Cruz Rivera, a 2024 alum of West High School, was more likely to prefer the quiet corners of the school library than the bustling hallways. A shy student, he escaped into the worlds of League of Legends and Marvel Rivals, but he also found joy in finding solutions to problems and doing individual work, and science and math were his strength. With the help of a Denver Public Schools (DPS) internship and apprenticeship, what started as a quiet pursuit of navigating the maze of college and career goals and life resulted in an incredible journey of self-discovery and purpose.
COVID-19 brought out the best in Rivera. As some students struggled with social isolation, adjusting to sharing working and schooling spaces with siblings and families and learning what the new normal felt like, Rivera dove head-first into the world of technology. He spent his newly-found free time building his first computer. This excess time allowed him to question, try, fail and try again—ultimately leading to success. Whether he was defragmenting a hard drive or routing and managing cables, solving complex puzzles was something Rivera enjoyed.
His interest in technology and science grew once he returned to an in-person school setting. West High School’s Career Navigator, Dianna Casillas, connected Rivera to the DPS Department of Technology Services (DoTS) during his sophomore year, where he spent his first semester as an intern during his junior year and the beginning of his senior year.
Rivera was reserved and quiet when he started his internship.
His mentor, Bryan Roos, remembered, “The first three to four weeks were tough. Cruz could not look me in the eyes when we spoke, but I figured it was because he is a young scholar in an unfamiliar environment. It took some time, but Cruz warmed up to the team.”
In a quiet warehouse adjacent to West High School, sit stacks of Chromebooks piled eight feet high. These piles are accompanied by a team of puzzle solvers, technicians and experts working diligently to diagnose each piece of technology. Among the stacks of damaged, broken and fragmented technology, you’ll find Rivera diligently studying each Chromebook and attacking each of them as a new problem to solve. Rivera not only found his calling but is now thriving as an apprentice in DPS’ College and Career Success Youth Apprentice Program.
As Cruz pulls up the data system, Snipe, he analyzes what parts he needs to repair the Chromebook sitting in front of him. Rivera was always intrigued with computers, “When working with computers, I like learning how something works. If I’m trying to solve a problem and am unsuccessful, I enjoy trying to figure out another solution.” Carefully maneuvering between the camera, the touchscreen and the top cover, Rivera ensures he starts the repair of each Chromebook the same way to minimize the risk of injury.
Rivera’s interest in computers motivated him to gain more experience and knowledge in the field while his mentor developed his life skills. After graduating from West High School in 2024, his confidence in the field and the connections through DoTS allowed him to turn his internship into a paid apprenticeship position.
Roos reflected on Rivera’s professional growth from an intern to a paid apprenticeship position during his senior year.
“The transition from MyTech Intern to MyTech Apprentice for Cruz was seamless because he was looking for a more in-depth and higher responsibility role on the team,” Roos said. “Observing Cruz evolve into a mentor and role model for the new interns was awe-inspiring because Cruz recently walked the same halls alongside some of our new scholars.”
Another former DoTS intern from Abraham Lincoln High School worked with Rivera when she was still an intern, "Cruz reassured me that it's okay to make mistakes. He also helped me become more confident and comfortable whenever I needed assistance or help from my team. This was the most difficult part of my time and my mentors helped me by improving my social skills and anxiety."
Eddie, a senior at Contemporary Learning Academy, was led by Cruz. “One of my favorite parts of the internship was getting recognized for doing things the right way and not getting yelled at for messing up,” he said. “Learning how to clean was fun, and Cruz helped me by showing me how to clean Chromebooks properly. He was supportive when I made mistakes and helped me get better.”
Rivera was invested in building the interest and passion of future students in the program which inspired the creation of the Cruz Armando Rivera (CAR) grant. He was able to collaborate with the DPS Foundation and create a grant utilized to purchase toolkits, uniforms and other supplies that the students could use during their internship and take with them at the conclusion of their experience. This effort gave the students pride, cohesion and incentive to join and remain on the team.
The confidence he gained from his internship and apprenticeship molded him to lead other aspiring tech students. He continues to learn, grow and develop his team of high school students seeking to find their passion in technology. His patience and diligence in supporting and working with students have given them a safe place to explore, try, fail and try again.
Rivera’s experiences through the Youth Apprenticeship Program were transformative. He now enjoys working with people and teaching youth is something he would like to continue moving forward. He is looking to pursue a career as a professor in Physics and will attend the University of Denver on a full-ride scholarship.
He will also pursue certifications through the Goodwill LIFT program where he will get his comp, cybersecurity and A+ certification, for free. His work with DPS has also been recognized by the Colorado Office of Work from the State of Colorado as he was named the Apprentice of the Year in 2024.
“My experience on the MyTech team helped me build confidence, provided the ability to learn from making mistakes and push myself to be the best I can be,” Rivera says. “The field I want to go into will have a lot of failures and frustrations, and the resilience I have built up during my apprenticeship and internship will give me an advantage here. My time with the MyTech team has made me more confident, more empathetic towards others and I've developed the ability to look at problems from different perspectives.”
Rivera’s journey led him from a shy and quiet student into a confident leader. Rivera is one of many success stories experienced through the Youth Apprenticeship Program. The DPS Youth Apprenticeship Program allows students to gain real-world, hands-on work experience in fields such as technology, financial services, advanced manufacturing and more for three years. In partnership with CareerWise Colorado, students will build industry experience while earning a paycheck and will also receive academic credits applied toward graduation. These apprenticeships allow students to gain technical and soft skills, giving our students a competitive advantage in today’s professional market. High school students can connect to apprenticeship opportunities through Career Navigators or complete the interest form. If you are a high school student or school interested in participating in the Youth Apprenticeship Program, email Diana Casillas Chavez or call 720-480-1299.