Public Utilities Employees Do Their Part to Support Local Youth

MEA members working for the Public Utilities Department are known for being a dedicated and hard working group. Yet even with the many demands of their jobs, they still find opportunities to donate their time and resources to others. One way that Public Utilities employees give back is by participating in the Partnerships in Education Program through the San Diego Unified School District. Each week, department employees travel to Sequoia Elementary School and volunteer their time by lending a hand to the teachers and tutoring small groups of students in the subjects of math, reading, writing and/or science. Over time, the volunteers have developed a rapport with the students and often serve as a much needed role model in many of the students’ lives. “One hour a week can make a significant difference in a child’s life,” said Volunteer Coordinator Skyla Wallmann, “and the school staff greatly appreciate our volunteer efforts”.

If you are an employee in the Public Utilities Department and would like to get involved, please contact Skyla at (619) 758-2371 or swallmann@sandiego.gov. No prior experience is needed and new volunteers from the department are always welcome and encouraged to participate. The City pays for the hour of tutoring.

If you work in a different City department and would like to get involved with Partnerships in Education, please contact the program’s Community Relations Department at (619) 725-5592. The program coordinators would be happy to discuss your department’s time and workplace specifications and can assist with selecting a potential school partner that would accommodate those needs.

Special thanks to Skyla Wallmann for her assistance and program profile.