"The Mayor’s Youth Program has and is still, changing my life. The opportunity to work in a professional environment with an office full of powerful contacts has been beneficial. This program has helped perfect my professional dress, etiquette and work ethic. I’ve also learned how several different businesses operate and what they need to operate legally. Since I have been here, I have been nothing but a sponge, absorbing everything that I can. While working for Donna Dobbs, who is the Secretary to Greg Pridgeon, Mayor Shirley Franklin’s Chief of Staff, I’ve learned the process for legislation and liquor licenses fully. I have also implemented a new statistical system that the entire office has had the opportunity to benefit from. Learning how to use the program Time Matters was a very enriching activity. I believe the program has made me realize that work is work and that there is no room for playtime in the real world. My perspective of working in an office became better due to my supervisor, Donna Dobbs. Normally, I would have thought that working in an office consisted of just filing and busy work, especially for an intern. Working with Ms. Dobbs, I was able to learn how to accomplish projects at my own pace, which allowed me to learn the information at an easier pace. I am now a sophomore at Georgia State University with a GPA of 2.7."