Inspire Youth. Inspire Learning. Inspire Change.
In and out-of-school time leaders take unique pathways on their experiential journeys, and these journeys are worth spotlighting! Turning to our field specialists, TEAMBOOST is proud to feature their stories centered in Career Inspiration and Insights. Our next feature is BOOST Leadership Team Member, Kristen Gonzalez (She/Her/Hers).
Thank you, Kristen, for sharing your story with the BOOST community! We appreciate you!
Career Insights and Inspiration with Kristen Gonzalez (She/Her/Hers)
Kristen is a proud BOOST Leadership Team Member and the Program Manager for Harmonium-Klassic Kids in San Diego, CA.
How did you get into the out-of-school time, expanded learning, or educational field?
The city I grew up in had a robust Parks and Recreation Department, and I began working at the city pool. Later, I worked at the city’s resident camp in Wrightwood, CA. When I decided to move to San Diego, I started working at a Boys & Girls Club, just as a part-time job until I finished college… I never left the out-of-school-time field.
A day in the life – what does your day-to-day schedule look like?
It really depends on the day! Mostly meetings in the morning and then visiting programs in the afternoon.
What time of your program year do you look forward to the most?
I always look forward to our Summer Day Camp Program! We have weekly field trips, guest speakers, and special events. It’s busy, and I love seeing the kids having fun!
How has support and/or leadership from others helped you get to where you are now in your career?
I have been pretty lucky that I have had multiple mentors at every step of my career. They have been invaluable to my development in the different roles I’ve had over the years.
Tell us about a goal you have for this school year. How will you know that you have accomplished it?
Two goals this year: maintaining student enrollment and keeping turnover low in staffing. I have been very, very lucky this fiscal year, and our team has remained intact with minimal need for positional rehiring. As for maintaining enrollment, I track each program’s registration and waiting list. At a moment’s notice, I know how many students each program has. I’m happy to say that at this time we have maintained our enrollment at all locations!
What motivates you to do this work?
Watching staff flourish and grow in their positions! I am inspired when staff I have worked with feel confident to take the next step in their career development. Knowing I helped them is all the motivation I need.
What is one of the highlights of your career? Why?
When I started in my current position, we restructured our summer program. In doing so, we were able to create a surplus of funds that enabled the agency to pay staff for the first two months of the COVID shutdown.
What’s the biggest mistake you made on the job and what did you learn from it?
The first time I prepared a budget, I thought I knew what I was doing. I ended up budgeting a deficit that equaled my yearly salary. I lost my job over the error. I learned the importance of always asking questions, even if you have to ask the same one over and over again in order to gain clarity.
What is the biggest challenge facing your program today?
Continued growth, especially when families have more than one option for care on their school campus.
Can you name a person who has had a tremendous impact on you as a leader? Maybe someone who has been a mentor to you? How did this person impact your life?
I have been very fortunate to have had many people walk alongside me to encourage, give advice, and help set me on course. It is really hard to name just one person!
Today for breakfast I had…
A Blueberry Bagel and Coffee