Dallas ISD

This month, Dallas ISD Workforce Development proudly hosted its annual Change the STARS recognition event, a special evening honoring the industry partners, students, workplace coordinators, campus leaders, and district leaders who help bring meaningful career-connected opportunities to life for Dallas ISD students.

This year’s award winners represent the power of partnership and the impact that dedicated organizations can have on student success.

Sirius Award | Trailblazer of the Year

UT Southwestern

Stellar Impact Award | Commitment to Workforce Education
All Stars Project

Luminary Award | Dedication to Excellence
Deloitte

Shining Star Award | Influential Impact
Junior Achievement of Dallas

Supernova Award | Champion of the Year
Truist

Rising Star Award | Newcomer of the Year
UNT WISE

Rekindled Star Award | Phoenix Partnership
Kroger

Shooting Star Award | Excellence in Engagements
HAKing Innovation

Intergalactic Internship Award | Excellence in Internships
PepsiCo

Multi-Star Impact Award | Outstanding Support Across Programs
United to Learn

We also celebrated our Student Impact Award winners for their outstanding support of Dallas ISD students throughout the year: Workforce Solutions, Gresham Smith, Gulfstream, DPD, Kings Accountability Group, Children’s Health, Capital One, Capital One Café, and Vickery Meadow Youth Development Foundation.

The evening also included a special Polaris Honorary Recognition presented to Dr. Cheryl Nevels, Deputy Chief of College Readiness and Workforce Development, in recognition of her leadership and commitment to expanding opportunities for Dallas ISD students.

A special thank-you to Frontiers of Flight Museum for hosting us in such an inspiring space, and to Jarrad Toussant of the Dallas Regional Chamber for joining us and sharing remarks.

Thank you to every partner who continues to show up for Dallas ISD students this school year! Together, we are changing the stars.

View more event photos in the album below!

Summer internship season is one of the most exciting times of the year for Dallas ISD Workforce Development, and this year marked a major milestone. Through the Dallas ISD Internship Program, students have access to hands-on experiences with local companies, organizations, and district departments while developing the professional skills needed for success after high school.

This summer, more than 1,000 internship opportunities were offered to students, our largest number to date. These experiences give students the chance to explore career pathways, build confidence, strengthen workplace skills, and contribute to meaningful work with industry partners across Dallas.

Dallas ISD departments also welcomed more than 170 interns from this summer’s cohort, allowing students to gain real-world experience across the district. Through a series of supportive onboarding events, interns were introduced to workplace expectations, professional skills, and the teams they would be joining for the summer.

Internships help students discover career interests, practice communication and teamwork, learn from professionals in the field, strengthen resumes and future applications, and make meaningful connections.

For students with internship this summer, here are a few ways to make the most of the experience:

Be on time and prepared.
Arriving on time shows respect, responsibility, and professionalism.

Ask thoughtful questions.
Internships are learning experiences. The more curious you are, the more you will gain.

Take notes.
Write down new terms, tasks, career ideas, and advice from your supervisors.

Be open to feedback.
Feedback helps you grow, improve, and build confidence.

Make connections.
Introduce yourself, listen carefully, and learn from the professionals around you.

Reflect on what you learn.
At the end of each week, ask yourself: What did I enjoy? What challenged me? What skills am I building?

This record-setting summer is a chance for Dallas ISD students to explore, learn, and grow. We are proud to celebrate the many departments, staff members, and partners helping students take the next step toward their futures, and we cannot wait to see how our interns shine.

Summer is a time for students to rest, recharge, and reflect on everything they have learned this school year. It is also a valuable season for career exploration and skill-building.

Whether your child is participating in an internship, working a summer job, volunteering, attending a camp, or simply exploring their interests at home, every experience can help them learn more about themselves and their future goals.

For Elementary Students: Keep Curiosity Alive

Younger students may not be choosing careers yet, but they are already building confidence, curiosity, and problem-solving skills. Try these simple activities:

• Explore community careers: Talk about the different jobs you see during everyday errands, from grocery store managers to nurses, mechanics, restaurant owners, librarians, and delivery drivers.
• Create a summer “dream board”: Let your child draw or cut out pictures of things they enjoy, places they want to visit, problems they want to solve, or jobs they think are interesting.
• Connect chores to skills: Cooking, organizing, helping with a project, or caring for a pet can build responsibility, teamwork, planning, and communication.

For Middle School Students: Explore Interests

Middle school is a great time for students to ask, “What am I good at?” and “What do I enjoy learning about?” Try these ideas:

• Start a passion project: Encourage your child to choose one topic they enjoy and explore it more deeply. This could be gaming, animals, art, sports, fashion, technology, food, music, or helping others.
• Watch career videos together: Look for short videos about different jobs and talk about what surprised them.
• Practice goal setting: Ask your child to choose one summer goal, such as learning a new skill, reading about a career, volunteering, or creating something they can share.

For High School Students: Build Skills and Confidence

High school students can use summer to prepare for future internships, jobs, college, military service, trade programs, or entrepreneurship.Encourage your teen to:

• Update their resume: Add school activities, volunteer work, part-time jobs, leadership roles, certifications, awards, and skills.
• Practice professional communication: Help them write a professional email, prepare for a phone call, or practice introducing themselves.
• Reflect on career interests: Ask what types of work environments, tasks, and industries sound interesting to them.
• Make the most of internships or summer jobs: Encourage them to ask questions, arrive on time, take notes, and learn from feedback.

Summer does not have to be packed with activities to be meaningful. Even small conversations and everyday experiences can help students grow in confidence and begin to imagine what comes next.

The P-TECH Class of 2030 is already off to a strong start! During P-TECH Summer Bridge, rising freshmen explored their chosen pathways, learned what to expect from rigorous high school and college-level coursework, and connected with the teachers, staff, and industry partners who will support them throughout their P-TECH journey.

A key part of what makes P-TECH unique is the integration of industry partners into the student experience. This summer, partners visited incoming freshmen at their campuses to lead hands-on engagements focused on real-world application, career exploration, and meaningful connections. These early interactions help students begin building relationships with the professionals and organizations that will support their growth throughout high school.

Welcome, Class of 2030!

As we officially close the 2025-2026 school year, Dallas ISD Workforce Development extends a heartfelt thank you to our industry partners, community organizations, mentors, and volunteers.

Your partnership helped students experience career learning in powerful and practical ways this year. Through career panels, workplace visits, mock interviews, resume reviews, classroom connections, internships, and special events, you helped students see real pathways to their futures.

These moments matter.

When students meet professionals, visit workplaces, and participate in hands-on learning, they begin to connect their interests and talents to real opportunities. They also begin to understand the skills, education, and persistence it takes to reach their goals.

We could not achieve these amazing results without your partnership, commitment, and collaboration!