Hayes will work for Sen. John Kerry for two months
LaTasha Kioni Hayes said when she applied for an internship at
the White House over winter break she thought it was a long
shot.
”
I thought I would apply, but I didn’t think I would get it,
”
she said.
”
I guess I decided to apply just to see if I could get it.
”
Hayes, 21, is a junior at the California State University,
Stanislaus and is studying criminal justice. She is a San Benito
High School graduate and her family lives in Hollister.
Hayes will work for Sen. John Kerry for two months
LaTasha Kioni Hayes said when she applied for an internship at the White House over winter break she thought it was a long shot.
“I thought I would apply, but I didn’t think I would get it,” she said. “I guess I decided to apply just to see if I could get it.”
Hayes, 21, is a junior at the California State University, Stanislaus and is studying criminal justice. She is a San Benito High School graduate and her family lives in Hollister.
“I had to write two essays and stuff, do a resume and get letters of recommendation,” she said.
One of her college counselors, Wanda Benell, encouraged her to apply for the internship and helped her with the process. The hard work paid off when she was alerted that she was accepted to intern in Sen. John Kerry’s office for the summer. She doesn’t know the details of all her tasks for the two-month program, but she said she will be doing some basic office work such as answering phones and sorting mail. But she will also have a chance to listen to proposals on legislation related to foster youth and to collect signatures from other senators.
“Hopefully, I will make connections with people up there that I can write on resumes and I can help make the world a better place,” she said. “I will work on doing my best on researching the foster youth thing for kids, to make better proposals to help them.”
Hayes admitted she is a little nervous about being across the country in Washington, D.C.
“I will be all the way over there,” she said, adding, “But my dad says I can come home if I don’t like it so I am not that stressed out.”
Her father has plans to visit her though her mother Donna Hayes will not be able to go because of work obligations.
“It is a really big opportunity and I think it is a good experience,” Donna said, the day before Hayes left for the trip May 29. “She is really lucky [Kerry] selected her. He has a really good program.”
Donna added that one of Hayes’ younger sisters is a student at Rancho San Justo and will be going on a school trip to Washington, D.C., this summer.
“Maybe she will see her sister there,” Donna said. “We are very proud of her.”
Hayes said she is looking forward to see the city and going to all the sites, but there is one thing in particular she wants to do at the White House.
“I want to meet Obama,” she said. “Hopefully, I get to meet him.”
