Summer Ambassadors

Discover a summer of growth and exploration for our Summer Ambassadors program

Destination Details

Welcome to our vibrant World Market destination! Get to know the heart of our SCUSD community through these local school insights and program highlights.

Program Managers

David Truong, Vanessa Reyes, and Donny Lewis – Your tour guides to the Summer Ambassadors program.

Destination Population

We have 85 students that are employed as Summer Ambassador's. These students work alongside our expanded learning practitioners at our summer sites and district office supporting the Summer Matters program.

Languages Spoken

English, Spanish, Pashto, Farci, Dari, Chinese, Vietnamese, Hmong, and Russian– reflecting the rich diversity of Sacramento.

Best Time to Visit

Monday-Friday from 10:00AM-4:30PM

What to Expect

Here, you will see our Student Ambassadors representing excellence through positive mentorship and campus support as they strengthen their own professional development! Additionally you will see student lead showcases of our Ambassador LIT(literacy) Summer Project!

Ambassador Literary Project

To combat the growing literacy crisis, our ambassadors were tasked with a project with the objective to improve reading and comprehension through various forms of educational enrichment. This was achieved in four stages:

Stage 1: Ambassadors were to craft a PSA regarding literacy. This was a short-form video, and its purpose was to spread awareness about the importance of literacy.

Stage 2: Ambassadors read books representing a plethora of cultures to students, and planned enrichment activities after the read-alouds to keep students engaged.

Stage 3: Ambassadors conducted interviews where they gathered student and staff testimonies.

Stage 4: Ambassadors culminated each step into a video.

Traditional Weaving Pattern

Spice Trade Mapping Exercise

Clay Market Stall Sculptures

Staff, Students, & Family Reviews

Voices from our Summer Matters community: hear from the students, families, and staff on what their visit to this World Market Destination revealed.

Maggie, Kemper

Student Ambassador, Martin Luther King Elementary

"Learned a lot about how to work with younger students".

Faith, Hui

Student Ambassador, William Land Elementary

"It means a lot being in my home school and seeing the incoming new students I’m going to see this coming school year".

Alamea, Coit

Student Ambassador, David Lubin Elementary

"Summer Matters as an ambassador helped me fix my schedule, gain more responsibility, and taught me that working as a group makes everything run smoother. My favorite moment was being able to lead activities or games with the kiddos.".

Angela Escamilla Vaca

Student Ambassador, William Land

"I learned a lot of things from the kids I learned new game and I made a lot of friends along the way".

Maddie Bienh

Student Ambassador, Mark Twain Elementary

"To me, being able to be given the chance of becoming a Summer Matters Ambassador helped me learn the importance of being there and showing up for students. It was something I would look forward to throughout the week because it kept me busy and it was something that I enjoyed. My favorite moments about the experience was creating a bond with the students and seeing them all happy when they would see us on sites.".

Dara, Her

Student Ambassador, Rosa Parks Elementary

"I really like working as a summer matters ambassador. I get to experience working at different school sites, learn to adapt, learn new skills and get the experience of working with students across many diverse backgrounds. As a rising senior, my plan was always to go into the psychology field and even though I’ve figured this out before starting working as an ambassador my freshman year, this position has further solidified my career path.".

Noelia, Medina Z

Student Ambassador, Rosa Parks Elementary

"My Summer Matters Ambassador experience taught me the importance of creating meaningful and memorable experiences for the kids. I learned that even small moments can have a lasting impact on them. My favorite part was building strong connections with the children, getting to know their unique personalities, and seeing them enjoy the activities we shared. It was rewarding to know that I helped make their summer fun, positive, and unforgettable.".

Riley, Thao

Student Ambassador, Nicholas Elementary

"I learned that work isn’t always about making money or just always work in general. It’s about loving what you do for work and actually having a passion to get up whether you’re tired or not and going to work and getting it done. My favorite moments was when I’ll come to work and the students were happy to see me. Another one was feeling like I had an ever changing experience in their lives. There’s way more but the last one I’d say is the students in general was my favorite moment just being able to be there for them, help them, also just interacting and growing with them. To end it off I’ll say working this summer as a student who is currently enrolled in school makes me see in a different perspective as in a different point of view. I feel like I have a better understanding of what the job of a teacher is and just being able to see that really made me have a different train of thought. Overall really it just had a positive change in my view and also makes me consider going into that work force as a teacher or mentor just something in that general area.".

Minah

Student Ambassador, William Land

"It meant so much to me, and I truly enjoyed every moment I spent there. It was a wonderful opportunity to have fun while also working throughout the summer. I loved interacting with the students, playing games with them, and building meaningful connections. This experience helped me step outside of my comfort zone, grow in confidence, and create many unforgettable memories. My favorite days were Thursdays because everyone came together to enjoy the games and activities. Overall, this summer was an incredible and memorable experience, and as my first time participating, I couldn’t have asked for a better one".

James *

Student Ambassador, Elthel l Baker Elementary

"Creating new memories and building connections with everyone"!

Ena Saephanh

Student Ambassador, Martin Luther King Elementary

"My Summer Matters experience was amazing. I really enjoyed getting to work with new kids at a new site. With the help of my program managers and other ambassadors, I was able to adjust really well at Mark Twain. I learned that everything takes time and will come out the way you wanted it to in the end. One of my favorite moments was getting to know the kids. After the first week of the program most of the students knew my name and would greet me which was really shocking but made me feel like I really mattered to them".

Mokua Nduati

Student Ambassador, David Lubin Elementary

"The Summer Matters Ambassador was a great opportunity to grow as a person as well as help my community. This summer I was given the chance to help TK-3rd grade school kids with a variety of activity with an emphasis on being given to literature. Helping these students with their reading skills introduced to the importance of reading as whole towards the future generations and how it enabled us to build the future to a better place for everyone. One of my favorite moments during the Summer Matters Program was reading to the 1st graders. I got a really good reaction as well practiced my public speaking skills as well help them with their reading skills".

Khoa Vo

Student Ambassador, Isador Cohen Elementary

"Well it was reading to the kids and having fun".

Vuong (Vex), Tran

Student Ambassador, Mark Twain

"Summer Matter at Mark Twain was an eye opening experience as it was a first time summer job and working at a school over the summer and I learned ways to improve my engagement with the kids. I definitely loved working with the kids on their literacy enrichment projects and seeing the kids be very actively engaged and excited to do projects. I also enjoyed working with the IAs and being able to bond with them over Summer Matters".

Aylin, Botello

Student Ambassador, Camelia Basic Elementary

"My favorite moment was teaching the kids something new about culture and their excitement with being able to express their culture. I learned how to maintain class attentive and under control and I learned to have fun as well. I met many new teachers and loved working with them. Overall it was a fun experience.".

Jacqueline, Castro Martinez

Student Ambassador, Camelia Basics Elementary

"It meant a lot to me I made a great impact in kindergarteners and first graders summer school, teaching them about the book was the best memory!".

Elizabeth, Duran

Student Ambassador, Caleb Greenwood Elementary

"I really enjoyed working this summer because I was able to meet a bunch of new people whether that was team leaders or new students. My favorite moment was interviewing the students because it allowed us to talk to students one on one and it showed us what type of difference we are making in the community".

Marley Lyles

Student Ambassador, John Cabrillo Elementary

"I learned how to work with my fellow student ambassadors, and how to deal with the students problems.I became a better problem solver. My favorite moment was talking with the students and doing projects with them".

Katherine, Justo Torres

Student Ambassador, Caleb GreenWood Elementary

"My favorite moments are being with the kids, helping them out and learn more about their classmates culture and etc ".

Kali, Tripp

Student Ambassador, Sequoia Elementary

"I got to learn how to work with the younger kids and how to handle different situations I didn’t have at my old site. My favorite moments were when the kids would run up to me and be so excited to see me. Working the summer has been the highlight of my year.".

Travis Sherfey

Student Ambassador, Hollywood Park

Magdalena Sherfey

Student Ambassador, Hollywood Park

"This summer was the summer where I got to really practice leading activities with the students and interacting with higher grade levels. My favorite part was when the kids were interested and actually participated in my enrichments and requested to do more. When you have a bunch of kids look up to you and willingly participate it makes you feel important and part of something bigger than yourself. And honestly it feels good to know that you have the power to positively influence some else".

Harry Yang

Student Ambassador, Woodbine Elementary

"In the Summer Matters, this experience had made me closer with kids that I worked with last year and seeing them again has made me gain memories. I also loved reading to the kids because it felt nice for the kids to listen to me. I would love to continue this job"!

Samuel Hernandez

Student Ambassador, Sequoia

"A wonderful opportunity to meet new people and and continue to work hard during summer learning new life experiences and skills getting to work on a big long project with wonderful colleagues".

Evalena Hernadez

Student Ambassador, Hollywood Park Elementary

"My experience meant helping others not only to learn about some of the world they may not have seen, but to help give others an opportunity to build a strong literacy going into their new school year. My favorite moments was the ones where I was able to build fun relationships and work together with on site staff.

Student Ambassador, Serna

Koryn Calvert

"My favorite moments were playing chess and going to schools to work with students".

Brenda, Vang

Student Ambassador, Serna Center

"During my experience this summer there was a lot of downtime, so I think something I found important was how to keep myself busy during slower times in the office. Another thing was how to make better relationships with coworkers, I lack the skill of teamwork a lot so this summer really helped me in becoming a more reliable and helpful teammate to my coworkers especially with the addition of coworkers my age that I had never met prior".

Yaelle, Lopez Gallardo

Student Ambassador, Brett Harte Elementary

"I like that I was able to be with the same set of kids for the most part and I was able to learn how from different activities I have yet to experience working at the previous job site I worked at".

Zakira, Khan

Student Ambassador, John Still Elementary

"Favorite moment was just working with the kids".

Miracle, Smith

Student Ambassador, Leatata Floyd Elementary

"What I learned from this program is how to work with children properly and how to be patient. Since i want to go into pediatrics, this also helps me towards my goal! my favorite moment was during the evening we would play volleyball with the kids !".

Santiago, Chavez

Student Ambassador, Suyu Elementary

"My favorite moment was working with my other fellow ambassadors this summer on the media project which was really fun working with them".

Roxanne Camacho Velazco

Student Ambassador, Susan B Anthony Elementary

"Honestly it was amazing working with the kids and my coworkers were wonderful. Being able to connect with them and help them during classes. It opened my perspective into how kids are now, trends, games and how they talk and respond to activities.
I have a few favorite moments but one of them was when near the end of the program one of the kids had accidentally copied my mannerisms and gave a little sass. I was stunned and just laughed a little because it showed how actively being there for them every day had actually had an impact. While it was a small moment I hope to think the youth ambassadors had impacted the kids with more than that and created an excitement for learning knowing that the people around them believe in their success. ".

Andrea Cruz

Student Ambassador, Camellia Basic

"With the Summer Matters experience I’ve learned a lot of valuable lessons that have made me grow as a person. I’ve learned patience, compassion, and to enjoy the moments. My favorite moment was when I was saying goodbye my kids all hugged me and hoped that I came back. Along with my class of kids asking me questions to try to get to know me".

Halani Jackson

Student Ambassador, Oak Ridge Elementary

"It meant a lot and was a great experience, my favorite parts were doing enrichments".

Lucky Vang

Student Ambassador, Susan B Anthony

"My summer matters experience to me means to be a good role model to the students that I work with, even if I do face challenges during summer matters. My favorite moment was being able to read to the kids as my summer project because reading to the kids is a great way for students to process and learn newer vocabulary and to understand how important it is to learn how to read".

Shredly Moua

Student Ambassador, John Still

"I learned that creating activities to help engage the kids before a reading is very helpful and also asking questions gets them more interested in the reading and boosts engagement. My favorite moment was being able to form a connection with the kids, teaching them to read, and leading activities for arts and crafts was extremely fun and I would love to do it again".