Ag Ed Program – Sustainable Landscape Design Paid Internship at Delavan-Darien High School WI

This was a big morning for two people in two different parts of the country. Delavan-Darien High School student Lucas D. got to meet his first paying client Leesa. They met when Leesa took Lucas on a walking tour of her property. Lucas is currently a student in Marty Speth’s Sustainable Landscape Design course in Delavan WI. Leesa, the client, is in Kansas City a little over 500 miles away.

Video Attendees from top: Steve Waddell CTeLearning.com, Client/Homeowner Leesa,  Delavan-Darien High School Ag Educator Marty Speth, Intern Lucas, Student Jesus

 
This is all part of a Paid Internship Marty Speth, the Ag Educator at DDHS organized with the help of CTeLearning.com . Mr. Speth connected with CTeLearning to help Lucas find a paid internship. As it worked out, there was an opportunity for a sustainable landscape design project in Kansas City. CTeLearning connected Marty’s student with the potential client. The two hit if off, and today Lucas got to meet in person (video conference) his client. During the meeting, Leesa the homeowner took Lucas on a walking tour of the property and shared her family’s thoughts and wishes for the re-design. During the tour, the two discussed how the family used the space, sustainability concerns, drainage issues and her family’s excitement for an up to date design.  

Now you might be thinking that Kansas City is a bit of a drive from Delavan WI. And you are right, it is. Thanks to technology Lucas can engage remotely with this project and his paying client. To help out CTeLearning arranged to provide Lucas with images, measurements, and videos to allow him the ability to review every square foot of the property.

What is incredible about this whole experience is that Lucas is still in High School. He gets to show the world that he has already learned real-world skills and is putting them to use for a real client.

Mr. Speth could not be prouder. “It is so rare to see students get real internships. Let alone, get a paid internship while still in high school. This is work with a customer. A paying client. This is as real as it gets. I have a great supportive administration and terrific students here at Delavan-Darien. Since the word has gotten out that Lucas was able to get an internship, I have had some local interest in additional internships for some of my students. I expect to see our Sustainable Landscape program here continue to grow. We are on the cutting edge. All of my students are getting a real taste of a $60 Billion a year industry. How great is that?”

“This is our first year organizing paid internships in partnership with our client schools. This year we have helped facilitate internships in Coding, Game Design, App Design, Web Design and now our first in Sustainable Landscape.” Steve Waddell founder of CTeLearning and internship organizer continued, “There is no cost to the school for this. We are creating real internship opportunities. This morning the homeowner was very impressed with Lucas and I expect the family will be blown away with the quality of design Lucas will present to them in a couple of weeks. This is incredibly exciting for everyone involved.”

Mr. Speth adopted CTeLearning.com’s Sustainable Landscape Design Course for Delavan-Darien High School some years ago after meeting the founder of CTeLearning.com at a Wisconsin Association of Agricultural Educators WAAE summer conference meeting.