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Chino Valley Chamber Connecting Students to Local Businesses

“I reached out to the [Chino Valley] Chamber of Commerce hoping that they could connect me with some local businesses. That way, I could get more hands-on experience and really connect with businesses […],” said Sadie Lee, senior at Ayala High School.

Sadie Lee, Senior at Ayala High School/ Founder of Project UNITY
Sadie Lee, Senior at Ayala High School/ Founder of Project UNITY

During the summer of 2021, Sadie Lee could not find internship experiences available for high school students. Lee reached out to the Chino Valley Chamber in hopes of creating opportunities for herself and her fellow high school peers.

“I was unable to find or obtain such an internship because most require students to be at least 18 years old and already enrolled in college,” explained Lee.

When Lee reached out to the Chino Valley Chamber, Chamber President Zeb Welborn connected her to the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Ontario Chino Hills. Lee received a tour of the hotel and spoke with staff on the different careers within hospitality.

Zeb Welborn, Chino Valley Chamber President
Zeb Welborn, Chino Valley Chamber President

Chino Valley Chamber President Zeb Welborn shared, “The Chino Valley Chamber values the opportunity to be a resource to our community. By connecting students with local businesses, we hope to help the youth of Chino Valley develop the skills they need for a successful career.”

Lee is the founder of Project Unity, a community organization in the Chino Valley area. Project Unity aims to create an internship and job shadowing program for high school students by partnering with local businesses and organizations in the area.

Lee explained, “I think it’s important for students in high school to begin starting to figure out what they want to do, knowing what the reality is of certain jobs.”

The Chino Valley Chamber and Project Unity are partnering for a Career Expo & Job Fair taking place on January 14, 2022. Together, the Chino Valley Chamber and Project Unity look forward to bringing in local businesses to inform students on different career opportunities and job openings.

To learn more about the Career Expo and Job Fair, please click here.

To learn more about Project Unity, please click here.

To watch Chamber President Zeb Welborn interview Sadie, please click below.

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