Texas Border Business The Weslaco Chamber of Commerce and Weslaco ISD is pleased to announce the success of its inaugural nCourage internship program which took place at participating businesses October 6 through October 8. nCourage was designed to provide high school students with an opportunity to observe and interact in the daily operations of a participating local business. The two-and-a-half day program gave students an opportunity to interact with business leaders and institutions to explore career options, leadership, and broaden their perspectives of Rio Grande Valley businesses. The business owners, as well as the students, were able to benefit from the experience. “VTX1’s participation in the nCourage Mentorship Program was definitely a worthwhile investment of our company time and resources,” remarked Pam Leverett, VTX. “It was just as beneficial to our employees as it was for the students. Our employees were happy to pass on their knowledge and experiences with the next generation.” Mari Aviles, Executive Vice President of Valley Grande Institute for Academic Studies, enjoyed learning the students’ perspectives on the school and was able to gain their valued feedback. “We included the students in a marketing meeting because they’re part of our demographic,” remarked Aviles. “I wanted to get some feedback from them on our ads and got their thoughts and recommendations.” To Aviles’ surprise, two of the interns even expressed interest in attending the school after graduation. “I asked them what their plans are for graduation, and two students replied, ‘we want to come here!’” Aviles added. The Weslaco Chamber of Commerce and Weslaco ISD would like to thank all of the participating businesses, and look forward to continuing the program. For more information on the Weslaco Chamber of Commerce, visit www.weslaco.com. |