Promote Woodstock intern program gives students real world experience

Promote Woodstock announced today a collaboration with the Woodstock High School Incubator Program.

Woodstock High sophomore Quinn Thornton has been selected as an intern who will work with Promote Woodstock and marketing firm a5. The college intern will be selected in March.

The interns will learn business practices, gain practical experience in a real world setting and experience community involvement.

Promote Woodstock is a public-private partnership funded by the City of Woodstock to grow tourism, increase economic development opportunities and create a stronger sense of community so Woodstock can grow.

"The Real Woodstock campaign wants to expand our reach through Instagram and Snapchat, plus we want to tap the unique perspective and skills that young adults bring through their knowledge and use of social media," said Mike Turner, Woodstock City Council member and president of Promote Woodstock Inc. "Thank you to Pam Cumpata and the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation for connecting us with the class and getting this process started. The addition of the high school and college intern program is an exciting and valuable addition to our efforts."

The Real Woodstock brand was created by Promote Woodstock and a5, a Chicago-based brand and digital marketing consultancy. Real Woodstock champions positive stories about people, place and happenings through striking visuals, clear messaging and an invitation to be a part of Real Woodstock.

"The intern program created with Real Woodstock and a5 will not only give students practical work experience, but it also introduces the next generation to community involvement," said Maureen Larson, Woodstock City Council member. "As these young adults grow to become citizens, they can join the work to share what we know about Woodstock: that it is a great place to visit for culture, food, nightlife and our wide range of community events."

The program offers the opportunity for the intern selected to perform a variety of duties in the public and private sectors that include:

• Developing and executing social media plans for the Real Woodstock campaign on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat;

• Developing and writing content for digital and print application;

• Assisting with management of events and experiences;

• Attending Promote Woodstock board meetings, take notes and report on board actions.