Life Skills student, Gisabel Salcedo (far left in this photo) was one of today’s Life Skills class hosts welcoming and introducing our guests from the CVS Health corporate office: from left to right –  Gisabel, Vice President Inventory Management and Analytics, Donna Mumma (sorry, you can barely see Donna to Gisabel’s left), Senior Manager – Central Support/Item Group, Munish Argawal, Inventory Management – Planner, Oscar Martinez, Life Skills junior and today’s co-host, Manny Rivas, CVS Health Pharmacy Director of Inventory Management, Mike Martel,  Rhode Island College sophomore, Hope High Life Skills alum and a 2014 CVS Health summer intern, Jean Rodriguez, and  CVS Health Vice President of Inventory Management, Lou Mercado.

Today’s class featured this statement from CVS Health Vice President, Donna Mumma. “I didn’t know much about Hope High School until I met and worked with Jean Rodriguez and Antoinette Muhammed during their internships at CVS last summer. 

From that experience with Jean and Antoinette, I now associate their brand with the school they came from, your Hope High School, as one in the same – an impressive community of

hard working, intelligent, respectful and curious students who seek excellence.  I look forward to meeting all of today’s Life Skills students who are interested in applying for this year’s internship and working with those who are accepted for the internship.  And, I am confident and expect a continuation of the Hope High brand I have come to know from Jean, Antoinette and those of you I have met this year at Hope.  This is why all of us at CVS Health are so excited offering another internship to this year’s class of Hope High School Life Skills students.“

Nice to hear.  Donna’s statement about ‘brand’ reminds us all of the responsibilities we have to ourselves, Hope High School, the Life Skills class and, of course, our families in protecting our brand.  As Oscar reminded us today when he shared the story of his recent recruitment to CVS Health by Lou Mercado,

it starts with personal brand.

Oscar shares the story of his high school experience and his tough choices about who to have in his network.

A personal brand that connotes hard work, dependability (“on time all the time“), creativity, curiosity, respect and perseverance will create life time opportunities for success.

Mike Martel explains the details of this summer’s internship program as listed in his handout to the Life Skills students.

Following the CVS team’s presentation on the 2015 CVS Health summer internship for Hope High Life Skills students, networking among Life Skills students and CVS Health representatives took place.

Donna Mumma, Oscar Martinez and Mike Martel offer advice and clarification on the summer internship with Life Skills students during the post class networking session.

Jean Rodriguez (right) shares the story of his 2014 CVS summer internship with today’s Life Skills co-host, Gisabel Salcedo.

Donna Mumma speaks with Hafzat Akanni about communication opportunities with the 2015 summer internship.

Munish and Life Skills student, Fernando Perez, share their passion for computer programming and coding.

Two former New York residents, Lou Mercado (left) and Raymond Perez, share memories from their days spent in the Bronx in New York city.