February 22, 2024 – The City of Charleston Mayor’s Office for Children, Youth, and Families hosted a special day of interactive job shadowing for students from West Ashley High School.

5 WAHS scholars had the unique chance to shadow professionals from various City of Charleston departments, including the Police Department, Housing Development, Stormwater Management, and the extensive Recreation department. This experience allowed the students to witness firsthand the functions and operations of each department they visited. The students who participated in this job shadowing experience were thrilled about the opportunity to learn about different career fields and gain valuable insights into the daily operations of these departments.

“It was an enriching experience that provided them with a glimpse into the diverse career opportunities available in the City of Charleston.” said Ms. Tameika Tisdale, CTE Career Specialist that assisted with the field trip. “We are grateful for the support and cooperation extended to us during this job shadow day, and we are excited about the potential career paths that our students may pursue as a result of this experience.” Ms. Tisdale added.

West Ashley High School student ZyMani Horlbeck shared her thoughts on her job shadowing experience, saying “I had a great time and it was nice to shadow the police officers and gain hands-on experience. I learned about the environment they work in.”

Thank you to Mayor William Cogswell for welcoming our students to the historic City Council Chambers at 80 Broad Street Downtown. And, thank you to Ms. Mindy Sturm with the City of Charleston Mayor’s Office for Children, Youth, and Families for facilitating a rich experience for our students, and future community leaders!