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A Real World Business Experience Internship - Amber's Gold Award Project
Amber, a high school student passionate about business, realized how important getting real-world business experience was in a high school setting, but was a three-sport athlete at the same time.
Amber decided Roncalli High School needed to make job experience accessible for their students during the school day. Amber sought to develop a new business internship at Roncalli that would be available for years after that other highly-involved students like herself could benefit from. This way, future students with busy schedules like her would be able to juggle both classroom knowledge and real-world experience.
Amber explained, "Teen schedules are so busy these days that it is hard to balance sports, homework, extracurriculars, and a job all-together, so finding an opportunity to get a job-setting experience without leaving school was a way to solve a national and/or global issue."
Amber had to design the internship and present it to school teachers and board members before getting approval to create the internship.
Amber participated in the internship herself and reported that it taught flexibility, critical thinking, collaboration, and other important skills related to future success in the workplace.
After designing the internship and experiencing it first-hand, she was able to talk about the importance of the internship opportunity to the business department, school teachers, and board members to secure approval to continue this internship for years to come.
Amber also promoted this internship opportunity to younger students. To interested juniors at her high school, she showed them a presentation highlighting the importance of hands-on practical skills, and encouraged them to apply to the internship and other similar opportunities their senior year.
This internship was a positive situation for all involved because the business employees were happy to have help with their invoices and future business seniors will have an internship available to them in the coming years. Amber herself has gained many skills from this internship she is proud to take with her in the future, including valuable communication and decision making skills.
Amber was recently celebrated at a Gold Award Celebration event at the capitol where she got to meet Govenor Tony Evers and discuss her project with him. She and many other Gold Award Girl Scouts were congratulated for their accomplishments and recognized for their hard work.
Girl Scouts think towards the future, their own and others', and want a better future for everyone. With the Girl Scout Gold Award, many girls are able to take a topic their passionate about, a concern they see that isn't being handled, and they are able to dive into the topic themselves and address that concern. With this project, Amber better prepared herself for her future career while also paving the way for many other students with the same career goals. Amber and other students at Roncalli who work this internship will be that much more ready when they step into the business world.
Amber was recently awarded a $5,000 national scholarship from Girl Scouts of the USA for her Gold Award. She is one of 110 Gold Award Girl Scouts that received this scholarship.
“Amber and her project are the perfect embodiment of Girl Scout values. We at Manitou Council were delighted to nominate her for the $5,000 scholarship from Girl Scouts of the USA,” said Denise Schemenauer, CEO of Girl Scouts of Manitou Council.
“When I found out I received the Gold Award Scholarship, I was filled with so much gratitude. It was a good reminder that all my hard work and dedication to my community is not only appreciated, but others recognize it. The scholarship is helping me as I work toward my Business Administration degree, and I hope to keep making a positive impact in my community,” said Amber. “My Gold Award project taught me skills like confidence, adaptability, and the importance of always being there to help others. Even though my project focused more on behind-the-scenes office work, I learned that helping others doesn’t always have to be hands-on because supporting systems and structure also matter. I will carry these skills into my career, and I am forever grateful that this scholarship will help me get one step closer to my dream of helping others through the work that I do.”
Amber’s vision, heart, and ambition will leave a lasting impact, and her Gold Award will help provide students with real-world business skills while still in high school.
