This article originally appeared in the July 2002 edition of diversityinbusiness.com

Copyright 2002 by GENLIGHT Por EL, Inc.  All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise noted, all photos and graphic images are copyrighted property of GENLIGHT Por EL, Inc. and may not be used without written consent.  All rights reserved.

by Dan Perkins

This summer, 24 Holy Trinity High School students will complete internships at 11 Chicago-area corporations that support the Friends For A Future Program.  

Below are some of this summer's interns who share their career interests, summer goals, and ways in which they have benefited from the Friends Program.

Friends of the Future 

Summer Interns 2002

Laouratou Balde
Summer Employer  Bank of America
Career Interest I want to be an accountant and get a better understanding of that career field.  
Summer Goals I hope to do a good job this summer and get a better understanding of the business world.
Program Benefits The most important thing that the program has taught me is Desire, Plan and Focus.  Without these three things, you cannot really achieve a lot, even if you believe in it.  

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Jesse Buendia
Summer Employer  Bank of America
Career Interest I want to work with computers and write books. After high school, I would like to go to college and major in computer science or journalism.  
Program Benefits In the Corporate Experience class I learned what it is like in a corporate setting, how to conduct myself in an interview, and how to negotiate.  

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Jennifer Diaz
Summer Employer  STARCOM
Career Interest Career-wise, I would like to be the owner of a successful restaurant and also become the chef of it.    
Summer Goals I hope to leave a good report wherever I work.  I want them to know who I am and that I came from Holy Trinity High School.
Program Benefits In this program, I have learned a little bit of what to expect if I was to work in a corporate setting.  I have also learned how to act in front of very business like people.  

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Javier Escobedo
Summer Employer  Leo Burnett
Career Interest I really had no idea what I wanted to do in the future.  I was just overwhelmed with all the possibility the future had to offer.  But with this program, I have found out my qualities and have set out to find the right career for me.
Summer Goals I plan to put my qualities to work and give my best to the corporation.

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Cynthia Estrada
Summer Employer  Wildman Harrold
Career Interest I'm interested in urban development and hope to obtain a career in that field.    
Summer Goals Out of my internship, I hope to gain a better understanding of a professional work environment.
Program Benefits The program has taught me basic skills that I can later apply to my summer internship.  

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Rocio Fierro
Summer Employer  Manufacturers Bank
Career Interest I would like to be a family practice doctor.    
Summer Goals What I would like to get out of the internship is work experience because this will be my first job ever.  I would like to get rid of my shyness too.
Program Benefits The program has taught me many things from how to act in a business environment to how to greet people.  

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Eva Flores
Summer Employer  Leo Burnett
Career Interest My dream is to be in the advertising business.  I wish to work in the area of computer graphics.    
Summer Goals The basic thing that I want to get from my internship is the "experience," the "know-how."  I have a wonderful opportunity and I'm taking it, no hesitation.
Program Benefits The Corporate Experience class has taught me just about everything I need to know in the work place.  The icing on the cake will be my summer internship.  

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Samara Galvan
Summer Employer  Bank of America
Career Interest I am at a point in my life where I don't really know what I want to be, but hopefully the internship will help me to decide on my future career.
Summer Goals I would like to gain a better view of what the world is really like.  I also hope to learn and grow more as an individual.
Program Benefits The program has taught me how to negotiate and come to a win-win situation with another person.  I have learned that in order to achieve a goal successfully, one must Desire, Focus and Plan.  

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Danielle Hyles
Summer Employer  Leo Burnett
Career Interest Right now, I'm not sure what I want to accomplish career-wise, but I've always wanted to be a famous actress.  I would also like to be a food critic for famous restaurants. 
Summer Goals Besides a paycheck, I would like to gain a better understanding of what it is like to actually have a professional job.  I want to meet new people and experience new things.
Program Benefits This program has taught me organization, commitment and responsibility.  

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Howard Madison
Summer Employer

 Mayer Brown Rowe &

 Maw

Career Interest In the future, I hope to accomplish my goal of becoming a graphic designer.  
Summer Goals This summer, I'm sure the internship will bring me closer to my career goal.
Program Benefits The program has taught me to develop leadership and focus.  

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Ismael Miranda
Summer Employer  Northwestern Hospital
Career Interest I would like to go into computer graphics.  
Summer Goals I hope to have experiences in the business world that will help me grow in my character and strengthen my leadership skills.
Program Benefits The program has taught me everything from networking to business etiquette.  

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Nino B. Parker
Summer Employer  Merrill Lynch
Career Interest I am undecided on what I would like to be career-wise, but I do believe I will be entering the medical field, possibly sports medicine.  
Summer Goals This summer, I hope to gain experience in the business world.
Program Benefits The program has strengthened my business skills and taught me to use Desire, Focus, and Plan with all of my goals.  

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Fernando Ramirez
Summer Employer  GE Capital
Career Interest I want to be a computer engineer, but wish to move up in my career field and hold a high position.    
Summer Goals I hope to gain experience out of the internship.  I hope to get a feel for how business is done.
Program Benefits The program has taught me how to interact, how to dress and interview.  It has taught me the etiquette involved in business.  

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Jose Luis Ramirez
Summer Employer

 State of Illinois - Office

 of Banks & Real Estate

Career Interest I would like to be a physical therapist in the future.    
Summer Goals I hope to have a very good experience that will help me in the future.  I hope to gain knowledge out of the internship.
Program Benefits This program has taught me many great things.  I learned more about myself and the business world.  

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Linda Reyes
Summer Employer  Bank of America
Career Interest I want to become a psychologist.
Summer Goals My hopes for this internship are to gain work experience and to grow in knowledge.
Program Benefits The Corporate Experience class has thought me how to behave in the work world and in an interview.  

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Krystal Rios
Summer Employer  Manufacturers Bank
Career Interest Right now, I'm undecided on what I want to be.    
Summer Goals For my summer internship, I hope to learn as much as I can so that when I'm out of college and I go to find a job, I can get a job already knowing what to do.
Program Benefits The program has taught me discipline and how to be successful in the business world and what to expect.  

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Stephanie Trevino
Summer Employer  Bank of America
Career Interest I want to become many things, but I'm most interested in becoming an FBI agent, nutritionist, or a lawyer.    
Summer Goals I hope to get a lot of experience and learn about the corporation.  I hope to continue working there and give my ideas to the corporation.
Program Benefits The program has helped me a lot.  I've accomplished a lot.  I know myself and I've learned to deal with challenges life puts me through.  I've learned to be independent.  

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Michelle Velez
Summer Employer

 Planned Property

 Management

Career Interest I have interests in becoming a lawyer and this experience will help me to accomplish that goal.    
Summer Goals I hope to get the experience of working a 9-to-5 job.  This will set the foundation for other jobs and work related habits.
Program Benefits The program has taught me the basics and fundamentals of being in business settings; leadership qualities; how to present myself in an interview; how to do my resume; and many other things.  

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Cristina Villalpando
Summer Employer  GE Capital
Career Interest Career-wise, I'd like to become a pediatric dentist.    
Program Benefits This program has taught me valuable resources that I will carry throughout my career.  I never imagined myself in a corporate setting at the age of seventeen, but Friends For A Future has provided me with an opportunity and I hope to be the best I can.  

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Elizabeth Viramontes
Summer Employer  Holy Trinity High School
Career Interest In the future, I would like to become a fashion designer.  I am a very creative person and like to express my ideas through pieces of cloth.  I am very good at it.
Summer Goals I hope that the internship will help me build stronger relationships with people, and I think it will help me later on in my career.
Program Benefits The program taught me many things, not only about the business world, but about life in general.  The program gave me the opportunity to meet other people and know more about their careers.  

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The End

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