I was honored to be a student researcher in the second cohort of YouthCARES during my senior year of high school. Working with professionals from different fields was an unforgettable and meaningful experience. We conducted educational research and ultimately presented our findings together. It made me become even more passionate about environmental and climate related issues in the world. I deeply appreciate the challenges we overcame and the work we did during the school year of 2024-2025.
I believe starting an internship at a young age will be helpful for people’s future careers, and it helps people to determine which specific area they are passionate about, narrowing their future goals. Furthermore, it also helps people to gain more expertise because they have started earlier than others. Do not overlook the time value of compounding! The earlier you start, the more experience you will be able to gain. YouthCARES provided me with a great opportunity to gain leadership, communication skills, and analytical techniques.