Marana High School students and internship coordinator Alex Ruff are excited to begin the Marana 2.0 program.
While most high school students typically learn about the federal government in a classroom setting, Town of Marana is giving students the chance to learn more about local government issues in a real world setting.
Town of Marana and Marana High School are excited to kick-off “Marana 2.0”, a new program that provides opportunities for students at Marana High School to learn more about local government by providing internship opportunities in various departments within the Town. Ten seniors will work on projects in marketing and communication, special events, public safety, technology, administrative services, and town management.
“I signed up for Marana 2.0 because I wanted to be more involved in my community,” says Jenica Franks, senior at Marana High School. Her internship will focus on events like the Marana Cotton and Holiday Festivals. “Planning these events was my first choice when I saw the list because I’ve planned events before, and I want to share that experience with others.”
“One of the main goals of Marana 2.0 is to engage high school kids in local government,” says Internship Coordinator Alex Ruff, teacher at Marana High School. Ruff has played a major role in shaping the program from an education perspective and creating an outlet for his internship class to connect with the Town of Marana.
As part of the Strategic Plan, the Town seeks to deepen its relationship with Marana Unified School District, and this program represents a clear step in that direction.
Marana Town Clerk Jocelyn Bronson also has high hopes for Marana 2.0. “The intent of the program is to bring the youth voice into Town government in a more meaningful way than we ever have before.”
Over the next ten months, these students will be blogging about their experiences. To keep up with their adventures, be sure to check out the Marana Newsroom.
