The GCISD Vital Link program was started in 1994.  This program is truly win-win," said Louise Henry, GCISD director of development and community relations, "The business hosts get to see how smart our seventh-graders are and the students get first-hand experience in a business."

This year participation  increased by 25% for students and 18% for businesses.  Vital Link had to turn down  approximately 12 students because they could not find enough businesses available.  This is the first year that they have not been able to find enough businesses to place all the students that wanted to participate.

There is a minimum requirement of two students per business and several businesses went well above that limit.  The City of Grapevine had about a dozen students while Colleyville Chamber of Commerce had four.

All seventh grade students receive flyers mailed directly to their homes with participation information and assignments are on a first come first serve basis.  The student will talk the counselor and answer a questionaire with their interests.  The Vital Link program tries to consider the interest of the students but cannot confirm that you will be placed in their chosen field.  "We want to know what their interests are because if they are creative, we want to try and place them in a field where there is a creative outlet", stated Mrs. Henry.

LNO was able to visit Emma Base and Madison Harig who participated at in the Vital Link Program at AT&T Broadband, formerly Paragon Cable.  The girls said that it was a great opportunity to work in an area that you may be interested in.  They saw a news broadcast being filmed, interviews and visited a spa where AT&T did a shoot.  They girls weren't sure if they wanted to pursue this career after school but it made them realize how challenging and difficult a media career would be.  The girls encouraged future students to participate in the program and said that it was a great opportunity to see the different fields.  Maragaret Base, Emma's mother, stated "I thought the program was great.  We didn't know where she was going to go but we filled out some interest that she had and it just depended on which businesses volunteered.  I would defienatly recommend it to other kids.  We had a great sponsor here at the company that has kept it really interesting and fun for the girls.  It is a great opportunity for a younger person to experience what it is like in a work enviornment and give them some exposure to a field that they might not have considered."

Mrs. Watson-Werst has been with the company going on my five years.  The company changed from Paragon Cable to AT&T Broadband in January 2001.  When asked how the company became involved in the program, she stated, "We have worked with Louise Henry with GCISD for many years.  She has sent us many interns, we have worked on projects for them including Every 15 Minutes Program and just a lot of interaction.  Actually several years in a row we have won their Partnership In Media Award including this year.  We love working with kids and it doesn't matter if they are young or all the way up to college.  Lisa, my assistant, while in GCISD interned for us as high school student and then intered for us as a college student.  She is still in college but is now working for us as my assistant."

When asked how the girls did in their week with the company she continued, "I have to say that they are my best Vital Link students that I have had.  I hate to say that but they were so attentave.  I told them that they have my card and I don't care if they are 19 years old, if they need to call me just call and I will help out.  I like to say that when you leave here, it doesn't mean the experience is over it just means that the relationship has just begun."

If you are business interested in participating next year, you may contact the GCISD Administrative Offices at 817-251-5481.  If you contact the Administrative Office, they will add you to their mailing list for next year's project.

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"We enjoyed having both students in our store for the past three days.  They were very attentive and interested in the production of jewelry." Gary Meek, Bermuda Gold Jewelry

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