(Report on the 2006 Summer Legal Fellowship Program — cont’d)

 

 

"I was able to learn a great deal about the issues we face in the world and had the opportunity to help a lot of people."

 

"I gained knowledge of how the city works.  Also, I can talk to professionals and perform in an office better."

 

Youth Surveys on the Overall Program

 

Participants filled out surveys anonymously on the impact of the program on different areas of their lives. For each competency listed below, they were asked to indicate "much better," "somewhat better," "the same," or "don't know" according to how they felt the program affected them.

 

Competency

% of youth that felt they were "much better" or "somewhat better" in this competency as a result of the program

Knowledge of legal system

100%

Skills for succeeding in the workplace

94%

Ability to communicate

94%

Success in school

89%

Commitment to pursuing higher education

89%

Networking ability

83%

Self-confidence

78%

Ability to work with others

78%

Academic skills

72%

 

Youth Reflections on the Impact of the Program

 

Here are just a few of the participants' appreciative comments about their experiences, from interviews and evaluation forms:

 

"This was a great program!  I learned how to believe in myself."

 

"I learned a lot of life lessons....The teachers and classmates inspired me to think and act better."

 

"I became more serious about work and more responsible. Also, now I'm aware of more careers."

 

"I learned why I act the way I do because we had a discussion in class and afterwards I kept thinking about it."

 

"I learned and gained a lot of knowledge and I enjoyed every experience."

 

"This was an amazing experience that matured and opened my mind in so many ways.  So awesome and totally unforgettable."

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

The 2006 Summer Legal Fellowship Program made it possible for low income and underserved East Bay high school students to enhance their academic skills, acquire employment experience and skills, learn about law and legal careers, and enhance their communication skills and self-confidence. This report describes the participants, activities and evaluation results of the program. We are confident that their experiences will help these exceptional young people achieve their goals and enrich our entire community.

 

 

 

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