By Kate Sanchez, SA2020 Summer 2014 Intern

I submitted a blog and I interviewed, and it was time to work in the office, for real. I walked in, sweaty palms and all, only to find out we had a meeting, my first day. Oh great, I thought, I know no one and I’m the youngest on staff, awesome. Immediately, I was taken in as one of their own. They gave me a desk and an official title: Communications Intern. WOAH.

Among miscellaneous office duties I was put in charge of, they asked me to blog about education, being that I was still in high school. I conjured up a blog that connected the Spurs run to the NBA Championship and young adults getting ready to take on college. Two days later, it was published! So exciting!

Throughout my entire internship with SA2020, I learned the importance of team, and working together to accomplish a much bigger goal than ever dreamed possible. The team meetings on Mondays were always beneficial, and a lot of the teamwork aspects discussed in the meetings, I apply in school.

I even got to sit on the stage behind First Lady Obama when she spoke at Destination College – College Signing Day! (That’s me smiling in the middle of the back row)

I also learned the importance of volunteerism, and really what good it can do. At the College Signing Day during Destination College week, the amount of volunteers just for that one event was insane! All these people came out to help kids realize that college is fun and doable for anyone who is willing to try!

To all the staff members at SA2020: Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. You took me in as a high school intern, and I can only hope the experience was just as enjoyable for y’all as it was for me. Continue to #CelebrateTheAwesomeness for me!