David is a current student at Oakland High School and East Oakland resident. David is no stranger to working hard to achieve his goals, as a student, Chef -Training intern, son, member of extracurricular clubs, and as a part-time student tutor after school. From a young age, David loved experimenting with flavors and working in the family kitchen, alongside his mother and father, who are immigrants from Vietnam. Seeking a way to hone his kitchen skills to further assist his parents, and for an opportunity to learn about another culture while doing so, David applied to the Chef Training program through Oakland Unified School District's summer ECCCO program. David enthusiastically jumped into work at his host restaurant, alaMar, alongside Chef Nelson German. David learned and grew his skills quickly, surpassing expectations in the alaMar kitchen, and was given the chance to work on main entree dishes after only one month on the job. He consistently asked for new tasks and lessons, and graduated our program with flying colors (and perfect attendance!) David's internship culminated with a thoughtful presentation at the OUSD Demonstration of Mastery event. David says, "I will be going on to college, and hopefully working part time for a small restaurant."