Justice knew she wanted to explore the world of business.
“Last year I had an internship as a fashion assistant, which I liked…but I wanted to try something new. I looked up the Rêve Academy website and looked up what you were about. It seemed like a really good organization teaching people about things they need to know for the future—not just stuff in classrooms, but real world kind of things.
I wanted a job that was more focused on business, just so I can get my head around business and find out if I like it or not. So I felt this was the right opportunity.”
I am…
// 19
// Ambitious, creative, fair
// A graduate of Southwest High School
I dream of…
// Becoming a writer, producer, and director in Hollywood
Practicing interview skills with a fellow intern and presenting PicSlide, a digital photo frame that Justice developed during her internship.
She embodied the value of Authenticity.
“One hard thing was putting myself out there. It’s easy to be myself but sometimes I think about it too much, like if I do this what will people think? So that was hard, but after I knew that it was a safe environment, it was easier to let that down and let my professional and leader side out.
Just recently, my senior intern Hollis told me that it’s OK for me to lead and she doesn’t always have to be in charge. And I thought, ‘If that’s the case then I can shine even brighter.’”
Justice discussing her team’s business idea at Revival, a one-day accelerator for digital professionals in the Twin Cities.
She learned how to accept and even welcome criticism.
“I didn’t want to use Adobe Illustrator because it was really hard and I just didn’t get it. And all the guys in my group were really good at it, so I was just demotivated. But [Senior Intern] Hollis helped me step by step. She told me, ‘You actually do have to try to do the work.’ But because I had tried and failed, I was angry. Now I know I have to work on asking for help.
I feel like I’ve changed by taking constructive criticism in a way that’s not so personal. I’ve learned that it’s never personal, no one is trying to hurt me. They’re just trying to help me. So I try to use it to my advantage. I want them to see that I can make improvements and impress them.”
See the difference that Rêve Academy makes.
Justice gained both technical and professional skills in her internship—and she didn’t have to pay a cent. In fact, we paid her a fair wage for her work each week, while she learned:
Professional skills
// Empathy
// Authenticity
// Collaboration
// Achievement
// Ingenuity
// Agility
Technical skills
// Tinkercad
// AutoCAD
// MakerBot
// Project management
// Agile development
Rêve Academy’s student interns of summer 2016.
Help students along their path.
If you have a heart for students, we have a place for you.
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!