For girls preparing for college and careers, knowing what comes next can be as important as knowing what they want to achieve. Through Girls Inc. of Metropolitan Dallas’ Project Accelerate program, participants gain real-world experience through internships, mentorship, career exploration, and professional networking.

This summer, four participants put those opportunities into action through internships at UWorld, the City of Grand Prairie, and Parker University. At a recent Rise & Shine event, they shared what they learned, the skills they developed, and how their summer experiences are shaping their futures.

Their presentations gave donors, corporate partners, families, and supporters a firsthand look at the impact of youth internships and career-readiness opportunities.

Exploring Careers Through a UWorld Internship

For Cynthia, her internship at UWorld offered a closer look at the careers involved in creating educational resources for students and professionals. During the internship, she spoke with professionals across education areas and learned how their work contributes to UWorld’s content. She also gained hands-on experience with social media planning, basic market research, digital campaign content, and social media engagement data.

The internship helped Cynthia see the range of career possibilities within one organization. She shared that it gave her “a spectrum of careers to look over” and “a better insight into what we are interested in.” Cynthia also described how meaningful it was to see the educators and professionals who help people prepare for the future, underscoring the value of that experience.

Discovering the Many Careers Behind a City

Sianna and Sara experienced another side of workforce development through their internship with the City of Grand Prairie. Their experience showed how many different careers contribute to a community. They shadowed city employees and learned about environmental health, public health, water quality, city administration, social media, and marketing.

Their days included setting and collecting mosquito traps, participating in health inspections, learning about water filtration, exploring Grand Prairie attractions, and collaborating on marketing designs. They also talked with city employees about their career paths and what it takes to do their jobs. The participants described being “greeted with warm smiles and open arms” and immediately given hands-on opportunities to learn.

Over the course of the experience, Sianna and Sara saw how careers in public health, environmental services, marketing, social media, and city administration all contribute to a thriving community. The experience offered them a chance to see professionals at work, ask questions, and experience different career environments firsthand.

Finding a Path at Parker University

For Madison, her internship at Parker University created a meaningful connection to her family history. Her grandmother worked for years at a Parker University chiropractic office, and Madison remembers her taking an interest in the work. Years later, Madison had the opportunity to experience Parker University for herself as an intern.

Her typical day included mentorship, networking, hands-on learning, and goal setting. She participated in a VR lab, attended a hooding ceremony, connected with Parker students, and celebrated her experience with the Parker community. When Madison reflected on what she learned, she distilled the experience into three takeaways:

“Trust your gut.”

“Find your path.”

“Help people wholeheartedly.”

Those words capture what Project Accelerate is designed to help participants do: explore their interests, build confidence in their own direction, and connect their goals with opportunities to make an impact.

Seeing Their Growth in Action

At Rise & Shine, Sherri Cook, Assistant Vice President of Community Partnerships and Workforce Development, saw firsthand how much Cynthia, Sianna, Sara, and Madison had grown. “Seeing these girls confidently share what they learned from their summer experience was incredibly rewarding. They were polished, articulate, and clearly proud of what they accomplished. We were captivated by their preparation and poise as they answered every question. We are so proud to see how far they’ve come.”

Their presentations showed that Project Accelerate is about much more than completing an internship. It lets participants practice communicating in a professional setting, build workplace skills, build relationships with mentors, and gain confidence in their ability to navigate the world of work.

We were thrilled to welcome supporters from Bosch, High Tech Rising, and UWorld, providing an opportunity for corporate partners to hear directly from the girls they help support. A special highlight was having UWorld’s Jackie Johnson attend to hear directly from one of the girls about her internship experience at UWorld. We were also grateful to the parents who attended and showed their support, including several very proud Girl dads!

Why Youth Internships Matter

Project Accelerate helps connect Girls Inc. programming with real-world opportunities. Through internships and workplace experiences, participants can:

• Explore potential career paths
• Develop communication and workplace skills
• Build relationships with professionals and mentors
• Practice working in professional environments
• Connect learning to real-world experiences
• Gain confidence in their abilities
• Discover new interests and possibilities
• Building Career Readiness Through Community Partnerships

For Girls Inc. Dallas, these partnerships are essential to expanding college and career readiness and workforce development opportunities for older girls.

Preparing Girls for What’s Next

Cynthia, Sianna, Sara, and Madison came to Rise & Shine ready to share what they had learned. What they demonstrated was even more meaningful: the confidence that comes from real experience, asking questions, meeting professionals, and discovering new possibilities.