Starting as counselor and working her way up to director, Yasmin Hernandez attributes her success over the past 10 years to hard work and determination. Yasmin gained experienced while using her education as a catapult to become a leader at Seminole Trails Elementary Afterschool Program. One of the reasons she loves working with youth is being able to share new experiences with them and help them to explore new interests.
Yasmin received Prime Time scholarships and been awarded incentives through the ACHIEVE program and indicated that these programs were beneficial as they helped her remain in her afterschool job even when she wasn’t making much as a counselor.
Yasmin grew to really love working in the out-of-school time field and knew she wanted to make it a career. She began taking courses outlined on the Youth Development Pathway to further her education. Yasmin started by taking classes at Palm Beach State College to obtain the 40-Hour School Age Certification that is part of Prime Time’s Non-credit Pathway. She then continued her coursework by following the Prime Time’s Credit Pathway that led her to obtaining the Youth Development College Credit Certificate. With School Age Professional Certificate, Youth Development College Credit Certificate and Staff Credential now part of her resume and recorded in Prime Time’s Out-of-School Time Registry, she is inspired to continue her education and pursue her Associate’s Degree in Human Services-Youth Development.
“Yasmin’s steady calmness coupled with her passion for learning and quality for afterschool programming will ensure continued success in her new role as director.” – Anita Winkis, Quality Advisor for Seminole Trails Elementary Afterschool Program, Prime Time Palm Beach County
“Just about everything we learn in the classes can be directly applied to our work with youth, from classroom management to cooperative learning.” – Yasmin Hernandez, Afterschool Director, Seminole Trails Elementary Afterschool Program
Yasmin stated that one of the benefits in obtaining her education is being able to accept higher paying positions as well as having the language to speak about the out-of-school time field in a professional manner.
“Prime Time has always been a big help for me and a great motivator. I know I would not have the education nor the director position I have now without Prime Time.” – Yasmin Hernandez
Prime Time offers career advising that is designed to provide professional guidance and empower practitioners to develop meaningful educational plans that are consistent with their academic, personal and professional goals. It is an ongoing partnership with practitioners to help them recognize and pursue their passions and to challenge them to set realistic academic and professional goals to ensure their personal success.
Are you interested in learning more about professional development and scholarship opportunities through Prime Time? Prime Time’s career advisor can travel to your site to introduce Prime Time’s professional development system, including the non-credit and credit pathways and the scholarship process. Contact us to schedule a presentation at your convenience!
Educational Pathway & Career Advising – Prime Time Palm Beach County (primetimepbc.org)