Launch Generation: Savina Charlier

Savina Charlier spent part of her summer in a financial literacy and entrepreneurship program at Launch Generation.

Why did you choose to participate in a summer program or go to overnight
Camp?

I wanted to gain knowledge and experience in the business field, meet new personalities and create lasting memories. Launch Generation was the perfect program for me because it checked all of these boxes and more! I had such a life-changing and formational 11 days with new friends, mentors, advisors, and teachers, and I left with not only the knowledge I had hoped to gain but also the confidence that I was ready to take on the world and guide my future in the right path.

How did you decide which program or camp was right for you?

As soon as I heard about Launch Generation, I had a very strong feeling that this
program would perfectly fit my needs. Other business camps that I looked into didn’t offer as wide of a range of topics as did Launch Generation. I was drawn to the fact that I would learn about financial literacy and leadership in addition to entrepreneurship. These versatile yet analogous topics distinguished Launch Generation as the program for me because I knew that I wanted to learn about business through a large lens as opposed to a zoom into only one certain aspect of running or starting a company.

What was a typical day in your summer program or at camp?

We had breakfast in the university cafeteria and walked over to our classroom, which was at the top floor of a campus building (and had an amazing view), and began activities, lessons and lectures, all meticulously designed to meld into one another. We returned to the dining hall for lunch and then back to the meeting rooms for group project time or to listen to a visiting speaker. We then had a couple hours of free time to roam freely, explore the campus, work out, and one day I even went to the campus rock climbing gym! Dinner followed, and once more we went up to the classroom until roughly 9 p.m.. We walked back to our dorms as a group and often spent the next hour or two playing games together in our common area. Some days, we had field visits to companies that had different perspectives and practices. The businesses our class visited were the Sriracha Hot Sauce factory, GoPro, and Hurley.

A single day may sound extremely long, but the lessons were so perfectly planned out and we would enjoy it so much that time passed way too fast! We never sat for hours on end, listening to a painstaking lecture; instead, we engaged in conversation, worked collaboratively, actively practiced our new skills, and went through activities which boosted our understanding of each day’s topic in a fun and energetic way.

What was the most memorable moment of your summer?

My most memorable moment at Launch Generation was our final night, which we
spent having a campfire at the beach after completing our final business presentations. The night was filled with laughter, dives in the cold ocean water, and of course, s’mores! Spending 11 days learning together, laughing together, staying up late together, even getting on each other’s nerves every once in a rare while, we had grown so close that it was unimaginable that they would all be gone the following day. My usual shy self had gone out of my comfort zone to learn, meet new people, and go through new experiences. Looking around the campfire, and seeing the smiles surrounding me, I knew that these people and this camp had truly transformed my life for the better.

What advice do you have for teens looking at summer programs or camps?

My advice would be to look at the whole experience with an open mind. As an introvert, I had doubts as to whether I would be able to make friends or even keep up with the other students attending. However, the moment I arrived and met the staff and other teens, I forced myself to let go of those fears and open my mind. Do not let fear get in the way of an experience that could change your life. An open mind will lead you to an open door of possibilities, memories, and joy, and those are exactly what I gained while attending Launch Generation.