Dallas Elevators is one of the best programs that we have to offer for our teens here at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas. I love that it teaches our members character, while encouraging them to be active. Our members love Dallas Elevators. They love the gifts, prizes and especially the career shadowing opportunities.

Recently, I was privileged to attend a career shadowing experience for Malcolm Johnson with sculptor and designer Brad Oldham. I was very happy that Malcolm was able to attend the career shadow experience. Malcolm loves art. Whenever the Arts & Crafts department is open, he is always in there. And he is good at art. I felt that if he were exposed to more art forms, he would begin to see that art could possibly be a career choice for him.

I have been on several career shadow experiences, but I must say that this ranks near the top of my list.  It had nothing to do with any gifts, prizes or rewards that were received. It had everything to do with Malcolm. There is a moment in these shadow experiences where the member realizes that they would love to do “this” job everyday. The light comes on. Well, for Malcolm, the light came on and it was bright. His eyes were open to a whole new world of opportunities. The wheels in his head started turning and that touched me. Malcolm is an artistic person and the idea that he could do art and still make a living was great for him.

I was happy that I could be there to share in the experience with Malcolm and Brad Oldham. As we returned to our Boys & Girls Club, Malcolm had nothing but great things to say about his experience with Brad Oldham. Mr. Oldham really made an impression on Malcolm. He was friendly, kind and real. He treated Malcolm as an equal. He gave Malcolm value as an artist. And when the Oldhams wanted pictures of his bracelet to put on their website, Malcolm felt great.

I truly feel that Malcolm was positively affected by his career shadow experience. He kept telling me how great it was and how much fun he had. But I really knew when he was leaving for the day. He came back to me, hugged me and thanked me for picking him to go. That was the moment. That is when I knew that he would be different from then on.

Over the last couple of days, I have noticed a change in Malcolm. Malcolm is a quiet person, but I have noticed that he is carrying himself in a more confident manner. He is talking more about his bracelets, his designs and all his interests in general. I know that this has to do with his career shadow experience. Brad Oldham told Malcolm that he needs to be confident in himself and his work because he will hear no and negative criticism a lot, but that his confidence in himself is what will keep him going.
I want to say thank you to Brad Oldham and his wife Christine and everyone that played a part in this career shadow experience. When Malcolm is a renowned artist or whatever he decides to do, know that you played a hand in helping him get there.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank You.

On Wednesday, May 12, 2010, I went on a job shadow at Brad Oldham, Inc. with sculptor Brad Oldham. It was originally supposed to be another student with me, but she was unable to attend the shadow. I was able to have a one on one experience with Mr. Oldham. He showed me his showroom and a few pieces that he made in the past. He makes sculptures from steel, bronze, copper and resin, just to name a few. He has sculpted pieces that are displayed all over the nation. The most interesting piece he showed me was a four-story statue he made called “The Traveling Man”, which is located in Deep Ellum.

I was able to tour his workshop where he brings most of his creations to life. My assignment was to come up with 13 portal designs in a bracelet template. The pictures were about things I like. Mr. Oldham would then make a mold so that I could make my own bracelet from my template. I had no idea that I would be pouring the molten metal into the mold myself; or that I would get to sand and polish the bracelets that I made. After smoothing out the edges of the bracelets, I shaped and formed them around a rounded pipe to make them circular. Then, we added color to the bracelets with spray paint.

Mr. Oldham and his wife were both very kind. I discovered that sculpting is something that deals with both art and working with my hands, which is something I do. As we enjoyed a meal of pizza, I explained the 13 portal symbols that were on the bracelets. Afterwards, Mr. Oldham showed me a book full of the sculptures he and his team created. This job shadow was very interesting and it opened another profession that I may be interested in pursuing. I hope that next year, I am able to visit Mr. Oldham’s studio again.

P.S. Everyone at my school loved the bracelets. They all wanted one!

Mr. Nagella, Shadowing your career as a producer/engineer with Luminous Sound was insightful and allowed me to broaden my options on a career in music. The opportunity to see where the artists can come in and record their music, and seeing how music is digitally modified– such as matching the music with a visual, smoothing the vocal or acoustics, or something deemed as simple as removing breathing takes in between the audio was amazing. It was really great to see you open up projects.

Brianna Drones

Mr. Nagella, Shadowing your career as a producer/engineer with Luminous Sound was insightful and allowed me to broaden my options on a career in music. The opportunity to see where the artists can come in and record their music, and seeing how music is digitally modified– such as matching the music with a visual, smoothing the vocal or acoustics, or something deemed as simple as removing breathing takes in between the audio was amazing. It was really great to see you open up projects that you had been working on; I also thought it was really awesome to see another aspect of how music interplays with promoting the big scene. Overall, the experience was very hands-on, including having the chance to work in the recording studio and make a CD! This job shadow experience will aid me with forming a section of audio engineers to control the musical output of the performers when I open my own music venue in the future. Thank you!

Adrianna Cedillo

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My day with Dr. Downey was the most rewarding day. I may not have been able to witness a c-section, but Dr. Downey was kind enough to allow me to shadow him at his office for an entire day. I was able to get up close and personal with my career choice and I can honestly say that because of this experience I am most certain that this is the career choice for me. I want to give a special thanks to Dr. Downey for his insight on what I need to do to be successful in the future. Thank you Dr. Downey, you have been a great help in my choice and I hope I can shadow you again.

Photographer Tony Valdez was very informative in explaining the process of getting a degree and marketing your work to become a well known photographer. Since I’ve already taken a photography coarse in school, we were able to briefly skim through the basics and jump right into techniques that have the power to set you apart from others and give you a distinctive style. Be passionate about what you choose to do, don’t be afraid to try new things, and mistakes are only opportunities to improve.

Being on the radio station, The Mix 102.9, was the greatest experience of my life. I was in the actual booth with Victoria Snee and was able to ask her questions about her career. After I sat down and got on the air with her, we talked about where I wanted to go to college and where I attended school etc. I also learned how the station operated and a lot about the crew and what each person does. This experience showed me how interesting journalism can be. I enjoyed my time at 102.9.

I am a senior at Mesquite High School and I attended a Dallas Elevators job shadow with DJ Rock T from 97.9 The Beat! Rock T took me on a tour of the studio that broadcasts 97.7 and 94.5. While on the tour of the studio, Rock T introduced me to DJ Big Bink and other engineers, marketers and employees in different departments of the station. I also shared with Rock T my personal trials that I have experienced, and I asked him questions about the variety of artists that come to the studio. I also enjoyed him giving me some personal advice about how he has been successful and how to keep being successful. I learned today that if I keep a positive mindset, surround myself with other positive individuals, and exert positive energy, odds are I will get positive results in whatever I am doing. The most exciting aspect of the job shadowing was everything that I was able to experience. His advice and encouragement was very motivational to me. Not only did we talk about his career, we talked about life and how to live and be successful in anything that I do. Rock T also said he will continue to check up on me so I definitely do not want to let him down. This was a great job shadow!

On my job shadowing experience I met Dr. Bleakney at her clinic. She practices family medicine so I got to see different patients aging from 4 months old to over 80 years old. I learned about a lot of different sickness and problems from sinus infections to cataracts. Since I want to be a doctor, this was a really great experience to show me what the future would be like. I want to thank Dr. Bleakney and all her patients for letting me see everything today. - Jerome Hayes - ED BGC - Jr. DeSoto HS

I went to Gensler with my mentor Beth Kelly to job shadow the interior design world of today. I had such a great time with all the different employees and being able to see each department of the design industry. It was also an advantage to be able to shadow my Collegiate Steps mentor because she already gave me a background on her occupation. She has been a great help with my college search and career requirements, so I am so grateful for her. This experience has really made my career choice set in stone.

I went on a job shadow with Chris James, TI Facilities Engineer. A Facilities Engineer makes sure all of the electrical components on the building are working. He showed me rooms full of transformers, circuit breakers, and substations. He graduated from Prairie View University with an Electrical Engineering degree. We actually solved a problem while we were there. He took me out to lunch where we talked deeper in the subject. I am really considering becoming a Facilities Engineer. - GP BGC