Winston-Salem Summer Teamship
This summer. 6 days.
FREE program for rising 8th-12th grade Winston-Salem/Forsyth County students.
Work on a team to solve a real problem for a real business.
Stand out on your college applications and resume.
Build skills in leadership and problem solving.
Build a professional network for future jobs.
Program Details
Schedule:
July 10 – 11, 15 – 18
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Program Sites:
Career Center
910 Highland Court
Winston-Salem, NC
Logistics:
Lunch provided daily
Transportation:
Transportation provided by WSFCS. Details to be communicated by WSFCS.
Added Benefits:
Certificate of Completion
$500 stipend upon completion
Attendance Policy:
Due to the fast-paced and collaborative nature of Teamship, students who are absent for the first day (Launch Day), last day (Pitch Event), and/or more than 2 days of the program may be removed from the program.
How Winston-Salem Summer Teamship Works
1 Diversify
2 Launch
3 Solve
4 Pitch
“One of the most important things I learned working with my [team] is the importance of being collaborative — to use each member’s individual strengths to brainstorm, prototype, and finalize our best ideas.”
“… it is not an understatement to say [Teamship] jump-started my career. I use the program’s skills almost daily, and it has impressed my colleagues and helped me stand out as a young professional … The impact of this program extends beyond the [program] — it is an invaluable resource for the rest of your career.”
“[Teamship] opens the minds of students to how the real world operates. It shows us that even at a young age, we can transform our current skillset to solve problems and offer ideas in effective ways.”
How Winston-Salem Summer Teamship benefits you
Reimagined internship experience
Teamship is a reimagined internship experience that sets students apart on applications for jobs and college.
Teamship work — pushing through the positive struggle that comes with tackling a novel problem, working with a diverse set of peers to achieve a common goal, using design thinking principles to develop robust solutions, and presenting ideas and solutions to real business stakeholders — gives students a set of real-world experiences that any college or potential employer will want to hear more about.
Growth
Teamship teaches critical mindsets and tools.
Technology has changed everything. In the digital age, information is at our fingertips. Memorizing facts and figures is now less important than figuring out how to make sense of overwhelming amounts of information to solve big problems and seize big opportunities. The world needs thinkers who can break down increasingly complex problems, doers who will persevere in the face of failure and uncertainty, and collaborators who know how to bring together diverse people and ideas.
Developing and leveraging these mindsets is a lifelong journey. Practicing these mindsets leads to confidence, competence, and the ability to effect change. The Teamship experience gives students the tools to get started and keep growing.
Diversity
Teamship is an opportunity to learn from and build relationships with a diverse set of peers.
The best ideas are informed by unique perspectives, and unique perspectives start with diversity. Teams are made up of students who bring unique skill sets, different world views, and personal passions and motivations.
Impact
Teams work with real businesses that have real problems to solve.
Whether it’s creating a plan to help a sports retail company improve its employee training practices, working with a fitness technology company to improve a new app design, or developing a strategy to help a local startup company recruit and manage a team of national brand ambassadors, the work is real. Regardless of the problem, teams engage in real work that has real consequences and the potential to make a meaningful impact.
Future Opportunities
Teamship provides engagement opportunities beyond the summer experience.
The mindsets and tools gained through Teamship can be applied in countless ways. Students learn how to communicate their Teamship skills and experience on cover letters, college essays, resumes, and in interviews. There are also opportunities to stay connected with the District C community through public speaking engagements and other alumni opportunities.
FAQ
Is Teamship right for me?
This program is open all rising 8th – 12th grade students from Winston-Salem/Forsythe County Schools. It is an opportunity for all students to build their teamwork, leadership, and problem solving skills. Skills developed throughout Teamship can be applied to any post-high school track, including college and other professional schools, creative endeavors, military service, entrepreneurial pursuits, and more!
How will the student teams be made?
Students are placed on an intentionally diverse teams that encourage diverse perspectives being shared throughout the program. When possible, students are on teams with students of a similar grade-level.
Wait, this is free?
Yes! This program comes at no cost to students/families.
Are meals provided?
Lunch will be provided daily.
Is transportation included?
WSFCS will provide transportation where needed. Details to be determined.
What are some examples of business problems that student teams have worked on?
The business problems are real, meaningful, and urgent. Here are some examples of businesses and the problems they’ve brought:
A sports retail company looking to improve its employee training practices.
A nonprofit looking to diversify its revenue sources to build a more sustainable business model.
A local juice bar and cafe looking to revamp its in-store traffic flow to improve customer experience.
A 100-year-old real estate company looking to unify its company culture across six divisions.
Do student teams actually propose solutions that businesses can use?
Yes. We survey our business partners after their experience. So far, over 84% of our partners report that they plan to implement, or have already implemented, at least parts of the solutions proposed by student teams.
Do students ever get hired by District C businesses after Teamship?
Yes! We’ve had multiple Teamship students accept follow-on internship and job offers with our business partners. In fact, over 90% of our business partners report that they are more likely to consider a student for a job or internship if that student has had a Teamship experience.