We helped ‘Stuff the Bus’ with 3,000 lbs. of school supplies

Thanks to CPS Energy employees and my fellow interns, lots of students in our community are starting the school year with all the right tools to succeed. This summer, we collected a total of 3,048 pounds of new school supplies and $400 in monetary donations for Communities in Schools’ (CIS) annual Stuff the Bus drive. That’s more donations than we collected in the last two years combined. Altogether, it was a BIG load of supplies, but we had fun loading them up.

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Personally, I know how much of a difference these school supplies make. During my sophomore year at Edison High School, our family budget was tight and it was difficult to afford them. It meant a lot to receive a box of donated supplies. I started that school year ready to learn and got motivated to join Inspire U, a mentoring program offered by CIS and CPS Energy. A few years later, I became the first person in my family to graduate and go to college.

This summer, I had the privilege of returning for my fourth internship with CPS Energy and worked as a lead coordinator for the supply drive. I wrote a script and helped coordinate a fun video that involved team members, interns and executive sponsors Carolyn Shellman and Zandra Pulis.

I also shadowed team members in various roles. Overall, the experience made me a better leader and helped improve my communication skills. I am grateful to a lot of people, but I want to give special thanks to my mentor, Cristina Duarte. I will be returning to San Antonio College this fall with a better understanding of what I want to do. And, that certainly includes CPS Energy as a career destination.

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