Job Shadow Day at the Rockefeller Center

On April 5th, 2016, the Upper Valley Business & Education Partnership coordinated Job Shadow Day at the Rockefeller Center for two eighth grade students interested in government and public policy. Shira Hoffer from Crossroads Academy and Tallis Diehn from the Indian River School spent the day at Rocky. Several staff members took the time to talk with the students about their particular roles and how their jobs impacted the day-to-day operations of the Center in fulfilling its mission.

“Job Shadow Day allows the Rocky staff to engage with young students from throughout the Upper Valley in thinking about leadership qualities, and what public policy means to them,” says Public Programs Officer Joanne Needham. The Rockefeller Center has a history of participating in Job Shadow Day, and upon hearing that it would participate again in 2016, Program Officer Robin Frye said, “I am so excited. I love this program.”

At the end of Job Shadow Day, students have the opportunity to give a presentation to the Rockefeller Center staff on a subject of personal interest to them. Shira prepared a presentation on Women of the Wall (Neshot Hakotel) and Tallis spoke about Donald Trump’s campaign. “The presentations done by the students at the end of the morning are always a highlight of the visit,” says Needham.

In all, over 380 eighth grade students from ten different schools participated in Job Shadow Day across nearly 100 Upper Valley employers. 

In a thank you letter addressed to the Rocky Staff after the event, Tallis wrote, “I thought that it was fun to spend the day with all of you, and would definitely do it again if I could.”

Submitted by Doug Phipps ’17, Student Program Assistant for Communications and Student Outreach