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2024 Curious Cardinals High School Fellowship Program

2024 Curious Cardinals High School Fellowship Program 🔥

Overview

Curious Cardinals was founded by students and is built for students. So, we love to identify the most entrepreneurial, ambitious students in the country to hop on board to teach them the ins and outs of entrepreneurship and to empower them to contribute to our mission of building a global community of lifelong learners and doers. As part of the High School Fellowship cohort, you will be a Curious Cardinals representative, spreading the word and driving growth. We will assign partners amongst the Fellows, set clear growth goals to strive towards and reward those who achieve the goals with a $1,250 grant and honor as a Curious Cardinals entrepreneur in residence, where they can use the awarded funding to pursue their own entrepreneurial endeavor in the coming school year (please note: every Fellow is eligible to win this, but only those who hit the goals will; see below for more info).

How to Apply

Please submit a cover letter addressed to our CEO & co-founder, Audrey Wisch, introducing yourself. Please share why you are interested in the High School Fellowship, what you hope to learn, what you intend to contribute, and why you’re passionate about Curious Cardinals. Please include a resume if you have one. Please complete this by March 1st latest.

Here is the link to submit your cover letter application.

Please have your Curious Cardinals mentor or another mentor/coach in your life submit a short recommendation on your behalf testifying to why you’d be a strong candidate for the High School Fellowship Program. Please ensure this is complete by March 1st.

Here is the link for your Curious Cardinals mentor or another mentor/coach in your life to submit your recommendation.

You will be notified by email by March 3rd if you proceed to the next round which will be a live interview with a member of our team. You’ll then be notified whether or not you are accepted by April 1st latest.

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WHO: Ambitious high school students who work with Curious Cardinals are eligible to apply. A select few high schoolers will be admitted to the program. See below for more info on what we’re looking for in an ideal candidate.

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WHAT: A select group of ambitious, entrepreneurial high schoolers who are part of the Curious Cardinals community and eager to learn about building and growing a social impact startup, contributing to Curious Cardinals’ future and learning from its team. The summer program will kick off with a mandatory 1 week long bootcamp. Thereafter, partners will meet weekly and participate in weekly check-in calls. At the end of the summer groups will present their learnings. The program officially wraps up in September. See more info below.

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WHERE: The fellowship will take place virtually.

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WHEN: Applications open February 12th and closes March 1st. The High School Fellows 2024 Class will be announced April 1st. One week of mandatory bootcamp on entrepreneurship, growth, & marketing, which takes place June 24-28th (60 mins daily, afternoon PST). Thereafter, Fellows will meet as a group 1x per week and with their partners at their own discretion till the end of August. Towards the end of August, Fellows will have the opportunity to present their learnings and contributions to the whole group and CC team. The program will come to an official close at the end of September 2024.

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WHY: Because we believe students are capable of great things. So we want to give them the opportunity to prove what they’re capable of and contribute significantly to the future of a rapidly growing, high impact edtech startup with aspirations to redefine the future of K-12 education. We also want to connect them to other like minded entrepreneurial, ambitious high schoolers from across the country.

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High School Fellow Ideal Candidates

The Curious Cardinals High School Fellowship seeks passionate high school student trailblazers brimming with curiosity, resilience, and an entrepreneurial spirit. If you're driven to achieve, learn, and connect with like-minded peers, this is your chance to unleash your inner entrepreneur. We're looking for ambitious self-starters exhibiting hustle, hunger, and the relentless drive to hit goals and drive results. Ideal candidates see obstacles as chances to grow and persevere in the face of challenges. If this sounds like you, we encourage you to apply today.

Ideal candidates will thrive on:

Hustle and ambition: You're excited to set goals and relentlessly pursue them, driving results for Curious Cardinals.
Lifelong learning: Every challenge is an opportunity to grow. You embrace curiosity and constantly seek new knowledge.
Resilience: Setbacks don't define you. You bounce back, learn from experience, and push forward.
Entrepreneurial spirit: You're bold, resourceful, and unafraid to put yourself out there, championing Curious Cardinals with passion.
Reliability and maturity: You commit wholeheartedly, follow through, and consistently deliver results.

This fellowship is your launchpad to:

Deepen your knowledge: Explore growth, marketing, and entrepreneurship through hands-on learning and expert mentorship.
Connect with a network: Build lasting relationships with ambitious, entrepreneurial minds from across the country.
Make a real impact: See your dedication translate into tangible results, week after week, culminating in a summer showcase.
Challenge yourself: Step outside your comfort zone, discover hidden strengths, and unlock your full potential.
Learn from the best: Gain insights from Curious Cardinals team members and industry leaders.
Earn recognition and resources: Achieve the goals set out for the Fellows and qualify for the $1,250 Entrepreneur-in-Residence Grant to fuel your own entrepreneurial ventures in the next school year.

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What to Expect

The Fellowship will start with a one-week long boot camp on Entrepreneurship, Growth & Marketing the week of June 24-28th. 60 mins daily, afternoon PST. Expect to learn the following topics:

Entrepreneurship 101
Consumer Marketing 101
The Design Thinking Framework
The Marketing Funnel
Sales vs Marketing
Project Management
AI-Driven Innovation

At the end of the boot camp, every Fellow will be assigned a partner to collaborate with.
After the boot camp, Fellows will meet with a Curious Cardinals team member weekly for a 60-minute group standup.

This will begin with Fellows each sharing updates. Sometimes this will include a mini-lesson or workshop. Then the group will embark on a guided group discussion committed to facilitating learning, sharing, and reflections.
Outside of the weekly group standups Fellows are expected to collaborate with their partner to work on their 3 key projects on their own time.

Fellow Partners will be responsible for executing the following:

1) Planning at least one event (can choose virtual or IRL) in July or August. Must get at least 30 RSVPs.
2) Spearhead at least one social media campaign in collaboration with our social media manager, which entails creating content and raising brand awareness through a creative campaign.
3) Pursue a self-designed ‘passion project’ that contributes to Curious Cardinals company growth with your Partner.

In order to win the $1,250 grant and honor as a Curious Cardinals entrepreneur in residence, you must achieve the following goals:

Acquire at least 50 unique RSVPs for your event with your Partner
Complete all three summer assignments
Attend all bootcamp sessions, weekly check-ins, and present at the final presentation (unless you have personal commitments you can’t miss and notify our team in advance)
Convert at least 5 of your referrals by end of August

If you win the $1,250 grant and honor as a Curious Cardinals entrepreneur in residence, you will be awarded the funds in September of 2024. You will be able to use the money for your own entrepreneurial pursuit. You will receive 2 free separate mentorships sessions with co-founders Audrey and Alec in Q4 and Q1 of the coming school year. You will also win exclusive CC merch and be featured in a CC newsletter and social post to congratulate you for the honor.