A little about me

My name is Dennis and I am a freshman at Arrupe Jesuit High School. This year, I have the great opportunity to intern at YES Communities. I was born here in Denver and so were my younger brother and sister, but my parents and family are originally from Guatemala. My siblings and I have worked with my dad as a mechanic ever since I was 10 years old. I love music and like to play guitar in my free time. I love sports and being active all the time, and I enjoy doing extreme sports like motocross or BMX biking. I am also Catholic and have been an altar server at mass since I was little. I am a fast learner, and I am also a very curious person. I like to learn new things every day and I know how to do a lot of things that, at my age, people do not expect me to know.

Arrupe Work Program

            The Corporate Work Study Program at Arrupe (also known as CWSP) is a unique program that allows students to be able to work to pay for half of our tuition costs. This program also helps students develop work experience at a young age. CWSP is made so that when we, as students, grow up, we know what to expect in a job and are familiarized with an office workspace.

My work experience

            So far, I have enjoyed working for YES. It has been an enjoyable experience and it has been interesting as I have never worked at an office or in an office space before. The people here are nice and caring. I have felt comfortable working with people and being able to help anyone that needs it. I mainly work at the front desk and with the marketing team, and everyone I have met has been very welcoming, caring and patient with me, which is something that I value about them.

What do I like about my job?

            What I like about my job is being able to go around, from place to place, helping. My tasks range from organizing supplies, helping the marketing team with research projects, sending letters from the mailroom, and helping others as needed. I love the fact that I am helping my parents out by working to pay for my OWN tuition and earning my education because there aren’t many students my age with that opportunity. I am also learning how to adapt in an office workspace so that when I get older, I can find a job and know exactly what to do or how to feel.

What do you want to be when you get older?

            I would love to be a mechanical engineer, or a car mechanic expert. I want to be like my dad who is a hard, honorable, and humble worker who, with his own sweat, pays for everything in our home. I want to be successful and make my father proud of me and help my parents retire. I also want to be able to go to college and graduate as I am the oldest of my two siblings, and I want to be a great example for them.

Have you had any other jobs…? How does this compare?

            I have worked with my dad fixing up cars out in the sun for full days, with my uncles in roofing and construction and family friends in making cement. These jobs and the work at YES are hugely different. In the jobs I have worked in previously, it is tough work where you do manual work out in the heat all. The wage earned provides a decent amount of money, but a tough amount when you work every day from early in the morning until dark. Most of the adults I've worked with hardly ever get to see their kids and complain about the unfairness when the person in charge does not pay them on due dates. In all these jobs, it is easy to get hurt, and it is hard to know if your employer will cover your costs if you end up at the hospital.  The main comparison I see between my previously held jobs and my time at YES is that the work here at YES is simple and well-paid jobs. You are not out in the sun all day or in the cold. You get paid well and it is all work where you have no fear of getting injured. My Dad has always told me to study hard so I can get a good job and be able to have a good job where I am not busting my back every day. A job where I can have enough for me and my family if I get one and a job where I can spend time with my kids. To be able to choose a job I like enjoy. Now I see what he means. There is an enormous difference in the Jobs that that those who dropped out and those who graduated with some sort of degree. Those who did not study or dropped out have harder jobs than someone with a full degree and the amount paid is also a difference.

What has been your favorite project you have worked on?

            My favorite project I have worked on was sustainability research for the marketing team. It was my favorite because it is one of the first projects I was assigned, and I feel like I did a good job with it. I took my time completing the project and feel proud of what I found. This was also something that got my attention and informed me about the companies all around me and their different efforts to become more sustainable and eco-friendly. I also learned how companies replicate each other to try to become more influential and attract more people to their company.

Will anything you’ve done help you in your studies?

            I think that everything I have done at YES will help me in my studies as I have learned to be persistent and to not give up on any task given. When I came here to work, I realized how important it is to study hard in school so I don’t have to work labor intensive jobs like many of my family members. This has shown me a great lesson and has taught me to value everything my parents do for me and to put their hard work to use and make them proud.

What college do you want to attend?

I want to attend California Institute of Technology. This school focuses on everything to do with electronics and is all about creating robotic designs and science. This school teaches mechanical engineering and is a very good school that could help me become successful in my future career.

Would you consider working at YES at any time after your intern year?

            I would like to come back and work at YES in the future as I like this job a lot and can see myself working here again. I would love to be able to contribute more to this company once I grow up and graduate. I also really enjoy the environment that this place has and the people I have meant have been very supportive and I have felt welcomed!

What is a challenge you have faced at YES?

            My first day was a challenge for me as I was not sure what I was doing or where I was. Since I've usually worked manual work outdoors and being indoor just felt odd. I felt a little shy even though I’m usually not. However, by the end of that day I was able to meet a lot of people that helped me. I was able to gain trust with them if I ever needed help or if I had a question. And I feel like that is a good experience as now I have a general idea of how the workspace is. I feel much more confident working in a workspace now than when I got here for the first time.

On a normal day, how does your day start?

            For me, most of my days are always crazy as I’m all over the place doing different tasks, but in general, I arrive around 9:30am from the Arrupe Bus. I then get my things ready and go to the front desk to see if they need any help with letters, tickets or organizing. I usually do that all by 12:00pm and then go for a lunch break. 

On a normal day, how does your day end?

            I usually end my day helping the marketing team with anything that they need. I help them with mini research projects or filing or organizing anything that they need me to organize. If not, I am available to anyone that needs an extra hand and I try to finish anything before the school's bus comes to pick me up.