New AI Club Fosters Innovation and Creativity

New AI Club Fosters Innovation and Creativity

by | Mar 23, 2023 | CWSP, School News

It’s Tuesday at 3:30, the end of the school day. A group of about a dozen CRSM students gather in a conference room to assemble, “Deep Blue” and “Angel Bot.” These are the names they’ve coined for the two coding robotic kits they are building. The idea is to gain hands-on experience and career preparation in Artificial Intelligence-related fields.

The students are among a group of CRSM students who have recently launched an AI Club that meets weekly after school. With the idea that curiosity sparks innovation, “the club was formed with the hope that the minds of today could lead to tomorrow’s breakthroughs,” said Brian Weinberg, Director of the Corporate Work Study program who supervises the group.

Emily, a CRSM junior who is interested in studying and pursuing a career in computer science, was the impetus for the club. She put out the call for members. During the inaugural meetings held this month, students have been working to assemble two coding kits. 

“In school we are learning all about the uses of robots in the medical field and all the ways AI and robotics are coming at us fast,” said Emily. “AI is going to be a big part of our lives and we wanted to get a head start learning about it.”

Although the club just began, the long-term vision for it extends beyond CRSM and includes preparing students for the workforce of the future.

“Not only are the students having a blast with this, but we are setting the groundwork for how they may be using AI at their work-study jobs and their careers after college,” said Brian, who is the staff advisor for the club. “It’s also so great to see the mix of participants. There are freshmen and juniors and an equal mix of boys and girls.”

The club is partially funded by a $170 grant from Scholastic Artificial Intelligence League (SAILea).  The grant was written by Amy with the help of advisor Weinberg and included an interview with SAILea officers. SAILea is a nonprofit network of high school AI clubs working to educate the next generation of AI aficionados and foster community around one of the world’s most enticing technologies. The group is missioned: “to spread AI to every high school in America.” A $215 club fee from CRSM, helped support the almost $400 cost for the two robot kits.

“The group also is about having fun,” says Amy. Club members are hoping to sponsor a movie night with Student Council and have a snowball making machine. “Plus, we are going to put eyelashes on the robots,” she adds. Next fall, members of the AI Club will have the opportunity to participate in Abbott Laboratories on-site robotics club. Abbott is one of CRSM’s work-study partners. Its robotics club is one of several opportunities the pharmaceutical giant offers to support tomorrow’s inventors and innovators and ignite a passion for STEM careers.

Corporate Work Study Program Returns to Full Speed

Corporate Work Study Program Returns to Full Speed

by | Aug 22, 2022 | CWSP

Modeling CRSM’s strategic plan to “Survive, Revive and Thrive,” the CRSM Corporate Work Study Program hit the ground running this school year. Almost all the 407 students with business and nonprofit partners. Freshmen spent the last week boarding vans to banks, community organizations, financial and business service firms, hospitals, medical offices and dozens of organizations throughout the Chicago area and Wisconsin.

This year, students will travel in vans with student workers headed west to Antioch and down to Rosemont, south as far as the city of Chicago, Evanston, Skokie, throughout Lake County and north to Kenosha and Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin.

“We already have two percent more paying jobs at this point than we had the last school year and expect to jump to 10 percent by the end of September,” says Brian Weinberg, Director of the Corporate Work Student Program. “Our biggest accomplishment is that 404 of our 407 students have job assignments.”

The roster of business partners includes some exciting return companies (who had put jobs on hold during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic) such as: W.W. Grainger and Woodland Foods and new partners, including: Milwaukee Avenue Eye Center, Kohl’s Children’s Museum, Twain School, Beacon Place, Gigi’s Playhouse, Waukegan Housing Authority and Bluff History Museum.

While the back-to-work rush is on, the hard work of the department was unwavering throughout the summer.

Dozens of organizations’ leaders attended a “Business Partner Kickoff” Aug. 10 and area business partner volunteers and the CWSP staff spent four weeks prepping freshman to enter the workplace.

“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the CWSP program never stops adapting and innovating to meet the needs of partners and prepare students to be flexible, agile, and technologically savvy,” says Weinberg. “And the program will continue to adapt to meet the needs of the changing workplace.”

Contact Brian Weinberg if your company needs reliable remote workers at: (224) 587-7337 or brianweinberg@cristoreystmartin.org.

Alumna Lauded as Business “Rookie of the Year”

Alumna Lauded as Business “Rookie of the Year”

by | Jan 31, 2022 | Alumni Spotlight

At 15 years old, Samantha Bahena made a pledge: “I want to be that one out of 10 students in Waukegan who goes to college,” which at the time was the trajectory. The 22-year-old CRSM Class of ’17 grad recently was named “Rookie of the Year,” at Advanced Resources where she works full-time as she completes her final semester at National Louis University. She is certainly poised to be the first in her family to graduate from college in June.

Balancing a full-time job and college is not an easy feat, but Samantha is no stranger to hard work.

When she graduates this summer, she will already have six years of recruiting experience, specializing in the placement of temporary and contract-to-hire office operations professionals. Since she was in high school, she began as a Staffing Coordinator intern, then transitioned to Recruiter for their Northbrook-based firm as part of her Corporate Work Study program. Today, she’s a full-time employee as a Consultant Engagement Associate. “Confident, well-spoken, very determined,” these are all words chosen to describe her since she joined the firm.

“Since coming into our organization, as a Sophomore at Cristo Rey, Sam Bahena has been an incredible asset to her team,” says her boss, Brian Brooke, Managing Director. “Sam has a desire that cannot be taught. She has taken that desire and has been humble, determined and extremely hard working in her progression at Advanced Resources. Starting as an intern, she earned the opportunity to do more complex and important tasks before finally becoming a recruiter in early 2021.”

He adds: “Sam parlayed that experience and desire into becoming the Rookie of the Year in 2021 for the whole organization. Sam has an incredibly bright future and I have no doubt that she will be successful in whatever she puts her mind to.”

“Working full-time and going to college is stressful for sure, but I know it will pay off in the long run,” she says.

It’s a lesson she learned at CRSM. “I saw that you had to put in all you can to be successful,” she says. “I’m pretty self-driven and competitive so I push myself and have friendly competitions with my co-workers. I am honored to have been recognized as Rookie of the Year. I want to thank Advanced Resources for the recognition, and for their constant support.”

As one of Advanced Resources’ 600 team members, Samantha has her eye on moving up the corporate ladder with her next win, a director’s title. In 10 years, she says she wants to be working, “have a home and two kids,” and get her Master’s degree.

Her advice for CRSM students:

“Be open to learning as much as you can,” Samantha says. “Be yourself, speak your mind and have confidence you can achieve your dreams. It’s hard for me to believe I was 15 years old working in a corporate job. But you can do anything you work hard for.”

 
Winning the COVID-19 Corporate Work Shuffle

Winning the COVID-19 Corporate Work Shuffle

by | Aug 30, 2021 | CWSP

It is no small feat, the business of keeping 400 student-workers on-the-job because many corporations are still working remotely and cannot have students come in for internships. But, through pivoting, innovating and firm resolve; 94% of students have been placed in jobs for the 2021-22 school year.

“This is a huge testament to the great work our corporate work study program team has done,” says Dr. Michael Odiotti, principal. The ranks of working students are up 40 percent from last year when the pandemic walloped the workforce.

“Pivoting and meticulous protocols were put in action from the earliest days of the pandemic,” says Brian Weinberg, Director of the Corporate Work Study. “The program continues to adapt, innovate and meet the needs of our partners and prepare our students to be flexible, agile and experience meaningful work.”

Many of the loyal standby companies, Abbott, AbbVie and Discover Financial Services, are on board again this year, along with a host of non-profits, arts centers and elementary schools who are providing jobs for the students. These include: The American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities. (AAAASF), the Evanston Arts Center and the Ragdale Foundation.

In an effort to provide onsite support to students who are working remotely, CRSM has transformed its chapel into a corporate board room of sorts with about 30 students checking in daily for their nine-to-five offsite work experience. More students are scattered in conference rooms and any available space throughout the Waukegan school.

Discover came to the school to train the more than 20 students who work with them on how to work remotely and gave them all company laptops.

“We adapted to provide a professional environment for students to do their jobs knowing from last year about that the challenges of working from home, the distractions and the limited WIFI,” says Weinberg.

Over the summer, a handful of employers including Abbott, AbbVie, Baxter International Inc., Hollister Co., Snap-on Credit, First Midwest Bank. ABIS and ITW employed 45 students full-time.

Through the Corporate Work Study Program, CRSM and Cristo Rey schools around the country operate on a unique model in which students receive a college-preparatory education and spend five, eight-hour days a month working at local corporations earning over 40 percent of their tuition. The internships take students out of their comfort zones, build social capital and experience interacting with adults in a professional work environment..

For more information on becoming a job partner with Cristo Rey St. Martin contact Brian Weinberg at: (o) 224-219-9724 (m) 847-769 -1751 BrianWeinberg@cristoreystmartin.org.

Championing Public Health: Alum advocates all people receive best medical care possible

Championing Public Health: Alum advocates all people receive best medical care possible

by | Aug 30, 2021 | Alumni Spotlight

Brian De La Cruz, CRSM Class of 2017, and a first-gen college graduate, lives by the words of Principal Dr. Michael Odiotti in his steadfast commitment to building a career in public service and equitable healthcare: “The gritty person has the ability to never give up.”

The past year was one that has brought numerous unforeseen challenges — the 22-year-old was called home to Waukegan to care for his mother, father and older brother who all were hit with serious cases of COVID-19 at the beginning of the pandemic. But, Brian, 22, graduated with a Business and Economics degree from Wheaton College and landed the position of Business Operations Coordinator for the American Medical Association (AMA’s) Education Center. It’s a position he strived hard for during his internship last year for the premier national medical association. The organization supports physicians, residents and medical students at every step of their education and careers.

In his role at the AMA, Brian works on the AMA Ed HubTM to provide high-quality education for physicians and other medical professionals so they can stay current and continuously improve the care they provide.

Brian is passionate about working to advance health equity and end healthcare injustices, to disrupt and dismantle the systems that aren’t working and reimagine and rebuild these systems to ensure justice. He’s already envisioning a 10-year career plan, a plan inspired by growing up in Waukegan.

“I want to elevate the needs of my community and center them in the discussion to improve their health outcomes”says Brian.

He knows firsthand about some of the challenges facing people living in Waukegan and towns where their zip codes thrust them into the crucible of racism and low socioeconomic status and produce harm and inequalities in education and deep-seated barriers to medical care.

This fact hit like a bolt of lightning during the last year when the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic revealed deep-seated inequities in healthcare for the community living in the 60085 zip code and amplified the social and economic factors that contribute to poor health outcomes. It was brutal watching his parents and brother battle the virus and struggle for access to treatment. Waukegan as the sixth hardest hit town in the state for COVID-19 cases.

“I saw firsthand what happens to people with chronic disease and the brokenness of the healthcare system,” he says. “I feel the need to champion the stories behind this unfairness and continue to shine the light on them.” Thankfully, all of his family members have recovered from COVID-19.

Grabbing on to the grit bandwagon

It hasn’t been an easy road for Brian, who is the first member of his family to graduate high school and go to college. He was a “C” student in middle school. That changed when he entered high school and was embraced by a supportive community of caring educators at CRSM who pushed Brian to reach his full potential, he says.

There’s no question, he says, that his perseverance and dedication to long-term goals took root at CRSM where he maintained a 4.0 GPA all four years, was the senior class president, a National Honor Society student and president of the Student Ambassadors. Through the Corporate Work Study department, he worked in the multi-cultural marketing department at Walgreens’ corporate headquarters throughout high school. During the summer before college, he worked as a full-time intern on the development team at College Bound Opportunities, where he was also a scholar his junior and senior year.

Brian feels called to give back and to serve others through ministry and volunteerism. He’s been a youth coordinator at Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe Parish and helped create the youth group at Kingdom Voice Ministry, when the church was just starting in Waukegan.

“Cristo Rey created a path for me to follow and now I want to do that for other young people,” says Brian, who serves on the board of directors for the Wheaton College Alumni Association. “I look back and think about walking into Cristo Rey and how I learned as a freshman in high school to carry on conversations with adults at work. I can’t imagine many freshmen are able to do that. And Dr. O. really inspired me that no matter how difficult things are, to never give up. As a first-generation student, the barriers to overcome were many, but with the support from CRSM and CBO, I knew I could dream big.”


Advice for CRSM students: “Dare to break the systems and barriers that get in the way of your personal journey.”