Name: Mona Kidder
Position: Career Pathways Program Manager
Location: Lincoln-King High School
Time at Cornerstone: 23 years
What do you love most about your job?
What I love most is building relationships with current and new Cornerstone Partners and friends to continue to discover new and innovative ways to build relationships with our high school students and alum; whether through internships, field trips, guest speaking engagements or career interests and opportunities.
What is special about Cornerstone?
Two things come to mind:
1. The people I work with make Cornerstone so very special. The entire staff, at each and every academy, work so well together and it’s easy to sometimes feel that they are part of my own family. You can count on everyone whenever you need them, whether it be a part of strategic planning, help with student transportation, student emergencies, testing preparation or database reports. Everyone prides themselves in their position and role and are always ready to assist and help.
2. The high school students that I have the privilege to serve are also special. They are humble, kind and appreciative of the opportunities that are offered; whether it be through an industry class, a career exposure, various training and certifications, internships, field trip outings or a chance to be part of the student audience for a professional guest speaker.
What policy/programs or best practices have you implemented (on your own or with a team) that you are most proud of?
I am most proud of helping to develop and manage a policy to measure the performance and outcomes of our Career Pathways students. This was achieved by developing methods to ensure the right field of career interest, the correct student ‘fit,’ and the growth and potential for success of our high school students that were part of the Internship Program. Routine interaction with students and corporate representatives, face-to-face meetings and interviews, progress reports, and measuring results, were just some of the components considered.