Thousands of young people began summer internships Monday with more than 180 employers across the Houston area as part of Mayor Sylvester Turner’s Hire Houston Youth initiative.

The paid positions allow young people, ages 16-24, to explore opportunities in the private sector, nonprofit, and government positions relevant to their interests. Positions are available in many fields of study, including retail, restaurants, transportation, healthcare, construction, nonprofit, STEM, and government.

“It is a great day in the City of Houston when young people can gain work experience like this,” said Mayor Turner. “The opportunities in the Hire Houston Youth program are about more than a summer job. These interns are getting hands-on experience with companies and organizations that will help define their future career opportunities and shape our wonderful city.”

Most of the HHY jobs are in the private sector and with nonprofit organizations. The City of Houston also offers internships in many departments, including the Mayor’s Office, Department of Neighborhoods, and the Houston Police Department.

“In the future, I want to own my own company,” said Alex Butler, a UT student who is interning in the Mayor’s Office of Communications entering his sophomore year. “I think that learning to do the communications and things like social media, press releases, and all these other things that go into communicating with the people inside and outside of your business would be really beneficial to me.

Zarah Naqvi will be attending UH in the fall, but has already begun her internship, working under the Director of Boards and Commissions.

“At my age, it’s hard to find good work experience. I thought it would be a really good experience because I see myself going into law,” said Naqvi.

The Hire Houston Youth program has reached tremendous strides, growing from 450 positions in 2015 to over 10,000 job opportunities in 2019. However, due to the pandemic, HHY transitioned to a virtual “earn and learn” program in 2020. The move allowed its participants to train and work in a remote setting. This year, the program has filled more than 5,000 positions.

A Hire Houston Youth Career and Resource fair will be held virtually on June 17, at 10 a.m. Youth can apply for jobs by visiting https://www.hirehoustonyouth.org.

Source: www.houstontx.gov

After an almost year-long closure, the Children’s Museum of Houston finally reopens its doors on June 8. And the staff can’t wait to take your kids off your hands.

“It’s glorious for us to be able to see people again,” Keith Ostfeld (aka Mr. O), the museum’s director of technology and exhibit development, tells Houstonia. “Last summer, we didn’t get to enjoy it together as much as we wanted to.”

Every Houston parent’s one-stop-shop for educational fun, the museum pivoted to virtual programming during the pandemic (it opened briefly last summer with various safety adjustments), “but it just wasn’t the same,” Ostfeld admits. “We’re so used to talking to kids and families.”

Well, the wait is over for both youngins and staffers alike. And when the museum ushers in its young learners, those excited minds will be greeted by Sights Unseen, a brand-new exhibit that delves into the science of vision—both ours and that of the creatures around us.

While Sights Unseen dives into the physics of how the human eye translates images and sees color, it also explores how animals and insects perceive the world in infrared, ultraviolet, and polarized lights, allowing them to see hues we can’t even imagine, at speeds that’d make our heads spin. Plus, the entire exhibit is bathed in black light, so prepare to get your glow on.

“It’s not your traditional exhibit,” Ostfeld explains. “The human eye is fascinating, it’s amazing, but there is a whole lot we don’t see that other animals can. So, we want to take a look—pun very intended—at all the things we can’t see.”

But that’s not all the museum has in store. It’s also launching a “Fun Summer Vibes” series that’s filled with science demonstrations and workshops, guest entertainers, and themed events, like a National Ice Cream Day celebration, a Marvel superhero day, and a princess party.

Our goal is that all summer long, every two weeks, there is a different set of activities,” says Ostfeld. “So, if you come back every other week, you are going to encounter something different.”

Source: www.houstoniamag.com

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit Saturday from a group of Houston Methodist employees opposing the hospital’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

117 employees sued the hospital over its policy requiring staff to get the vaccine or be fired.

“This is not coercion. Methodist is trying to do their business of saving lives without giving them the COVID-19 virus. It is a choice made to keep staff, patients, and their families safer,” said U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes.

The judge also denied a request for a restraining order to block Houston Methodist from suspending the unvaccinated employees.

The hospital’s vaccine deadline was last week, and more than 170 employees were suspended without pay for the next 14 days after not complying with the vaccine requirement.

“In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs falsely claimed that the COVID-19 vaccines are not safe. With more than 300 million doses administered in the United States alone, the vaccines have proven to be extremely safe. The number of both positive cases and hospitalizations continues to drop around the country, proving that the vaccines are working in keeping our community protected,” Houston Methodist wrote in a statement.

Jared Woodfill, the lawyer represent the Houston Methodist employees, said they will appeal.

All of my clients continue to be committed to fighting this unjust policy,” Woodfill said in a written statement. “What is shocking is that many of my clients were on the front line treating COVID-positive patients at Texas Methodist Hospital during the height of the pandemic. As a result, many of them contracted COVID-19. As a thank you for their service and sacrifice, Methodist Hospital awards them a pink slip and sentences them to bankruptcy.”

Here is the full statement by Woodfill:

This is just one battle in a larger war to protect the rights of employees to be free from being forced to participate in a vaccine trial as a condition for employment. Employment should not be conditioned upon whether you will agree to serve as a human guinea pig.

We will be appealing this case to the United States Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court if necessary. Additionally, we will be seeking a ruling from the Texas Supreme Court in a similar case.  All of my clients continue to be committed to fighting this unjust policy.

What is shocking is that many of my clients were on the front line treating Covid positive patients at Texas Methodist Hospital during the height of the pandemic. As a result, many of them contracted COVID-19.

As a thank you for their service and sacrifice, Methodist Hospital awards them a pink slip and sentences them to bankruptcy.

If this ruling is allowed to stand, employers across the country will be able to force their employees to participate in a vaccine trial as a condition for employment. This legal battle has only just begun.

Ultimately, I believe Methodist Hospital will be held accountable for its conduct. Sometimes the wheels of justice move slower than we like.

Here is the full statement from Houston Methodist:

Houston Methodist is pleased and reassured after U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes today dismissed a frivolous lawsuit filed by some employees who fought our COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Judge Hughes wrote in his order:

“This is not coercion. Methodist is trying to do their business of saving lives without giving them the COVID-19 virus. It is a choice made to keep staff, patients, and their families safer.”

Also recently, Judge Hughes denied the plaintiffs’ request for a temporary restraining order to block Houston Methodist from suspending them. The vaccine deadline passed this week and 24,947 Houston Methodist employees have now met the vaccine requirements.

In the temporary restraining order, Judge Hughes wrote:

“The public’s interest in having a hospital capable of caring for patients during a pandemic far outweighs protecting the vaccination preferences of 116 employees. The plaintiffs are not just jeopardizing their own health; they are jeopardizing the health of doctors, nurses, support staff, patients, and their families.”

In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs falsely claimed that the COVID-19 vaccines are not safe. With more than 300 million doses administered in the United States alone, the vaccines have proven to be extremely safe. The number of both positive cases and hospitalizations continues to drop around the country, proving that the vaccines are working in keeping our community protected.

Dr. Marc Boom, president, and CEO of Houston Methodist said:

“We can now put this behind us and continue our focus on unparalleled safety, quality, service, and innovation. All our employees have now met the requirements of the vaccine policy and I couldn’t be prouder of them. Our employees and physicians made their decisions for our patients, who are always at the center of everything we do. They have fulfilled their sacred obligation as health care workers, and we couldn’t ask for a more dedicated, caring, and talented team.”

Source: www.click2houston.com