Transportation YOU
Since this committee's program is focused on the school year of our student mentees, summer is the perfect time to reach out to the Transportation YOU committee to learn about how to get involved for the next school year.
About Transportation YOU
Transportation YOU is a hands-on, interactive, mentoring program that offers girls and nonbinary persons ages 13 – 18 an introduction to a wide variety of transportation careers. Through the program’s mission to make a difference in the lives of young women and nonbinary folk, WTS’s dedicated volunteers and chapters provide lively programming and engaging activities to spark interest in all modes of transportation. Real-world professionals encourage students to pursue education paths that include classes in STEM, apprentice programs and soft skills – the stepping stones to exciting professional futures that can change the face of the transportation industry. The Puget Sound Chapter partners with three regional high schools: Stadium High School in Tacoma, Franklin High School in Seattle and Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle High School in Seattle. Through direct contact with schools in our community, we hope to encourage female and nonbinary high-school students in their endeavors toward careers in transportation and provide support through webinars, networking, field trips and scholarships. Participants are also eligible to attend the national Transportation YOU conference held in Washington, D.C. To learn more about the Transportation YOU program, please reach out to our committee co-chairs listed in the contacts section.
Contacts
- Co-Chair, Franklin HS: Lucia Rodriguez
- Co-Chair, Stadium HS & Capital Summit Lead: Emily Perchlik
- Co-Chair, Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle HS & Field Trip Lead: Jacilyn Hayden
- Members: Annie Johnson, Michele DeChabert, Natalie Westberg, Kelly Dunn, Iman Rejai
Volunteer / Involvement Opportunities
There are multiple ways to be involved in Transportation YOU. We welcome companies or organizations who would like to share their presence in the world of transportation by sponsoring or designing content that motivates students to learn more about opportunities in the field of transportation. We also organize an annual field trip where students get a first-hand look at working in the transportation field. Additionally, there are opportunities to support Transportation YOU students financially through making a donation to the Transportation YOU scholarship program.
A Look Back at Transportation YOU's 2025 Field Trip
Each year our Transportation You (TYou) program offers a field trip to students from our partner high schools for a hands-on experience to learn about a transportation topic and meaningful career paths in the transportation industry.
This year WTS Puget Sound was proud to collaborate with King County Metro Transit on a tour of Metro’s South Campus to explore electric bus facilities and learn about innovative technology. Watch the video to see how impactful this experience was for the students.
TYou is made possible thanks to the incredible support of volunteers and sponsors across the Puget Sound region. If you’re interested in hosting or sponsoring a future TYou event, please reach out to: [email protected]. Let’s keep building pathways into transportation careers!