This summer, we hosted our first high school student through EXP‘s Summer Internship Program! A Southern California native, Payton Funk recently began her senior year at San Pedro High School. She is also taking dual enrollment classes at LA Harbor College, where she is focused on fulfilling the prerequisites for nursing programs.
Payton says she wants to earn a Bachelor’s degree in nursing because of her deep compassion for others and her strong belief in the healing properties of human connection. She saw this impact first-hand when her baby brother was in the NICU, and she realized what a huge difference she can make!
Over the summer, she had the opportunity to shadow various clinical roles at CDHC, while also using her background in fundraising and marketing to support the Advancement Department. She assisted before, during and after special community events, while honing her relationship building and presentation skills. She also witnessed another first-hand example through her baby brother when they scheduled an appointment with the Early Intervention Program. Payton said her brother truly benefitted from our gentle, compassionate approach, and “it was great that he got that experience because of my internship here!”
You can hear more about her experience with us in the video below featuring her remarks at EXP’s Internship Culmination. Payton was selected as one of five Outstanding Interns this summer thanks to her passion, drive and commitment to her future. We were so proud to watch her share what she learned with her fellow interns, their families and the many organizations that host them as part of our fellow non-profit’s annual program.
When she’s not focused on school, Payton says she can often be found at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor getting help as she prepares for college season. She has also gotten help with that from our college intern, Ali, who was in her same shoes not long ago!