Vast experiences awaited me at the State Department of Human Resources. I met with several agencies, all captured in my one-pager. I dispelled stereotypes of state employees and saw how similar they are to those who serve our children and teachers. Through my field trips and experiences, I recognized the need for agencies and the state to play a larger role in student learning.

By using a one-pager with links directed to educators, agencies can spread the word to teachers with a simple marketing tool. They can include a link or two, then email BLAST it to our school districts.

The takeaways and classroom/community integration opportunities feel endless. Agency field trips and experiences can be applied to the classroom and community in various ways, utilizing the relationships built through the externship. Agencies offer great opportunities for learning about our state and its resources!

I developed several lessons through the externship. By utilizing the real data provided on agency websites, students will develop a deeper knowledge of data and how it is visualized. To foster autonomy and leadership development, our class will create an economy and society where students take the lead in day-to-day procedures, make decisions about their learning atmosphere, and explore other growth opportunities. The lessons, one-pager, web design experience, and connections made will all be applied to the next group of students and teachers I interact with.