Celebrating 10,000 Teamship Students: A Community Milestone
🎉 District C is celebrating 10,000 unique Teamship students — a milestone powered by an incredible and committed community.

“Ten thousand students. 3,500 this year alone. Our growth is a reflection of a community that believes in giving young people real opportunities to collaborate, think critically, and make an impact. I’m so grateful for all the business partners and educators who have been at the center of this effort. Looking forward to the next 10,000!” – Dan Gonzalez, co-founder and CEO at District C

Teamship has never been just a program. It’s a collective effort built on the energy and dedication of coaches who meet students where they are, business partners who generously give their time, and students who build the confidence to tackle the real-world challenges of the modern workplace. Together, they’ve shaped a movement grounded in collaboration, problem-solving, and meaningful growth.

As we mark this moment, we want to say thank you. Your belief in giving young people authentic opportunities to think critically, work in diverse teams, and make an impact is what makes Teamship possible — and what makes it matter.

To celebrate 10,000 Teamship experiences, we’re sharing 10 quotes from students, coaches, and business partners whose voices capture the heart of this work better than anything we could write.

“I used to think I wasn’t very good at being in a leadership role, but now I think that I am pretty good at taking charge and being the leader.”

– Ablr Summer Teamship ’25 participant

“Oh. My. Goodness. The tools provided are about so much more than solving business problems and working in groups. District C lives out the mission of providing value – the tools I’ve been provided during this time will transform the way I interact with colleagues, students, and others.”

– 2025 Coaching Fellow

“I cannot express how much return on investment I get from these experiences. For only a few hours of my time I end up with a team of dedicated young people lending their expertise and time to solve a problem for my organization. They may only be in high school but they come up with high quality solutions to our questions and problems.”

-Wayne Capps, Programs Manager

“I felt proud to know that an actual Co-Founder and CEO was taking my ideas into consideration. I learned about the different tools we can use throughout this process and learned many soft skills which will continue to help me in the future.”

– Wake Summer Teamship ’25 participant

“[Teamship] filled my cup. Innovative programming that creates opportunities for students to feel success and a sense of belongingness in spaces is what I feel is my purpose in education. I am grateful to get to engage with students outside my usual sphere of influence.”

– District C Impact Team Coach

“I really enjoyed working with the students. Seeing their creativity and problem-solving skills in action was very inspiring, and they generated many good ideas…I think this program is a great example of why it’s important to offer students a variety of perspectives and opportunities as they prepare for their future careers.“

-Kevin Stagl, Solutions Architect

“Not only has [Teamship] helped me so much with college applications and many other aspects of my life this year, but [it] has also granted me the ability to be much more confident about and excited for my college experience.”

– Member model participant

“When you have a program that is proven to be successful for the students, keep growing it. The program focuses on collaboration, teamwork, problem-solving, and so much more. It bridges the gap between academics and the real world.”

– District C Member Coach

“The students asked a lot of really good questions throughout this process which really made me think through and evaluate my business processes…This is a clear win-win – the students get real world problem solving and business exposure, and the business owner walks away with clear actionable solutions.”

-Phillip Bedford, Financial Advisor

These reflections remind us why we do what we do — and who we do it for. Here’s to the first 10,000 — and to the next. 🚀