Urban Alliance is by far one of the if not the most exceptional programs for DC public high school students. I have been a mentor with the Urban Alliance program since 2006. The program provides DC public high school seniors with the opportunity to gain professional experience at several outstanding private and public companies, agencies and organizations. Outside of the professional work experience, the interns get to learn about various industries on a broad scale and more intimately about the department that they work for. The benefits to the interns are obvious - professional experience, networking, acquiring transferable skills, learning professional conduct and attire etc. But as a mentor, the relationship that I form with the interns over the nine month assignment is priceless. Being with them along their journey to finish high school and get into college and learning more about each intern personally adds to the intern/mentor bond, helps me know the areas of growth in which I can assist and the most rewarding part is continuing to keep in touch with several formal interns over the years to come. The Urban Alliance staff is helpful, welcoming, knowledgeable and extremely easy to work with. I would recommend Urban Alliance to all DC public high school students and would encourage companies to become job partners in this fantastic program! Jeanna Wallace, Clark Construction Group, LLC