Field Trip to DET Office for 8th Graders Sprouts From "Jobs" Email

Before we can graduate, we all have to complete an interest project on a career we might like to pursue.  To finish our project, we would like to visit your business, look around, and interview someone who works there.  The visit would not take more than an hour.  Normally, we would go to places on our own, but we have had trouble finding an organization that does the kind of work we are interested in.  Also, because we all have similar interests, like digital animation, game design, programming, and CIS management, we hope we can start a company together someday.  If you are able to help us with this project, you can contact my advisor, Mr. DeFreece.  Thank you and we appreciate your time.

Sincerely
Marsalis, Dareno, Julian, Aaron, and Zhe

PS: If it is possible, please pass this message on to James Heughens, Conor Brady, and Sam Canon.  We could not find their e-mail, but we hope to meet with someone in the Creative department.  Thank you.

There was no question that Organic-DET wanted to respond to these earnest students and offer whatever insight and inspiration we could.  What resulted was a meaningful agency visit between the students and Jim Heughens, Sam Cannon, Scott Lange, Tom Helland, Mike Brooks and Dave Knoph.  Organics shared all about our industry, work, and what a creative role really looks like. The next day we received the following thank you from the group's teacher, on their behalf:

I cannot thank you all enough for the wonderful experience you put together for my students.  You were able to touch them in a way - give them access to their own potentials in a way that neither myself nor anyone on our staff possibly could.  They (and I) will not forget.  They're all sporting their Organic inc sketch pads like they're majority shareholders. Hilarious!

The learning wasn't a one-way street, though. In true "reverse mentorship" form  - it became clear the students had as much valuable insight for us.  We listened as they discussed their own creative projects with passion and curiosity. It was an exceptional experience watching these two groups interact and inspire.  The shared enthusiasm was truly contagious. The students left Organic excited about their future careers, and beginning the first of 10 years of sketches in their shiny new Organic moleskines.