Startland celebrates our Third Cohort of Social Change Interns!
Capured and Edited by Freddie Cabrera
This fall, we launched the third cohort of our Social Change Internship - an 8-week program that challenges students to inspire, encourage and create social change. With design thinking at its core, high school students created, tested and pitched real-world solutions to social issues in their communities.
As part of this year’s cohort, Startland held its first Holiday Exhibition, where Interns had the opportunity to pitch in front of a live audience while enjoying some seasonal festivities. Check out some of the pitches below:
Final Pitches from our Third Cohort
“It’s That Time of The Month”
Fighting stigmas concerning menstrual health, Divine, Skylar, A'milah, Damarion and Carly are spreading an educational campaign during high school freshman seminars across Kansas City to teach about women's health.
Combating Food Insecurity
Honing in on food access in Kansas City, Chinecherem, Caleb and Kush are creating "food fridges" in small convenience stores for ease of access and low pricing.
One Step at a Time
Focusing on the mental health of teenagers, Emerson Kendal & Samiksha created a program for teens to work alongside others and aid their community through action-based therapy. Follow along with their project here.
Eye of An Immigrant
Returning to update audiences on their project from Cohort 2, Eye of an Immigrant spoke about their project’s inception and personal connections with immigration. Learn more about the project here.
GirlsLeadKC
A final project from Cohort 2 of our internship, GirlsLeadKC is a program that empowers young women for careers in politics. Learn more about their project here.
Curious about our past interns?
Check out pitches from all cohorts of our Social Change Internship here.
“What are you passionate about?”
Interns from our various cohorts came together to speak on a shared passion: Social Change.
Our Impact
“When I first started at Social Change Internship, I never realized that I would be able to learn so much about myself and my capabilities while also making an impact on people through teensforteaching. Weekly meetings exposed me to the entrepreneurial spirit and the mindset which taught me valuable lessons about tackling problems - being logical instead of emotional, as well as being more responsible. Before I met [my advisor], I struggled with communicating my ideas more efficiently and impact fully, however (thanks to mentoring sessions) I feel I have greatly improved in my communication and leadership responsibilities.”
— 11th Grader, Adlai E. Stevenson High School
“My experience in Startland has shaped the way I tackle problems. Whenever I have projects or assignments, I’ll think about Startland and how ‘to go fast, you must start slow.’”
— 12th Grader, Olathe East High School
“I've learned a lot about having empathy for others and their problems. Forming connections with the community is another thing that I have learned.”
— 12th Grader, Blue Valley Northwest High School
Photo Booth provided by Luxe Photos KC
Congratulations to our students for completing the 8-week internship!
We’re excited to see how they continue to pursue these ideas and turn them into reality.
If you know a student who would like to participate in a future Social Change Internship, please visit our application page.
Thank You to Our Partners:
Thank you to the following for contributing to our Holiday Exhibition:
Location Spark Coworking Kansas City
Harpist Brooke Knoll
Videographer Freddie Cabrera
Swag Sweatshirts Oddities Prints
Catering Love Is Key
Photo Booth Luxe Photos KC
Startland Cookies Sweet Petities KC
