Employee Profile - Focus on Youth

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Zaporah Stroughter and Jacquelyn Elizarraraz

Public Room/EEO
California State Office

Young people have several options when it comes to exploring the federal workplace.  One avenue is through the Student Educational Employment Program (SEEP), which has two parts, the Student Temporarily Employment Prorgram (STEP) and the Student Career Employment Program (SCEP).

STEP provides maximum flexibility to both students and managers because the nature of the work does not have to be related to the student's academic or career goals.

Zaporah Stroughter, a 2007 honors graduate from Monterey Trail High School in Elk Grove, began working for BLM in the Equal Employment Opportunity office through the Student Temporary Employment Program in January 2009.  A student at Sacramento City College, Zaporah aspires to become a nurse.  Slated to depart for the U.S. Air Force later this year, she moved over to the Information Access Center to fill in temporarily as a contact representative until her reporting date.  In the public room, she assists customers with mining claims, takes payments, answers inquiries over the phone and performs a variety of other tasks.  She likes going to church, shopping and hanging out with her friends.  She has two siblings and numerous cousins that are like brothers and sisters.

Jacquelyn Elizarraraz grew up in Clarksburg, California until she was 14 when her parents moved her and her two brothers to Elk Grove.  She is an October 2008 STEP hire in the EEO office, where she performs clerical tasks and assists the Fire and Aviation  Branch creating a fire recruitment video. Jacque, a senior at Sacramento State University, is working toward a degree in government.   A multi-tasker, as evidenced by her resume, she has held several positions at once while pursuing her degree.  She interned in the office of Assembly member Mervyn Dymally, 2004-2008; worked in the Associated Students Inc. at Sac State as  assistant to Vice President of Academic Affairs, 2005-2007; worked at Staples Copy Center, 2006-2008; worked as the intern coordinator for Legislative Black Caucus Foundation Summer Intern Program during the summers, 2005-2008; was the student assistant for California Department of Public Health, 2008.  In 2006, Jacque was recognized by the Sacramento Bee in a weekly profile on student interns.  she was also recognized on the floor of the Assembly for her her contributions as an intern.  When she has time, she enjoys listening to music and reading.