Summer Camp Volunteer Opportunities 2 Internship Opportunities 3-4 Volunteers Of The Quarter 5-6

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1 CITY OF PARKLAND VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER February Issue 2015 Inside this issue: Summer Camp Volunteer Opportunities 2 Internship Opportunities 3-4 Volunteers Of The Quarter 5-6

2 City of Parkland: Summer Camp Volunteer Counselor in Training Program The City of Parkland s volunteer CIT Program is for high school students interested in working with younger children between the ages of 5 and 11. Students spend eight weeks in training, programming and service, while learning to work together and gain a basic understanding of summer camp operations in a Counselor in Training Program. Students spend time working with the children at the Parkland Kids Camp assisting the Senior Counselors with daily activities and field trip outings. Students have the ability to receive up to a maximum of 335 service hours for their volunteer time in the summer program. Students gain a variety of experience and skills working with the children and co-workers at the camp that can be utilized for their future jobs or training programs. Many of the Counselors in Training return to the program as both Junior and Senior Counselors on staff in future summers. These become memories that last a lifetime! CIT Application Process The application process begins each year in mid-january for the Counselor in Training Program. There are several requirements for the students to be considered in the program that include the following; they must be 15 years of age, provide 3 reference letters that attest to their character, carry a cumulative GPA of 3.5, commit to the entire 8 week camp program, complete interview process, acquire CPR certification, attend staff training one week prior to camp and complete and pass a level 2 background check. Once students have completed the entire hiring process and have been selected, they are ready to volunteer at the summer camp program, which is sure to be an exciting summer and a great way to earn service hours. To apply for a CIT opportunity, please complete the online application by visiting Opportunities. After your account has been established, you can complete an application by clicking on the Create Application link and select Summer Camp-Counselor in Training. Please attach a copy of your reference letters, report card and current CPR certification. Once the application has been received, you will be contacted by a member of the Human Resources team and invited for an interview. For more information, please contact the City of Parkland at (954) Camp Sessions Mandatory Staff Training-June 8-June 13* Session A-June 15-July 10 (4 weeks) Session B-July 13-August 7 (4 weeks) Session C June 15-August 7 (8 weeks)* Extended Week Camp August *CIT s are required to attend the entire staff training and volunteer the entire 8 week camp program.

3 Summer Internship Opportunities The City of Parkland offers a unique and exciting opportunity to be introduced to the functions of City Government. The City of Parkland s Internship Program provides students and recent graduates an insider s view of local municipal government and stimulates future interests in a possible career in the Public Sector. This program works closely with academic internship coordinators at local high schools, colleges, universities and professional schools. The goal of the program is to introduce high school, college and university students to the many aspects of municipal government through public policy and management. The intern positions are designed to provide students with meaningful on-the-job training and experience while developing and strengthening professional skills in a work environment that enriches the academic experience. Interns will work alongside City of Parkland professionals and will have many sources from which to draw information specific to their courses of study while expanding their understanding of government. Program Overview The Summer Internship Program is a six-week internship where students will be placed in various departments throughout the City of Parkland based upon their skills and interests and will assist city staff on a variety of projects and tasks. Some of the participating departments include: City Manager s Office Finance General Services Department with the Public Information Officer Human Resources Parks and Recreation Planning and Zoning Development Services Library The Summer Internships dates are as follows: Session A: June 1st, 2015 July 10th, 2015 Session B: June 29th, 2015 August 14, 2015 Student Eligibility and Requirements High School Program: Be at least 16 years of age by the program start date. Be a City of Parkland Resident. Be a junior or senior in high school. Be able to commit 16 hours per week for six weeks for either Session A or Session B.

4 Summer Internship Opportunities Student Eligibility and Requirements College/University Program: College students and graduates interested in applying must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at a college, university or vocational/technical school, or must have graduated within the past two years from an undergraduate or graduate program. Be able to commit at least 20 hours per week for six weeks for either Session A or Session B. The Application Process To apply for an internship opportunity, please complete the online internship application by visiting and selecting City Internship Program After your account has been established, you can complete an application by clicking on the Create Application link. Please attach a copy of your resume or transcripts and select which departments you are most interested in. Once the application has been received, you will be contacted by a member of the Human Resources team and invited for an interview. For more information, please contact the City of Parkland at The City of Parkland will gladly extend letters of recommendation and certificates of completion to interns who demonstrate professionalism and proficiency throughout their assigned projects and tasks, School service hours may also be attained. Interns must mention their school credit intention on their application and interview to ensure timely consultation between Human Resources and their school.

5 Volunteer Of The Quarter Library Volunteers Selwyn Gafen has been a volunteer at the Parkland Library since He has been a steady presence at the Library since his arrival to the City of Parkland. His years of service coincide almost exactly with the 2003 opening of the Parkland Library s current building. His volunteer work at the Parkland Library includes shelving returned items; retrieving books on reserve; locating missing items; assisting customers in locating materials; and helping customers who use the Library s public computers. He has volunteered in many different kind of libraries. Some dating back to the early days when he volunteered at the school library that his daughters attended. Selwyn has an interesting background. He came to South Florida about twenty-three (23) years ago after spending his formative years in South Africa. He relocated to Parkland s Cypress Head community about ten (10) years ago, and has been calling the City of Parkland home ever since. When we asked what first brought him to the United States, Selwyn replied that America has always been his first vision as the land of opportunity. The job opportunities and the chances to advance his career as an accountant proved to be greater in America than they had ever been in South Africa. Selwyn is now retired and volunteers his time not only at the Parkland Library; but at Coral Springs Medical Center and the Chabad of Parkland. Selwyn says that he loves to volunteer because he likes to stay busy. It keeps him young at heart. He likes being at the Library because he has always enjoyed reading as well as being around people who enjoy reading and being around all the great books the Parkland Library has to offer. Volunteer Selwyn Gafen

6 Volunteer Of The Quarter Dylan Ceder has been a student volunteer at the City of Parkland Library for five (5) years. He is seventeen (17) years old and has lived in Parkland for about a decade. He is currently homeschooled and is finishing his senior year of high school. After graduating, Dylan looks forward to attending Florida Atlantic University next fall. Dylan is very passionate about writing, and he hopes to expand this passion further at FAU through a degree in English or creative writing. Eventually, Dylan would love to officially put pen to paper and become an author or journalist. Because of his love of reading and writing aspirations, Dylan thought the Parkland Library would be the obvious place for him to volunteer his time. Over the years, he has performed a variety of duties ranging from shelving and identifying lost items; to updating the library s bi-weekly New York Times Best Seller List flyer. Dylan also uses his customer service skills at the Parkland Library. In addition to calling Patrons about their overdue books and/or newly arrived requested resources either in print, reference, or media Dylan also assists with the circulation desk responsibilities. Dylan can answer the Parkland Library phone for any incoming Patron service requests and serve as a resources for fellow Parkland Residents. A self-motivated young man, Dylan is enthusiastic and extremely dependable. He is always generous with his free time and is always ready to volunteer extra hours when needed. He immensely enjoys being a volunteer at the Library, relishing the satisfaction of helping others and constantly eager to take on the responsibilities placed upon him. Volunteer Dylan Cedar Thank you Selwyn and Dylan for all that you do!! For all Volunteer Parkland! opportunities, please visit our website at: