At 16, Ryon T. wasn’t sure about his future life plans, but now he has some concrete goals: go to college, preferably at Sacramento State, and work in either journalism or law enforcement.

He is one of six high school students from Cristo Rey De La Salle, located in the Fruitvale district of Oakland, who were hosted by the Lab this academic year. Cristo Rey is known for its innovative corporate work-study program, which gives students the opportunity to work one day a week for nine months in East Bay organizations. 

The Lab was selected as Cristo Rey De La Salle’s Partner of the Year for the 2024-2025 academic year. The Lab was selected for “demonstrating excellence in developing tomorrow’s STEM leaders. Their innovative approach to student engagement in operations and support services has created a model for how world-class research institutions can meaningfully invest in next-generation talent development.”

“I’m incredibly proud of our partnership with Cristo Rey,” said Michael Brandt, Deputy Director for Operations and Chief Operating Officer. “Exposing these young people to the opportunities available at the Lab represents good stewardship of our community’s future. We believe in investing in the next generation and advancing the potential that already exists in our region.”

The Lab has been a corporate partner since the 2023-2024 school year, providing internships for students in several Operations and Directorate divisions. “When Cristo Rey approached us about being able to have students on site during the work day, we thought it was a really great idea,” said Faith Dukes, Director of the Lab’s K-12 STEM program. “Bringing in young people to not only learn about the Lab, but then go out and share their experience, and maybe consider coming back here as a future employee, are all the things we thought about when we considered the proposal from Cristo Rey.”

Cristo Rey students assisted several divisions this academic year, including the K-12 STEM team, Strategic Communications, Security & Emergency Services Division, Environmental Health & Safety Division, and Projects and Infrastructure Modernization Division.

Ryon T., a student intern working on the Strategic Communications team this year, said, “The partnership between Berkeley Lab and Cristo Rey has impacted me a lot. It opened my eyes to more than just what I am used to. I learned about all types of sciences, and I also met lots of people from different walks of life. This partnership has grown my interest in science and all of the other areas related to it.”

Mary Barnum, Staff Director for the COO, added, “This program aligns perfectly with our goals. We’re hoping to share and show younger people what a national lab is, what careers are available here, and how it could fit into your future life.”

Cristo Rey students will return to the Lab again in August for the 2025-2026 school year. 

For more information on current K-12 STEM programs, visit k12education.lbl.gov. The K-12 and Workforce Development and Education teams were united within the Lab Directorate this May. The new office will be fully operational in the fall.