APS employees recently participated in a youth leadership event aimed at supporting first-generation college students through hands-on STEM activities. The AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute, a non-profit organization based in the Valley, has been preparing Arizona students for higher education and personal growth for over two decades. As part of its ongoing support, APS contributed to AGUILA’s annual Summer Leadership Symposium at Northern Arizona University’s Flagstaff campus.
The symposium gathered more than 55 high school juniors and seniors from across Arizona for three days focused on personal and professional development. During the event’s ‘Dream Big Robot Challenge,’ a team of 12 APS drone and robot operators along with Palo Verde engineers guided students through a humanoid robot-themed activity designed to foster teamwork and problem-solving skills. Students also learned how similar robotic technologies are used by APS throughout the year to inspect power lines and equipment, helping identify maintenance needs before issues arise.
Rosemary Hernandez, CEO of AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute, highlighted the importance of community involvement: “AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute is focused on building confidence in our students and partners like Arizona Public Service and its employees at Palo Verde Generating Station are instrumental to our work,” she said. “Now more than ever, students need a place to belong and grow and they need others to help nurture their learning. It takes community leaders to make this happen.”
Jaryd Burt, Senior Predictive Maintenance Technician for APS who took part in the challenge, emphasized career opportunities within the energy sector: “We want these students to understand that some really cool career opportunities await them if they prepare properly – and we want them to know what an energy company like APS has to offer,” said Burt. “These young people are curious and bright and want to learn and we were there to support that. It is a good feeling to be able to contribute to their success, even in small ways.”
For many participants, it was their first experience on a college campus as well as exposure to careers in engineering and technology. Yessica del Rincon, an AGUILA board member who benefited from the program herself before joining APS as an employee, reflected on her journey: “Many are first generation college students and I was one of them,” said del Rincon. “AGUILA gives you the confidence and the tools to be bold about your future and it’s meaningful to see my teammates give back to this community. It’s a full circle story for me and I’m grateful to be able to come back as an APS employee and support Arizona’s future leaders.”
