Author: Marcus Miller
In the summer of 2015 I was hired as an Energy Specialist at the Oakland site. I didn’t know what to expect. I just graduated from high school and worked the past four summers as a camp counselor. I was a little nervous changing my summer work schedule.
I ended up having a great experience working for Rising Sun’s, California Youth Energy Services program. Working as an Energy Specialist was so cool to me! I got to go to so many different residents’ homes all over Oakland. I felt like I was really making a difference in my community. I really felt like I was making a difference, because our site office was located in East Oakland, specifically on the corner of 64th and International Blvd. I enjoyed directly impacting low income households. As an Energy Specialist we provide residents with a way to make their homes more energy efficient.
This summer I’m working as a LIFT (Leader In Field Training). In this new role, I am continuing to have a great experience. I would define this position as the glue of the site. As a LIFT my responsibilities are fulfilling various needs. Needs ranging from anything Managers might need to the things Energy Specialist might need. Although I’m not directly interacting with residents this year, I still feel like I continue to make an impact. This new role allows me to use my camp counselor skills I have developed. Since I was an energy Specialist last year, I act as a peer mentor for the Energy Specialist. I really like this new role because I can easily relate to the Energy Specialist. I feel like I’m growing and enjoy learning new roles through the California Youth Energy Services program.
