Startland’s Social Change Internship
This spring, we piloted a new Social Change Internship, an 8-week program that challenged students to inspire, encourage, and create social change. Using design thinking methodologies, teams of high school and college students were tasked with working together to create, test, and pitch solutions to social challenges in their communities. Each week, teams were introduced to local social entrepreneurs as a way for them to network and learn from real world experiences.
Social Change Internship Final Pitches
A bill to ban smoking in vehicles while minors are present
One group of students felt that second-hand smoking exposure, particularly in vehicles, is an often overlooked issue causing respiratory infections, severe asthma, SIDS, and other preventable health concerns. Through their research, they discovered only a handful of states have laws prohibiting smoking in vehicles transporting minors, but Kansas and Missouri are not included in that list. Their solution was to introduce a bill to ban adults from using substances that include but are not limited to tobacco, nicotine, and or marijuana in cars when minors are present. They are currently working with City Council members to push the bill through local governments, and have created a petition to gain more support from the community.
Creating a habitat for monarch butterflies
Another team of students was concerned about the reduced population of monarch butterflies in North America. While there were approximately 30,000 of the species in North America in 2019, only about 2,000 remain today. Climate change, insecticides, and habitat loss have contributed to this sharp decline, so these students proposed to build a butterfly garden with sustainable, butterfly-attracting plants in downtown Kansas City. The plans include providing a tranquil space for community members to spend time, while creating a natural habitat for the species. Coincidentally, a local group is currently working on a project to reclaim city-owned land in the same area to make it a recreational space with some restoration of native habitat. The students are now collaborating with this team to bring their vision to life.
Educating educators on how to better support BIPOC students
One team asked “how can we get teachers to better support students of color?” Their research showed over 50% of students have experienced a micro-aggression, over 50% of students have felt discriminated against because of their skin or heritage, and 14.4% of students do not have a space in school where they feel comfortable. Their plan is a 5-day virtual experience for educators consisting of guest speakers, self-paced learning, and an all day KC-based experience at local museums—all focused on providing resources for BIPOC students.
Connecting students with job opportunities, mentorships, and career plans
The final team of students asked why some of their peers don’t participate in career activities. Through their research, they found that common reasons included students not knowing about career events, lack of confidence that they would succeed, or uncertainty around future career goals. This team pitched a plan to bring relevant career opportunities, powerful mentorship, and personalized career plans to students by partnering with the DeBruce Foundation to help students identify their Agilities, or employable skills. Their program will help students become more confident and empowered, gain relevant experience, and build a good network of professional connections.
Our Guest Speakers
Our students heard from local social entrepreneurs as a way for them to network and learn from real world experiences.
“I designed what I wish I had.”
— Na'im Al-Amin of SWAGG INC, on his mission to change the post-incarceration experience for individuals by providing the support they need.
"Timing is everything. It’s more important to get your idea out there, start collecting feedback, and start building a brand. If you wait to launch until it’s perfect or has all the features, someone else will probably beat you to it."
— Danielle Lehman, Curbside KC
Our Impact
“Age doesn't matter on how big of a change you can make as an individual. My team is creating legislation to ban adults from using substances / products that contain but are not limited to tobacco, marijuana, and/ or nicotine when minors are present in a vehicle. At the very beginning of the 8 week internship, we were definitely wary about whether or not we could get this done, but by the time week 5 rolled along, we were already talking with numerous councilmen from 5 different cities to pass our legislation. It is beyond crazy to see the amount of change my age group can make.”
— Vari Patel
“I wanted to participate in the Social Change Internship because I knew it would give me the space to get creative and come up with solutions to problems I find important. This internship has taught me how to work through a problem and come up with a solution that benefits not just one group of people but multiple. I have been working with some wonderful people who have helped to strengthen my teamwork and leadership skills.”
— Easton Waller
“I’ve always wanted to help others. I grew up in Pakistan so I've seen a lot of the hardships people have had to endure. I'm very determined to do what I can to help fix problems there and in the US, as well. I'm not sure what my exact career path will be. I was thinking of being a journalist, a social entrepreneur, a lawyer or a politician. These programs have definitely helped me because they've taught me how to think of concrete solutions to help others in small and big ways.”
— Zara Jamshed
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.
