Spark Teamship
A team-based internship experience
Work on a team to solve a real problem for a high-tech business.
Develop the team-based problem solving skills you need for modern work.
Write about this experience on your college applications and your resume.
Start building your professional network.
Earn 2 units towards your High-Tech Learning Accelerator credit.
Register for Spark Teamship
Available to 9-12th grade students from SparkNC school districts (if you have this link, that’s likely you!). Seats are limited and are assigned on a first-in basis with some preference given to allow students from all SparkNC districts to participate.
THE EARLIER YOU APPLY THE BETTER CHANCE YOU HAVE OF GETTING A SPOT. Students who register after a section is filled will be put on a waitlist. If additional seats open up, waitlist students will be assigned. You will be notified of your status no later than 1 week following the registration deadline.
Spark Teamship Statewide
Fall A: Sept. 14 - Oct. 9
Earn 2 units towards your High-Tech Learning Accelerator credit.
Location: Live online using Zoom
Launch: Sat 9/14, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Team Meetings:
Tue/Wed/Thurs’s 9/17 – 10/8, 4:30pm – 5:45pm
Pitch Event: Wed 10/9, 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Registration Deadline: Fri 8/30
Spark Teamship Statewide
Fall B: Oct. 19 - Nov. 14
Earn 2 units towards your High-Tech Learning Accelerator credit.
Location: Live online using Zoom
Launch: Sat 10/19, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Team Meetings (choose one):
Section B1: Tue/Wed/Thurs’s 10/22 – 11/13, 4:30 pm – 5:45 pm
Section B2: Tue/Wed/Thurs’s 10/22 – 11/13, 6:00 pm – 7:15 pm
Pitch Event: Thurs 11/14, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Registration Deadline: Fri 10/4
Spark Teamship Statewide
Winter: January 25 - February 19, 2025
Earn 2 units towards your High-Tech Learning Accelerator credit.
Location: Live online using Zoom
Launch: Sat 1/25, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Team Meetings:
Section C1: Tue/Wed/Thurs’s 1/28 – 2/18, 4:30 pm – 5:45 pm
Section C2: Tue/Wed/Thurs’s 1/28 – 2/18, 6:00 pm – 7:15 pm
Pitch Event: Wed 2/19, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Registration Deadline: Fri 1/10
Spark Teamship Statewide
Spring: March 1 - March 26, 2025
Earn 2 units towards your High-Tech Learning Accelerator credit.
Location: Live online using Zoom
Launch: Sat 3/1, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Team Meetings:
Section D1: Tue/Wed/Thurs’s 3/4 – 3/25, 4:30 pm – 5:45 pm
Section D2: Tue/Wed/Thurs’s 3/4 – 3/25, 6:00 pm – 7:15 pm
Pitch Event: Wed 3/26, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Registration Deadline: Fri 2/14
Spark Teamship: School-based
Some schools and/or school districts may be hosting in-person Spark Teamship opportunities. If you are participating in a Spark Teamship program hosted by the SparkNC Lab Leader at your school, you do not need to register here.
Please check in with your Lab Leader for schedule details.
Some of the businesses Teamship students have worked with
How Spark Teamship Statewide Works
1 Team Up
2 Launch
3 Solve
4 Pitch
How Spark Teamship benefits you
Real-world experience
Spark Teamship is a reimagined internship experience that sets you apart on applications for jobs and college.
Spark Teamship work — pushing through the positive struggle that comes with tackling a novel problem, working with a diverse set of peers to achieve a common goal, using design thinking principles to develop robust solutions, and presenting ideas and solutions to real business stakeholders — gives you a set of real-world experiences that any college or potential employer will want to hear more about.
Growth
Spark Teamship teaches critical mindsets and tools.
Technology has changed everything. In the digital age, information is at our fingertips. Memorizing facts and figures is now less important than figuring out how to make sense of overwhelming amounts of information to solve big problems and seize big opportunities. The world needs thinkers who can break down increasingly complex problems, doers who will persevere in the face of failure and uncertainty, and collaborators who know how to bring together diverse people and ideas.
Developing and leveraging these mindsets is a lifelong journey. Practicing these mindsets leads to confidence, competence, and the ability to effect change. The Spark Teamship experience gives you the tools to get started and keep growing.
Diversity
Spark Teamship is an opportunity to learn from and build relationships with a diverse set of peers.
The best ideas are informed by unique perspectives, and unique perspectives start with diversity. Teams are made up of students who bring unique skill sets, different world views, and diverse passions and motivations.
Impact
Teams work with real businesses that have real problems to solve.
Whether it’s creating a plan to help a metaverse fashion company sell more digital clothing, working with a fitness technology company to improve a new app design, or developing a strategy to help a software development company attract more female software engineers, the work is real. Regardless of the problem, teams engage in real work that has real consequences and the potential to make a meaningful impact.
FAQ
Who is this for?
9th-12th grade students enrolled in SparkNC’s High-Tech Learning Accelerator.
What is the attendance policy?
Like any other internship or job, you have a responsibility to your team and business partners to be present and engaged for all portions of the Teamship program. You’ll also reap the full benefits of the program when you commit to it in its entirety.
Due to the fast-paced and collaborative nature of Teamship, students who are absent for the Launch Day (day 1), Pitch Event (last day), and/or more than 2 team meetings may be removed from the program.
Only register for sections that you can fully commit to.
What school districts are eligible?
Students that attend school in school districts with a SparkNC partnership are eligible. At this time, that includes:
Asheboro City Schools
Cabarrus County Schools
Chatham County Schools
Cumberland County Schools
Edgecombe County Public Schools
Elizabeth City – Pasquotank Public Schools
Granville County Schools
Guilford County Schools
Lexington City Schools
Mount Airy City Schools
New Hanover County Schools
Rockingham County Schools
Rowan-Salisbury Schools
Scotland County Schools
Vance County Schools
Wake County Public Schools
Warren County Schools
How will the student teams be made?
We’ll put you on a team with 3 other students from other school districts across the state. This is a chance to meet and work with new people with different backgrounds, strengths, and experiences.
Where does Spark Teamship happen?
Spark Teamship Statewide is a virtual program hosted online using Zoom. You can log in from school, from home, or anywhere else with wifi access. If you enroll in a Spark Teamship program offered by the Spark Lab Leader at school, your program details will be determined by the lab leader.
Is this free?
Yes! This is part of the High-Tech Learning Accelerator offered by your school.
What are some examples of business problems that student teams have worked on?
All business partners come from high-tech industries, and every business problem will be real, meaningful, and urgent. Here are some examples of the kinds of businesses and the problems they’ve brought:
- A metaverse fashion company looking to sell more digital clothing
- A fitness technology company looking to improve a new app design
- A software development company looking to attract more female software engineers
- A global tech company looking to improve its college internship program
But what if I don't know anything about business?
That’s okay! No prior experience required.
Will someone coach us through the process?
Yes! Your team will be supported by an expert coach who will guide you through the process.
Do student teams actually propose solutions that businesses can use?
Yes. We survey our business partners after their experience. So far, over 80% of our partners report that they plan to implement, or have already implemented, at least parts of the solutions proposed by student teams.
Do students ever get hired by District C businesses after Spark Teamship?
Yes! We’ve had multiple Teamship students accept follow-on internship and job offers with our business partners. In fact, over 90% of our business partners report that they are more likely to consider a student for a job or internship if that student has had a Teamship experience.
How will Spark Teamship get added to my High-Tech Learning Accelerator account?
When we confirm your seat in the program, we’ll send a note to the SparkNC team. They’ll make sure Spark Teamship gets added for you. And when you complete the program, the SparkNC team will be sure it gets logged as “complete” and that your 2 units of credit get counted towards your total.
What should I do after Spark Teamship to make sure I leverage my experience to get ahead?
The “Share Your Teamship Story” unit (worth 1 additional credit) will help you reflect on your Spark Teamship experience so that you can use your learnings to stand out in job interviews and on your college applications. Look for this module in the menu of options on the SparkNC platform.
Can I do Spark Teamship more than once?
Yes. You can do it as many times as you’d like. You can earn credits for participating in Spark Teamship twice. That’s 4 credits!