
moved to California in middle school and love it here. My mother, father
and sister are very close and keep each other moving forward. 2009 was
my first year as part of CYES.
I applied to become a LIFT mainly because I needed a job for the summer. I love the fact that we are helping our community become more aware of the importance of looking into the future and assessing the climate change. I hope to learn the fundamentals of how a successful non-profit organization should run and what is necessary to keep it running with little error.
I don't have any specific person that I choose to emulate but I do strive to try my hardest, critically think about situations (being able to reflect on my accomplishments and struggles), and to do so in a professional manner so that I can be respected and looked up to by my peers. As a leader I strive to learn more about myself and the job at hand. There is no greater joy than knowing you tried your hardest, not only for yourself, but for your community.
I first joined Rising Sun Energy Center in April of 2007 as an Events
Outreach Volunteer, working to gain customers for the 2007 Summer CYES
program. It was at this time that I obtained a deep appreciation for
the crucial role Rising Sun plays in helping Bay Area families and residents
more easily afford basic utility costs, local economic stimulus through
the creation of green jobs, and addressing environmental concerns such
as global climate change and sustainable living practices.
Empowered by the understanding that I had worked hard to successfully benefit from my local community, I was excited to return to the program, this time as a LIFT Energy Specialist for the Fremont site. In life, I strive to emulate the leadership style of my father, by providing a well thought out vision and the encouragement one needs to make that vision a reality. Having graduated from Irvington High School in 2007, I am now pursuing a degree in sculpture at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
Would you be interested in interviewing any of these graduates about green sector job prospects? Contact Natesha Tabor, CYES Program Manager: by phone at (510) 665-1501 x15 or via email.
Back to nature during the LIFT training program