How Facebook Just Gave Peninsula Teens The Opportunity Of A Lifetime

MENLO PARK, CA — If you had asked 16-year-old Dianne Vela seven weeks ago what she wanted to do when she grows up, the answer would have dealt with something in the field of psychology. But after spending six weeks in a one-of-a-kind program at the world headquarters for Facebook, that answer has changed.

"I always wanted to go into psychology, but now I want to go into computer science," she told Patch while attending the graduation ceremony for Facebook Academy on Friday in Menlo Park.

Facebook Academy provided Vela, along with 18 other youth all headed into their junior year of high school, the chance to work side-by-side with employees at the tech giant. She showed up for the unique internship program five days a week for the majority of her summer break from school.

While in attendance, the students were assigned to various departments, from technology, to events, to state policy. They also spent one day a week in a special coding class.

"It was honestly one of the most eye-opening experiences that I have ever had," Vela said. "I never have considered myself a technology person... I never saw the potential in myself, but coming here and to this program, I realize that I can do it. By taking the coding class, I understood it... it just opened a lot of doors for me."

Facebook Academy has been around for the last six years. It's only open to high school students who live in Redwood City, Menlo Park and East Palo Alto or who attend John A. O'Connell High School in San Francisco. Hundreds applied this year, but only 19 were selected.

"The origination of Facebook Academy came from meetings we had with community leaders in East Palo Alto and our local community to figure out what we could do when we moved in to Menlo Park to really give back," Juan Salazar, public policy manager for the community engagement team at Facebook, told Patch.

According to Salazar, the students are treated as any other Facebook employee would be treated, and they are given access to many of the resources and amenities the campus offers.

"They are the only students in the nation that when they go to college they can list that they are Facebook Academy graduates," Salazar said.

The students even got to meet with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

"Every summer we run Facebook Academy to connect high school juniors from our local community in Menlo Park and East Palo Alto with mentors so they can get experience working in the tech industry," Zuckerberg wrote on Facebook. "Congrats to this year's graduates and good luck at school next year!"

Students told Patch that meeting with Zuckerberg was one of the highlights of the summer.

"It was really cool!" Vela said, adding that the CEO was not intimidating in the least bit. "He made the mood of the room really comfortable, for us to be able to talk to him. He was asking us questions; it was an actual conversation."

Learn more about the program and hear from Vela and another student, Andy Pascual, in the video above!

Facebook's partner in the program, the Foundation For A College Education, provided the students with a $1,500 stipend to complete the academy.

Main image: Facebook Academy graduates hold their Certificates of Completion at Facebook headquarters on Friday, Aug. 4, 2017. Credit: Jennifer Leahy