February 8, 2024 By Idaho CDHD Welcome, winter 2024 trainees! The winter semester is off to a running start! We welcomed three new trainees and immediately put them to work. Not only have they been busy learning their new roles, but they’re hot off the heels of a trip to the state Capitol for Disability Awareness Day. More on that experience coming soon! Now that we have a free second, please join us in officially welcoming Maya, Emily and Juliana to the team. We sat down with all three of them to get their first impressions of being a student trainee at the CDHD. Maya Hamilton Degree: Exercise, Sport and Health Science Project: Healthy Active Lifestyles Welcome, Maya! This is going to seem like a silly question, but how long have you been working with us at the CDHD? Maya: This is my first semester here, but I am very excited to start! Excellent! And what drew you to apply to the CDHD trainee program? Maya: I wanted to apply ot the CDHD to not only challenge myself, but also to keep learning. I currently work at Moscow Mountain Physical Therapy and when it came to looking for my internship I wanted to find something new that will still benefit me in my future career. I believe the CDHD is going to teach me a lot and give me a new experience. What are some of the best parts of working here so far? Maya: I am excited to teach the Movement in the Park classes. I have been an athlete my whole life, so I’m happy to aid others in this experience. What are you most looking forward to in working at the CDHD? Maya: I am looking forward to building new connections and learning from a new experience! Emily Pearson Degree: Elementary Education Project: IdahoSTARS Hello, Emily! Welcome to the team. Now that you’ve had a chance to get to work, what are some of the best parts of working at the CDHD so far? Emily: Everyone I’ve met through the CDHD is so kind and helpful. The communication and accommodation have been wonderful. I can’t wait to get more involved in the team! And what drew you to apply for the student trainee program? Emily: Back in September, I attended the Disability Etiquette Training, which introduced me to the artAbility workshops. I attended a few workshops throughout the fall semester and really enjoyed the environment created by the trainees. I was impressed by the kind of outreach the CDHD does and I knew I wanted to be a part of it! Last but not least, what are you looking forward to the most about working at the CDHD this semester? Emily: I’m excited to be working on the IdahoSTARS project. Although it’s not my major, I have a deep passion for early childhood education. Idaho children deserve high quality ECE, and I’m excited to be involved in ensuring their access to it. Juliana Munoz Lopez Degree: Bachelors in Criminology & Sociology Project: Idaho SESTA Welcome, Juliana! Let’s start off with an easy one. How long have you been working at the CDHD? Juliana: I just started working at the CDHD this semester! I am currently getting settled in and getting comfortable with my current project. That’s great! And, what drew you to apply for the student trainee program? Juliana: I was introduced to the student trainee program by a former student trainee. I was very interested in applying after learning more about it from them. I am very excited to spend more time working here and getting involved with the community. What are some of the best parts of working at the CDHD so far? Juliana: I am enjoying how welcoming everyone is. Every time I feel confused or need to ask a question, I am able to find someone that’s willing to help. I also enjoy working on my current project in SESTA, which primarily, for me, is learning about captioning. I also enjoy interacting with the rest of the trainees and getting to know new people. We’re so glad you like the work so far. What are you looking forward to the most about working at the CDHD this semester? Juliana: I am looking forward to learning more about the different aspects of work the CDHD does. The Student Trainee program is providing me with the opportunity to have a lot of new experiences and I am excited to see how it goes. I hope to learn a lot during my time here.