“Here, you learn many things. You get fun, you get a friendly space, and you get a comfortable classroom. The adults here are always happy and trying to help us, and it’s really nice. School is not like that.
There’s not as much support. Some students are always talking and don’t let you hear the teacher, so we can’t learn very well.
Sometimes I’ve lost my focus and have tried to leave school, but many people—you guys and some teachers—told me that I have to focus in school even if it doesn’t make me money now. If I want to do everything I have in mind, I have to stay in school.”
// 18
// Strong, determined, smart
// A student at Wellestone International High School
// Becoming a business mogul
Showing off a business prototype for a restaurant and learning about digital marketing at web design agency Rocket55.
“I grew up in Mexico and immigrated to the United States two years ago. In my first language, I know how to describe everything about business. But in English, I didn’t know how to talk with customers. So I’ve had to learn many words about business, like pricing, management, break-even points.
I know that business is the calling for my life. I want to create my own business in my hometown in Mexico, so people don’t have to go to the city. I know that will be a smart idea.
The reason I work so hard is so I can help my mom. Because she is always working so hard for me and my sister, and for herself too. She has to support us, her job, and the job of mother. Cooking, cleaning, helping my sister with her homework, studying in school. It’s so much for her. So maybe someday I hope to buy a house for her. Not like in two or three years, but I will do it. I hope so.”
Digiteer Dan, Nila, and Moises working on a 3D printing file to create holiday cookie stamps for customers.
“The first day that I started working with Illustrator, it was very stressful. It seemed that everything I did was wrong.
My team was working with me the last time I was using Illustrator and Fusion 360, and I created a cookie stamp in two or three minutes. They said, ‘How did you do that?’ I said, ‘It’s easy, here’s how you do it.’ And they said, ‘Hey Moises, now do you see how far you’ve come?’”
Moises gained both technical and professional skills in his internship—and he didn’t have to pay a cent. In fact, we paid him a fair wage for his work each week, while he learned:
// Empathy
// Authenticity
// Collaboration
// Achievement
// Ingenuity
// Agility
// Fusion 360
// MakerBot
// Illustrator
// Project management
// Agile development
Rêve Academy’s student interns of fall 2016.
Become a digital volunteer and help our interns as they work on real-world projects. Or show our kids what an ordinary day looks like for a working professional. There are lots of ways to get involved, so don’t be shy—we can’t wait to meet you!