Central High School Students Impress at the 2024 Women’s Summit at Bryant University

Central High School students with the 2024 Women’s Summit at Bryant University featured speaker, Lisa Leslie, WNBA Hall of Fame inductee, 4time United States Olympian, ESPN personality, and Entrepreneur.

It was an opportunity for each student to showcase and promote their personal brand and the brand of Central High School. 

Moreover, the Women’s Summit gave the students the opportunity to network with over 1,000 successful women from industries as varied as banking, cosmetics, insurance, television / media, higher education, medicine, and more.

Mission accomplished!

Mr Cronin had many Summit attendees come up to him during the event to say things like

“Your students are so mature, so professional.”

“Wow!  I can’t believe your students have business cards and the way they greeted and networked with me was so impressive.” 

Rexella Bishop, standing before hundreds of attendees, asks a question to Lisa Leslie who immediately commended Rexella for the quality of her question.

Welcome to a Career in Medical Care

Some of the emerging, exciting, fulfilling jobs of the 21st century are in
MEDICAL CARE

Medical AssistantNursePhysician Assistant.  Sonographer (people who create ultrasounds,images, for pregnant women, as well as ultrasounds of the heart and other organs). Radiology technologist (people who use imaging tools like X-rays to examine broken bones to cancerous tumors. Radiology technologists are responsible for taking and reviewing these images and they deal directly with patients.) Biomedical Engineer (technology experts who develop “medical diagnostic machines, medical instruments, artificial organs, joint replacement parts and prosthetic devices” that improve the health and quality of life for others).   AND SO MANY MORE!

TODAY’S GUESTS ARE MEDICAL ASSISTANTS

from University Orthopedics who shared their personal stories and experiences in Medical Care CAREERS as well as their perspectives on the emerging IMPACT TECHNOLOGY IS HAVING AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE ON MEDICAL CARE.

from left to right – Medical Assistants: Jasmin Vinas, Ilna Fontes, and Nicole Giraldo

prior to the start of the Life Skills class, Central High School senior, Shermira Thomas, serves as the class host welcoming Jasmin, Ilna and Nicole outside the classroom.

Preparing for your JOB INTERVIEW

Nan Quinlan is a Senior Career Consultant at Transition Solutions. 

Nan helps job seekers get new jobs, how to protect and build an effective PERSONAL BRAND and

best practices for creating an effective resume and job interviewing skills and strategy.

Nan has

Nan visited our class today to inform students about best practices for a successful job interview followed by student role plays at a job interview.

Jessica Baquiax Bulus was the student class host today welcoming our guest, Nan Quinlan, to Central High School and our class.  Great job, Jessica.

Following Jessica’s introduction, each student approaches Nan to welcome her to our class with good eye contact, a friendly smile, a welcoming greeting and a firm handshake.  John Cuevas leads the class in a welcome.   Nan’s response after the class –   “an impressive group“.

Nan opens the class with a presentation on an effective strategy for a successful job interview. “Do your research on the country you’re apply to for a job.  Be prepared to ask a question about the company during your interview;  this will impress your interviewer you did your research and came prepared for the interview.   Ask people in your network if they know anyone who works there and ask  –  ‘what is it like to work there?’.  Make sure you know the job description of the job you’re applying for.  And, end the interview with a ‘thank you’ for the opportunity to apply”.

 JOB INTERVIEW ROLE PLAYS

Cosmetics Career / Jobs Interview

Today’s class took place because of Linda Lanuza Climaco‘s exceptional personal BRAND and her growing NETWORK of successful, influential people who want to help her with her growing interest in Cosmetics.

Linda (center) welcomes Tito Suarez (left) and Lydia Watkins to today’s class.

Linda introduces Tito and Lydia to her classmates to start today’s class.

Brayan Rodas Ibanez welcomes Lydia and Tito to class with perfect greeting skills – good eye contact, a smile, firm handshake, and a friendly greeting

Machine Languages and TODAY’S and FUTURE Jobs

Autonomous (self driving) carsFlying taxisRobot Maids and House KeepersVirtual Disney vacations.   Space ships to Mars.   TikTok, Instagram and other social media sites.  The Central High School elevator.  And, the apps on your mobile phone.

It’s the languages of machines that runs them all.

Katarína Lukácsy  

is a Senior Engineering Manager at Atlassian, an Australian software company that develops products for software developers, project managers and other software development teams with 8,813 employees in 13 countries all over the world.

Katarina and her team write the languages of the machines running your flying car, your mobile phone and so much more!

Katarina began the class by sharing her personal story from its beginning in the European country Slovakia to her career as a software engineer for an Australian company working from her home in Rhode Island.

Central High School senior Dinorah de la Cerda Cordon welcomes Katarina Lukacsy to the Life Skills class and exchanges business cards with her.   Dinorah has now added Katarina to her growing network of successful, influential, ethical, caring people.

Dinorah leads Katarina into our classroom to her awaiting classmates.

Dinorah introduces Katarina as her classmates stand to show their respect.

The Power of the Brand and the Influential Network It Creates

Adriana Dawson  –   a first-generation professional.  An influential, successful Latina.   A mentor.   A Director at an American multi-national, multi-billion dollar, telecommunications company. “I’m in the business of people.   Some of my earliest memories involve acting as a translator for my family and being sourced as a navigator for other newly arrived Spanish-speaking families. I quickly learned the power of community, activating as a connector, and using my voice to assist others. As an adult, I chose to leverage these formative experiences + my skills to continue the work on a larger scale to support greater societal impact and access…… I help co-create solutions, elevate voices and lift citizen design spaces that help inform corporate change-makers of unmet needs and business opportunities. My deep multi-sector experience and cultural fluency/insights enable me to broaden and accelerate outcomes.”

Adriana shared her inspiring story with our Central High School students today.   From overcoming an early mistake to a career of setting goals, working hard and never giving up to develop a respected BRAND and building a DIVERSE NETWORK of successful, influential people who guided her along the way.

Adriana Dawson –  Verizon’s Community Engagement Director for
the Eastern Region of the United States.

Jessica Baquiax Bulux welcomes Adriana to Central High School and her Life Skills class.

Jessica leads Adriana into our classroom to introduce her to her awaiting classmates.

Jessica introduces Adriana to her classmates. “Impressive introduction, Jessica. Well done.”

Donnell Lange leads his classmates to welcome Adriana to today’s class with eye contact, a friendly smile, firm handshake and a welcoming, sincere greeting as John Cuevas waits to do the same.

Adriana begins the class by sharing her story.

Donnell asks the first question to Adriana

While Cam Davis follows with his questions and interesting comments.

The class with an opportunity for all to network with Adriana. Angelica Delgadillo Guzman exchanges business cards with Adriana while Walvyn DePena Reinoso waits to the do the same.

John Cuevas thanks Adriana for taking time out of her busy schedule to visit our class.  Great job, John!  Confident eye contact, professional handshake and a sincere smile that welcomed Adriana to our class.

Jose Rivera Rodriguez thanks Adriana and exchanges his business card for Adriana’s business card.  Great job, Jose! Impresionante.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Story of Courage and Perseverance

Claudia Cardozo, Latina Immigrant, entrepreneur, consultant, author, mentor, and mother of a young professional.

Claudia advocates for self-acceptance and self-love. Having experienced abuse and neglect during her childhood and lived in a low-income boarding school, she grew up with a tendency towards self-criticism and workaholism. Now, she helps others develop a healthier internal dialogue, leveraging the wisdom of lived experiences to shape a better life. She encourages young people to critically question their thoughts and not blindly accept everything, recognizing that our thoughts are influenced by our environment and conditioning. By cultivating a GROWTH MINDSET, we can manifest the lives we truly want. More about Claudia’s journey at https://loveisthepath.org/

WHAT IS A GROWTH MINDSET –   A growth mindset is the acknowledgement that you most certainly have abilities and intelligence AND they can be developed and improved over time through hard work, continuous learning, and perseverance (grit).

Spanish:
Claudia Cardozo, Inmigrante Latina, empresaria, consultora, autora, mentora y madre de una joven profesional.
Claudia aboga por la aceptación y el amor propio. Habiendo experimentado abuso y negligencia durante su infancia, y vivido en un internado para jovenes de bajos recursos, crecio con un tendencia a la autocrítica y el trabajo excesivo. Ahora, ayuda a otros a desarrollar un diálogo interno más saludable, aprovechando la sabiduría de experiencias vividas para moldear  una mejor vida. Claudia anima a los jóvenes a cuestionar sus pensamientos y no creer ciegamente en todo, ya que estos están influenciados por nuestro entorno y condicionamiento. Al cultivar una mentalidad más saludable, podemos manifestar la vida que realmente deseamos. Más sobre Claudia en la página: https://loveisthepath.org/
¿QUÉ ES UNA MENTALIDAD DE CRECIMIENTO? Una mentalidad de crecimiento es el reconocimiento de que ciertamente tienes habilidades e inteligencia Y que se pueden desarrollar y mejorar con el tiempo a través del trabajo duro, el aprendizaje continuo y la perseverancia (valor).

 

Liz Acevedo Pimentel (right), aspiring interior designer and businesswoman, acts as class host introducing herself to guest Claudia Cardozo and to her Central High life skills class.  Notice Claudia is sharing her business card information with Liz after Liz gave Claudia her business card.

Liz accompanies Claudia into the Life Skills classroom

Liz introduces Claudia to her classmates to open today’s class. Notice how Liz’s classmates stand showing their respect to Claudia.

Walvyn De Pena Reinoso welcomes Claudia to Central High school with good eye contact, a smile and a professional handshake.   Walvyn De Peña Reinoso le da la bienvenida a Claudia a Central High School con buen contacto visual, una sonrisa y un apretón de manos profesional.

Claudia shares her inspiring personal story with students from an orphan in Colombia to a successful American business woman.

Alex DeJesus practices perfect personal brand development and networking skills with Claudia after class.

 

Young Entrepreneurs

Class Host, Central High School senior Dinorah Valentina de la Cerda (left), introduces herself to guest entrepreneur Zainabou Thiam and welcomes her to Central High School

Anthony Wilds and Zainabou Thiam. High School seniors. Risk taking entrepreneurs.  Hard workers. Time managers. Curious – no fear to ask questions. Business owners.  College bound.  Owners of impressive PERSONAL BRANDS and master NETWORKERS. Their message to our Central High School students –you can be successful. There is no secret sauce for success.  We’re doing what all successful people have done to become the successful person we want to be”.

Hope High School sophomore class host, Donnell Lange (right), introduces himself to guest entrepreneur Anthony Wilds and welcomes Anthony to Central High School.

Valentina introduces Zainabou to her Central High classmates to start today’s class.

Donnell introduces Anthony to his classmates to start today’s class.

Following Valentina’s and Donnell’s introduction of our guest entrepreneurs, Jessica Baquiax leads her classmates to welcome Zainabou and Anthony

Zainabou and Anthony begin to share their stories before answering questions from the class.

Liz Acevedo Pimental stands to show respect to our guests and then, with great eye contact, asks Anthony and Zainabou about their money management plans

NETWORKING TIME – Kapinga Kapanda introduces herself to Zainabou during the networking opportunity at the end of class and asks her questions about starting a business

NETWORKING TIME

 

 

 

Marta Aparicio Celebration and Networking Day

The Social Studies 2.0  – Life Skills class begins with student hosts welcoming and introducing today’s guests to the Central High School class:  Central High School Senior Alonnie Stoval introduces Marta Aparicio, former student of Mr Cronin’s Life Skills class at Hope High School and now United States of America State Department Diplomat serving in the United States Embassy in the Central American country of Honduras and previously in the United States Embassy of the Asian country of Laos.   Central High School senior, Chris Feliz, is poised to introduce Providence Mayor Brett Smiley to the class.

Central High School sophomore, Henry Pardo, introduces former United States Congressman NOW President of the Rhode Island Foundation, David Cicilline, to the class audience.

Social Studies 2.0 – A Life Skills program teacher, Stephen Cronin, opens the day’s class by reminiscing about his former student, Marta Aparicio‘s, numerous accomplishments:  her emigration to the United States as a 12 year old from the central American country of Guatemala, valedictorian of her 2010 Hope High School class, her full scholarship and her 3.45 GPA double major graduation from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., her Master’s degree from Columbia University in New York City, her acceptance into the United States Diplomatic Corps and the fact Marta Aparicio remains a hard working, principled, kind, and dedicated person.

Mayor Smiley congratulates Marta on her significant accomplishments while acknowledging her willingness to help others especially those whose journey is similar to her own, and closes by expressing his appreciation for representing the City of Providence as the person she is.

Rhode Island Foundation President, David Cicilline, reminisces when he recognized Marta’s significant high school accomplishments at the 2010 Rhode Island Hispanic American Chamber of Commerce Banquet and her internship in his Congressional Office while Marta was a student at Georgetown University.

After sharing her personal story from her Guatemalan immigration to serving in the United States State Department as a United States Diplomat, Marta Aparicio answers questions from the Central High School students.

THEN A CATERED LUNCH AS STUDENTS
NETWORK
WITH INVITED GUESTS

Estiben Calderon, Brianna Albizures Arevalo, and Reggie Castro network with Marta over lunch

Jobs & Career Day: Fidelity Investments

Today’s visit was to the sprawling, Smithfield, Rhode Island campus of the Fidelity Investment company, an international financial services company. The company was established in 1946.  As of December 2022,

the investments Fidelity manages for its clients has a combined value of
$10.3 trillion.

Fidelity operates a brokerage firm, manages many large mutual funds, provides investment advice to their clients as well as retirement services, index funds, wealth management, securities execution and clearance, asset custody, and life insurance.

The mission of today’s class was to provide

information on a variety of career options

working in a large, international, financial services company as well as an opportunity for students to practice specific like skills like

personal brand development, pushing out of comfort zones to
build networks of successful, influential people, storytelling, questioning, listening and observation,
and
meet & greet techniques.

Travis Escobar, Community Relations Manager at Fidelity Investments, welcomes the Central High School students outside of one of the main buildings (900 Salem) on the Fidelity campus

Students showed their IDs, registered and given identification badges at the front desk of the Fidelity building.  Security was organized and emphasized.

Chevalee Graham takes the initiative introducing herself to Mr Escobar and extending her business card to him.   Great networking, Chevalee!