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The ASU+GSV Summit brought together incredible panelists to share how scalable youth work-based learning initiatives can help address workforce pipeline challenges. Leaders from education, government, nonprofits, and innovation sectors discussed strategies for equipping young people with real-world experiences that align with future career opportunities.

We are so honored to be part of the latest cohort of grantee organizations through American Student Assistance. Over the next two years, in partnership with SparkNC, we’ll expand Spark Teamship Statewide in North Carolina with the goal of providing all public high school students access to meaningful internship experiences.

Teamship is proud to be featured on the Innovative Models Exchange from Transcend. The Models Exchange is a source to discover inspiring learning models and the support to help implement them. We’re honored to be part of this library, offering innovation-minded leaders the resources they need to lift their students up.

Two Spark Teamship alumni were interviewed at the American Student Assistance Work-Based Learning Leadership Forum about their experience. Spark Teamship is a program by District C partnered with SparkNC, where NC high school students have a remote opportunity to work with real businesses to help solve real problems. These students are assigned to diverse student teams, paired with businesses and are tasked to pitch a potential solution for a real problem that a business is currently struggling with.

Marymount University will provide students across all three colleges access to Teamship. Unlike traditional internships, the Teamship model provides inclusive access for students who face barriers to conventional internships. It also develops in-demand skills like critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving in a scalable framework that benefits students and employer partners.

The expanded partnership marks the fourth summer that Wake County students will participate in Teamship, District C’s innovative real-world learning model that matches students with organizations to solve real business problems. “District C’s Teamship program has proven time and again to be a powerful work-based learning model for Wake County students,” says Jo Anne Honeycutt, CTE Director at WCPSS. “It is a natural fit in the CTE space, strategically helping students build durable skills–like teamwork and problem-solving–that they need for any future career,” she continues.

Another year is in the books. Since 2017, more than 7,000 students have had a Teamship experience, 575 business partners have provided problems to solve, and 354 educators have become certified coaches. Thank you to all the District C supporters out there. Without you, these numbers would not be possible. Here’s to even more growth in 2025!

Duquesne City School District launches District C’s Teamship program for 7th and 8th grade students. “It prepares them for a real-world experience, as they develop skills to help them with their careers,” says Adam Ryan, the program’s ELA teacher.

Dan shares how District C is disrupting traditional learning by fostering innovative partnerships between students and businesses. From developing essential work-based skills to preparing students for the challenges of the digital age, this episode is packed with inspiration and actionable ideas.

“We all have that common goal of creating that high-quality local workforce, but this is just a way to engage with students and make that happen.” Ashley Fahey, Teacher at MPS. Juniors at Reagan and Hamilton High Schools partnered with regional and local businesses, such as Johnson Financial Group and Northwestern Mutual, to solve real business problems through Teamship.

District C was featured in the latest American Student Assistance report: Building Bridges Between Education and Industry:  Youth Work-Based Learning as Talent Development Strategy.

Every Teamship experience is an opportunity for students to gain invaluable knowledge, connect with businesses to help them solve problems, and learn skills that will be in demand for the future of work.

In July, 21 students from across the state of North Carolina came together at North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics for a week to solve real problems for real businesses. Thank you to SparkNC and NCSSM for collaborating on such an incredible week-long program!

District C teamed up with The College Board in Denver as part of their new Career Kickstart program. More than 130 educators nationwide came together for a week-long intensive training. District C was a proud partner to deliver professional development to the educators in attendance. The training will help educators coach students on professional skills as part of the Career Kickstart pilot.

This summer, 61 coaching fellows went through the District C Coaching Institute, making it the largest one yet.

Sylvester Chisom interviews Dan Gonzalez and shares their conversation on how to balance technical and human skills for success, tackle real business problems in the classroom, and discover the power of Teamship in equalizing voices in team dynamics.

Hear directly from students on their gratitude and appreciation for their teachers and District C coaches.

Congratulations to SparkNC for winning the ASU+GSV Summit Education Innovation Showcase. We are so proud to be partnered with you on this journey bringing students of NC Teamship experiences!

Students today are not having the same experience their parents did when pursuing an internship. Co-written with NAF, we share how students are solving real-world problems and not running to get coffee.

What is CTE? Career and technical education, or CTE, prepares students for high-wage, high-skill and high-demand careers. Celebrate CTE Month today and advocate for more work-based learning opportunities for students.

In most conversations about education innovation today, skills are the “what”, and tech-enabled efficiency (increasingly powered by AI) is the “how.” A “skills-plus-tech” algorithm misses the relationships that ensure students have the support they need and the opportunities they want. That’s where District C provides a solution.

By intentionally creating diverse teams and integrating District C’s coaching philosophies, the students in Milwaukee Public Schools built psychological safety with each other to work through the business problem, establish trust, and take risks.

“In the next five years, almost every area of our lives will be fundamentally changed by advances in artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies.”

Last summer, 640 students in the state of North Carolina took part in Teamship – a reimagined internship where teams of students solve real problems for real businesses. Hear from students and business partners as they share their experiences in the Summer Career Accelerator (SCA).

First, what’s a mentored industry project? Dan Gonzalez, co-founder of District C, explains these projects and 3 helpful tips on how to coach students.