This month dozens of interns from Healthy Communities’ Comstock Youth Works (CYW) program attended a workshop outlining opportunities for careers in art and design. The workshop ended with a fun art project. Multi-disciplinary artist and college instructor Brian Schorn, who is the current artist-in-residence in Silver City, guided the exploration of art and design job possibilities which includes everything from jewelry, urban and industrial design to tattoo art, floral arrangement, and mural art, among many other options.

Brian Schorn operates the Alpena Community College Fine Arts Center where he teaches art and design courses. With MFA degrees in graphic design, creative writing, fine art photography, and electronic music, Schorn was able to give the teens many ideas for jobs in the art and design fields.

What is the Comstock Youth Works Program? High school students with CYW have paid summer internships at a wide variety of businesses and nonprofits across Lyon County’s 2,000 square miles. In addition to gaining job skills directly from their internships, they also attend workshops on career exploration and “life skills” such as financial literacy, teamwork, leadership, mindfulness, and resume writing. CYW interns are able to earn a flex credit for high school through the program. Employers the interns are paired with receive mentorship training, which adds an extra level of value to the experience. The program covers all of the employers costs for hosting the interns.

CYW is sponsored through Healthy Communities Coalition of Lyon and Storey Counties. Contact Ashle Doran for additional information. PHOTOS: