“The arrangement is a win-win for local high school students and the non-profits where they are placed,” said Betsy Brien, Public Affairs Manager for Phillips 66. “Students have the opportunity to earn money, gain valuable work experience and learn business, organizational and program leadership skills. Non-profits receive extra help from interns during busy summer months and they don’t have to worry about paying additional staff because Phillips 66 provides funding for interns’ salaries.”

 

CMA had four Phillips 66 interns working this summer, two in the Education Department and two in the Aquatic Nursery. Bailey Duarte, a 12th grader from Port of Los Angeles High School, and Cynthia Tong, a graduate from Arcadia High School, helped Education Department staff prepare for and teach summer classes and in the process learned a lot about public education and how to increase awareness about marine conservation.

 

Tobi Belk, a 12th grader from Loara High School, and Bryan Flores, an 11th grader at Mary Star of the Sea High School, worked hard in the Aquatic Nursery cleaning tanks, caring for the animals and educating visitors about what’s going on in the lab. This experience gave both interns the opportunity to learn a lot about marine biology, including a few things they didn’t expect.

 

"I got stung by a jellyfish when I was cleaning one of the tanks in the Aquatic Nursery, but that's a cool thing to tell people,” said Tobi Belk. “My family has been coming to the Aquarium forever and I thought it would be cool to find out what it's like to be on the other side and actually work here. So far, my favorite thing to do is feed the wolf eels, but I’ve also really enjoyed talking to people about the kitchen area in the Aquatic Nursery and telling people about abalone.”

 

Thanks to Phillips 66, CMA received crucial help during the summer from students who all shared a sense of professionalism and an interest in the ocean. As interns, students contributed support to CMA’s educational programs, research projects and animal collection. All the extra assistance from the LAR Summer High School Intern Program is extremely valuable and CMA appreciates everything the Phillips 66 Los Angeles Refinery does for the Aquarium as a great Corporate Sponsor.