P.O.V. PUBLISH OUR VOICES
CONTENTS
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The Real World Learning Magazine aims to provide a publication for students from all backgrounds, institutions, and educational levels in order to assist in spreading student-created stories that present our point of view while giving due credit to those who invested their time and effort into the project. This magazine is entirely administered by students. Special thanks to The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Angee Simmons, Rachel Thomas, Townsend Printing, and those supporting behind the scenes.
Empowering VOICES WRITTEN BY: MACKENZEY SPILLER
Photo credit
Mackenzey Spiller
I had the wonderful chance to work with the Real World Learning Student Voice Program over the last school year, which assisted multiple students in the Kansas City region to monitor, recognize, and solve problems in our local schools. In addition to teaching me new approaches to problem-solving, this experience gave me the confidence to think outside the box and improved how I conducted myself in front of my high school peers. My experience with Student Voice had such an impact on me that I wanted to do even more to help the program mean more and reach more students.
PAGE ONE | P.O.V.
Photo credit Aviya West
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BENEFITS Improve Resume Gain Experience Spread Awareness Make a Difference
5
Reasons you should apply to be a
STUDENT AMBASSADOR
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THE SWAG Receive swag and apparel to wear while promoting Real World Learning
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OPPORTUNITIES Get the opportunity to make up to $1000 throughout the school year Learn networking skills through experience
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RESPONSIBILITIES Post 2 social media posts per month Design 4 promotional activities at your school each semester Attend 4 ambassadors' workshops Participate in one full-day onboarding workshop
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REWARDS WORK
$15 - Social Media Posts $30 - Group Zoom Calls $30 - Host an Information Table $30 - Speak at a School Assembly $30 - Classroom Visits $70 - Ambassador Workshops
Photo credit
Rivas Media
PAGE THREE | P.O.V.
Winners of the ProX Showcase pose with their clients and their winnings. Live Pitch Winners (page four) Exhibit Winners (page five)
1STPLACE
"The problem we were solving was an attempt to make healthcare equitable amongst the US. Our solution was to create a medically trained and verified AI chat bot."
Joshua Collins, Abigail Bamags, Anusha Chaturvedi, and Siraj Singh interned with Diversity Teleheath
2ND PLACE
"The problem was that high school and college students don’t have the resources they need to succeed in a health professional career. Our solution was to build a one-stop toolkit for students who don’t have the resources and tools they need to succeed. "
Taiwo Awe and Sara Sadeghi interned with Children's Mercy
3RD PLACE
"During our internship, we observed a lack of awareness and diversity in KCPP programs, leading to more animals being admitted than adopted, limiting outreach and volunteer numbers. Our solution involved outreach to churches and high schools for student volunteer hours."
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Isabel Danielle Barnds, Bayan Qarini, and Sarai Diaz Ramirez interned with KC Pet Project.
1STPLACE
"There is a nationwide literacy crisis– as of 2022, 54% of adults read below a 6thgrade level (US Department of Education). We were targeting how to get our main audience, 1st-3rd graders, to read outside of school. Our solution involved implementing an interactive, athome, time-based reading program, providing resources for parents, community literacy nights and reading program kickoff events." ·Aminata Mbengue, Lauren Somogye, Amelie King, and Nedra Seigfreid interned with Lead to Read.
2ND PLACE "The problem was that our company was struggling with is to increase brand awareness. Our solutions will include more engaging content in how we design and produce their sporting apparel. " Denise Washington and Ja’Nya Jackson interned with Challenger Team
3RD PLACE "The problem was that KC Pet Project successfully reaches people who are aware of KCPP already. However, they struggle to raise participation in their programs outside of this audience. Our solution was partnering with colleges and high schools to bring in needed volunteers." Molly Hocker and Kendal Ford interned with KC Pet Project
Photo credits Rivas Media
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PAGE SIX | P.O.V.
Photo credit
Rivas Media
GAME CHANGERS A recap of innovations and breakthroughs at ProX's annual showcase. WRITTEN BY: MEGAN ZINGERMAN ProX Summer 2023 has officially wrapped. This summer almost 600 students in the Kansas City metro area completed internships with some of the community's most cherished businesses, simultaneously gaining professional experience that will last them a lifetime. Interns began preparing in early 2023 with their applications, followed by onboarding, the hiring fair, and the internship beginning in early June. Throughout the six-week experience, each student was matched with one of the 130 local employers, given a problem to solve, and presented their solution as either a live pitch or an exhibition at the end of the internship. On June 13th, parents and community leaders were invited to join us at Kansas City Music Hall where the top eight live pitches and top three exhibitions were announced. After spending over 125 hours crafting a perfect solution to the given problem, students were watching their hard work pay off. Later that day the top 8 live pitches were presented in the theater in front of the families, friends, mentors, and judges. The top three of these pitches would be rewarded with scholarship funds. Coming in first place for the live pitches was Diversity Telehealth which was awarded $5,000; second, Children's Mercy won $2,500; and third place went to KC Pet Project with $1,250. As for the exhibitions, first place went to Lead to Read, second; to Challenger Team, and third to KC Pet Project, all being awarded the same scholarship amount as the live pitches. Over the course of this program, each student was pushed to step outside their comfort zone in order to solve these problems, gain professional experience, and form new connections with peers. The ProX team could not be more proud of each student and the progress that they have made. See you next year!
Photo credit
Rivas Media
Photo credit
Rivas Media
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PAGE EIGHT | P.O.V.
Photo credit
Chamberlain Webster
UNLEASHING POTENTIAL: THE VOICES OF PROX WRITTEN BY EMMA WHITSON At the beginning of each week, all the ProX interns get together for a morning of professional development. There are three sessions where experienced professionals in different fields share information with students. Startland Education, the DeBruce Foundation, and Community America Credit Union spend Monday sessions doing their best to prepare interns for the showcase at the end of the internship. Startland has been teaching students how to think differently by having an entrepreneurial mindset. Students are taught how to empathize with company users and create successful solutions to problems. Students were given resources from the DeBruce Foundation on learning more about themselves and how to use their strengths and weaknesses in the workplace. Time is also spent giving students tips on public speaking and communicating with others. With Community America, they learn more about money management and how to safely handle their finances. Each company gives the students a focus point each week while working on their internships.
During professional development sessions, students are expected to be attentive. Sessions are interactive and students get to practice skills they will use throughout the week. While there are times for students to talk and be active, they must also be respectful and try to attain information. Being in a professional setting is a good experience for students before they become an adult and enter the workforce. Students were given the opportunity to serve the community by volunteering. Some students got to take part in writing cards and making blankets. Others spent time outside picking up trash in parks. Both of these were great ways for students to work together to do something beneficial for the community. Every one of these sessions is highly beneficial to students. The information received on these days can be used throughout the students’ internships. Students are able to take what they learn and apply those skills in school, their future jobs, and everyday life. Professional development days are all about giving ProX interns the chance to learn and grow.
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Photo credit
Sophia Jackson
NEW EXPERIENCES, NEW SKILLS WRITTEN BY SOPHIA JACKSON At ProX, interns get the opportunity to be put into jobs students their age don’t typically get to experience until much later in life such as finance, health care, and marketing. They get real-world experiences that will help them shape their career path later in life. Starting a first job isn’t always easy, first days are different for everyone. Some people are filled with nerves and anxiety whereas others are excited and ready for a new experience. For many ProX interns, this was their first job ever, they had no idea what to expect or how well they would do but with the help of their coaches and professional development days they were able to thrive in their internships. We spoke with interns from Sylvan Learning and CommunityAmerica Credit Union this past week. They told us they felt nervous at first but have come to enjoy their experience and the people they have met through it. At Sylvan Learning, their intern was able to learn how to build a resúme and gain organizational skills. Students working with Community America are working to integrate their company into more communities and have achieved communication and teamwork skills. For students who have jobs outside of their internship, this is a very differently-paced job. For most working fast food or retail, having a professional job rather than a part-time job requires them to work more behind the scenes and have first-hand conversations with employers who produce services people use every day.
PAGE TEN | P.O.V.
Photo credit
Flannery Simmons
MEET OUR PROX EMPLOYERS: OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORTS REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 79Roze Dress Shop All Yours Home Health Amir'acle Body Butters & More ArtsTech aSTEAM Village Bars And More Hospitality Staffing BioNexus KC Black & College Bound Scholars Black Owned KC Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City Blue Springs R-IV School District Bomb Voyage LLc Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater KC Breathe Media Group CBIZ Central Avenue Betterment Association Challenger Teamwear Cherry Co. Children's Mercy Hospital City of Kansas City, MO City of Lenexa Civic Council of Greater Kansas City Cleaver Family YMCA CLVR. WORLD GOODS & SUPPLY CodeAlgo, LLC CommunityAmerica Creative Emajinations Cyber Creationz DiPasquale Moore Law Firm Diversity Telehealth Goodwill of Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas Healing House Inc. Health Forward Foundation HJM Architects Hustle & Ground Hy-Vee Ice Studios School of Dance Irene's Angels Foundation IRIS Creative Projects Agency d.b.a. The AI Hub Jackson County, MO EJegna Klub Johnson County Mental Health Center Jungle Juice & Smoothie Bar JustUs System, Inc. Kamera Boss Photography Kanbe's Markets Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission Kauffman Foundation / Pro X Summer KC Common Good KC Mothers In Charge KC Pet Project KCSourceLinkEitas Operation Breakthrough Our Spot KC PCs for People Ragusa’s Italian Cafe Rockhurst University RSM US LLP Sensei Brands Show Me KC Schools Starlight Theatre Startland Education Support Kansas City
Key Coalition Inc. KU Medical Center Latinx Education Collaborative LaunchKC (EDCKC)/Bryght Labs Lead to Read KC Liquid Mobile IV Literacy KC Lively Paradox Made in Kansas City Material Opulence Menlo Inc Metropolitan Energy Center Mid-America Regional Council MOCSA MOXIE Solutions Development MY REGION WINS! Narues Distinctive Girls Fashion National Congress of Black Women, Inc Northland Wellness Collective The Blakk Co. The blueprintkc LLC The Duffle Brand The Ennovation Center The Laya Center The Next Paige
The POD, The Place of Dreams Sylvan Learning Center The Prospect KC The Resilient Activist The Scented Webb The Service Law Offices of Kansas City, LLC The Walker Foundation The Workout KC THREEMINC Tico Productions, LLC Transition Zone Trozzolo Unified Government of Wyandotte County University Healthy University of Kansas International Affairs University of Missouri Extension 4-H Urban Neighborhood Initiative Urban Rangers Urban Technology Empowered Communities dba/ Urban TEC Vivid Events KC & Co. VPR Patient Outreach Program WeCode KC Your Glorious Adventure Youth Guidance YouthBuild KCK
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BY THE NUMBERS The ProX summer program was developed to provide a common, scalable approach for employers and students to connect for 5-week, paid internships and client-connected projects. To better understand our audiences within ProX, let’s take a look at our demographics.
805
Placements
82%
Applicants
588
Completers
Interns of Color 82% of hired interns are interns of color.
Missouri 300
Kansas
292
60
200
40
100
20
40
38
22
52
18
16
9
19
0
6
0
Le ne xa Sh aw ne e
Employers
2,149
Ka ns as C Bl ity ue Sp rin Le e' gs s Su m m G it ra nd In vi de ew pe nd en ce
122
CITY & STATE
Ka ns as O C ve ity rla nd Pa rk O la th e
DEMOGRAPHICS
Gender 51% of interns are Women, 46% are Men, and 2% are Non-Binary.
51%
DISTRICTS ProX interns attended 97 different schools and ranged in urban to rural districts. 100
Kansas City Public Schools
64
Charter Schools Combined
APPLY NOW FOR SUMMER 2024
50
Blue Springs R-IV
41
Kansas City Kansas Public Schools
33
Lee's Summit R-VII
31
Raytown C-2
22
Hickman Mills C-1 Shawnee Mission
22
Blue Valley
20
Grandview C-4
19
Park Hill
19 0
25
50
75
100
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Editor's Note I am so happy to be sitting here writing this note. I don't think I ever imagined this day happening to me. When I pitched the idea to build this magazine from the ground up, I almost laughed, but yet, here we are. I am so proud of not only myself but the staff that I got to develop and throw together for this first issue of P.O.V. I want to very quickly thank Sarah Renfrow and Stefani Russ for believing in me enough to help make this happen. I also want to thank every person who ever did or will lay their eyes on this magazine. Thank you!! I hope you enjoy the very first issue of P.O.V.
Izabella Editor-In-Chief
Avi Comms Lab
Aviya
Chamberlain
Finn
Student Ambassador
J-Lab
J-Lab
Jay
Kelida
Mackenzey
Naryah
Comms Lab
Student Ambassador
Student Voice
Student Ambassador
Noah
Obi
Sophia
Taneille
Comms Lab
Student Voice
J Lab
Comms Lab
JOIN OUR TEAM SCAN HERE TO APPLY