What 22 Students Taught Us About Confidence, Teamwork, and Showing Up 

"I always feel like I don't belong here. But being part of Teamship has made me realize that I have something to say.” - Tristan, high school sophomore, North Carolina  

He shared this after spending a week doing something most high school students don't get the chance to do until well after graduation: collaborating with a team to solve a real business problem for a real company.  

College Board’s Teamship, in partnership with schools, made it possible for students to engage in a work-based learning program for hands-on experience and skill development for college and career success. As Tristan and 21 other students from North Carolina high schools confirmed, Teamship can strengthen students’ confidence in their interests and abilities. 

• Brooke used to think there were certain people she could never work with, but now she understands that by taking the time to listen to others she can work better with them.   
• Catie used to think she had a responsibility to carry the team's weight alone but now she sees the work is stronger when working together as a team.  
• Niharika used to think leadership meant confrontation and she didn’t feel equipped for it. Now she feels ready to help a group arrive at alignment.  

Helping students problem-solve like professionals 

These reflections were shared last month at the program’s fifth annual NC Teamship Showcase, where the program’s model was put into action over the course of one week. The showcase engages students who have already completed a Teamship cycle and are chosen to participate in an application-based version of the program. The one-week immersive experience connects students across the state as they collaborate on a business challenge.  

Insights from participating students highlight what can happen when they have the chance to participate in real, meaningful work during high school. Three key features of Teamship were evident during the showcase:  

• Addressing a real problem for a real business. Three local companies, Pathstitch, Life'sPilot, and Givefinity, brought real, unsolved business challenges to the showcase. Participating students interviewed business leaders, weighed real trade-offs, and proposed solutions backed by research for companies to consider. LifePilot's COO put it plainly halfway through the event, "We forget that they’re students."  
• Engaging with a small team on the solution. Students worked together to develop proposed solutions for each business and, as a result, had the chance to practice critical skills like teamwork, collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking. As one student said, “I used to think that I could only work by myself. But now I think that teamwork is better.” 
• Tapping into supportive coaches. Educators who serve as certified coaches were in the room to support students. The educators go through training to become certified coaches because that's a key component of Teamship. Coaches provide facilitated collaboration, reflection, and real-time observation and feedback to students. “Coaching is the meat of Teamship,” said Coach Andrea Brown who was in attendance. “Coaches set the tone, guide their students step by step through the design process, and ‘poke the raft’ when students begin to lose their way. This empowers them to take risks with one another and with the business problem scope.” 

Building the skills that matter 

The skills that were demonstrated during the showcase and articulated in the student reflections are the same skills higher education professionals and employers are seeking. This means having the confidence to walk into a room with a business leader and ask sharp questions about a messy problem, the ability to break a complex challenge down into simpler parts instead of jumping straight to a solution, and the ability to understand and leverage the strengths of one’s teammates. 

“This is absolutely worth it. It’s just a great way to get fresh new ideas from young minds who are really excited about solving real-world problems,” said Ruka Osoba, founder of Pathstitch. 

Through programs like Teamship, College Board is helping more students nationwide build and demonstrate career-relevant skills alongside academic ones in high school. This will help ensure multiple paths to career success are visible and relevant. 

Wanting your work to matter. To be relevant. To carry real stakes. That's a trait so many of us share and the chance to explore that in high school can help more young people believe they’re capable of pursuing what comes next.