MID Youth Ambassadors Hit the Streets

Safety Supervisor Jesse Rucilez and Youth Ambassador Shavail Hayden patrol Westlake Plaza

Each summer, the Metropolitan Improvement District (MID) puts out the call to local schools to fill positions in its Youth Ambassador program. This summer, five Youth Ambassadors have been paired with current MID Safety Ambassadors to provide services throughout Downtown Seattle. This year’s Youth Ambassadors are Tony Pina, Donielle Hatefield, Shavail Hayden, Levin Le and Schyler Ogans.

From delivering information on the Fifth Avenue repaving project to affected street-level businesses to answering questions from passers-by, the Youth Ambassadors gain valuable on-the-job customer service training for the future.

MID dispatcher Mohamed Hamza knows first-hand the benefits of the Youth Ambassador program, having served in the position himself. Hamza joined the program as a junior in high school. Upon graduation, he was hired as a full time Safety Ambassador, patrolling the streets of Downtown to provide assistance to a wide variety of community members and visitors.

MID Dispatcher Mohamed Hamza (left)  accompanies  Youth Ambassadors Schyler Ogans and Donielle Hatefield while on duty Downtown

Currently attending college to become an engineer, Hamza still puts in plenty of time with the MID and the Youth Ambassador program. When he’s not working the afternoon dispatch shift or studying in the classroom, Hamza can be found acting as a mentor to the current youth ambassadors or assisting with DSA's Out to Lunch concerts taking place in parks throughout Downtown.

“I like to help out with the Youth Ambassador program because I remember what it was like to be in their shoes,” said Hamza. “It’s fun to watch them come out of their shells and become more comfortable with their roles over the course of the summer.”