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Sunday, August 1, 2010

“From Waukee to Europe in no time”

“From Waukee to Europe in no time”

From Waukee to Europe in no time

Posted: 01 Aug 2010 03:03 PM PDT

For 2010 high school graduate Katelyn Simon, the most challenging part of interning with the Waukee Chamber of Commerce was proving herself amongst a generation gap.

"Some days in the office I felt like I was in high school again, and some days I just felt really old," said Waukee Chamber executive Director Chad Airhart.

Over the course of the ten-month internship, Simon learned various aspects of marketing and advertising.  With a positive attitude and desire to learn, Simon quickly "became a friend."

In addition to participating in soccer, cross country, and track, Simon decided to take on real world job experience in the local school-to-work program. The program gives students college credit to work in a desired field of study.

The first quarter of the year prepares students in the classroom, while the other three quarters allow students to work at a nearby business. Simon was chosen as the Chamber's third student intern. She spent 15 hours a week updating weekly newsletters, creating flyers, and promoting chamber events through Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Simon's technological knowledge significantly grew after working with the chamber. She became well acquainted with Microsoft outlook, and reached out to every member through mail merges. She also wrote a weekly column about her work experiences.

Near the end of the internship, Simon was put in charge of one of the monthly luncheons. She booked the event at Waukee's YMCA, and had the pro-start program at her high school provide the meal.

 "The luncheon was kind of my test. It was nerve-raking but it feels good to say I put it together," Simon said.

While her internship with the chamber is now over, Simon's upcoming plans are anything but small. Starting Aug. 17, she will fly out to Hamburg, Germany for a yearlong trip sponsored by the Waukee Rotary.

She will spend the year with three different families, and end with a month long tour across Europe. With a background in Spanish, Simon is excited to learn a culture that she is unaccustomed to.

"It is going to be so different. I look forward to learning the language and meeting new people," Simon said.

This year she will apply to a variety of colleges. California Lutheran, Concordia University, and Iowa State University are her primary choices. While she enjoys learning about marketing and advertising, Simon is looking into acquiring a business degree.

Although her time with the internship has neared its end, Simon is thankful for everything that has been offered to her.

"I am glad I had the opportunity to work here. It was good experience." She said with a confident smile.

The following are comments from readers. They do not necessarily represent the views of The Tribune or Amestrib.com.

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