Summer intern continues work in county clerk’s office

Jacob Slaughter graduated from Mayfield High School last May and joined the Doña Ana County Summer Student Internship program in June, working in the county clerk’s office. The internship program ended shortly after the 2023-24 school year began in August, but Slaughter is still working in the clerk’s office.

“Jacob has a set of skills for what we want to do to connect to the community,” County Clerk Amanda López Askin said. “He’s been invaluable.”

Working as a temporary employee under the supervision of clerk’s office Communications Coordinator Cynthia Mendoza, Slaughter has created more than a dozen podcasts about Doña Ana County and the Nov. 7 local election the clerk’s office will coordinate.

Topics of Slaughter’s “Preserving History and Democracy” podcasts have included the Border Archives Bazaar, which the clerk’s office was a part of in September; candidate filing day in August; National Voter Registration Day; local election officials; the growth of Las Cruces and how it was impacted by the coming of the railroad; the 10^th anniversary of the clerk’s office issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, Shalam Colony settlers; how Doña Ana County got its name; and clerk’s office staff.

To watch the podcasts, visit www.donaanacounty.org/departments/elected-officials/clerk?locale=en and click on “Clerk’s Podcast” under “Clerk” on the left-hand side of the page.

“I saw what he was capable of,” López Askin said of Slaughter, so she put him to improve connections between the clerk’s office and the community it serves and to give residents unprecedented access to election information and county history.

“He’s bright-eyed and ready to take everything on,” she said.

“I’ve learned a lot,” Slaughter said. “I love the challenge.”

At Mayfield High School, Slaughter created videos for the basketball team and started the school’s Instagram program. Partnering with Dyami Provencio, he won second place in action sports editing at the Student Television Network 2023 National Convention; partnering with Camilla Flores-Cuenca, he won first place in digital cinema production (short film) at the 2023 SkillsUSA New Mexico State Leadership and Skills Conference and he was part of a New Mexico team that placed 17^th among 33 states in digital cinema production at the June 2023 SkillsUSA national conference.

 Slaughter also participated in Las Cruces Public Schools’ first ever “Tell the Story Film Showcase” at Cineport 10 Allen Theatres in May. The competition was the day after Slaughter’s 14^th and final cleft palate and lip surgery, so he showed up with a broken nose, a swollen face and not feeling very well.

“I didn’t want to miss my project on the big screen,” he said.

Slaughter grew up in Las Cruces plans to attend New Mexico State University and study film production. He’d like to pursue being as sports or concert videographer as a career.

Slaughter’s tenure in the clerk’s office will continue at least until after the election in November.

Visit Instagram @jayslaphotos.

“I am blessed and honored that I get to apply my talents here at the clerk’s office, and I want to thank our county clerk, Dr. Amanda López Askin, and everyone else who was involved in offering the temporary position,” Slaughter said. “I have been able to add to my work skills and grow as a person here at the clerk’s office. I am driven by my co-workers to keep being the person I am and to continue doing what I do best. Their energy and gratitude always puts a smile on my face, and that I value as priceless. Finally, I want to thank my supervisor who guides me each day, Cynthia Mendoza, who has been by my side to answer all my questions and has led the path for me to be successful.”