Career Connected Learning
August 27, 2025
How a Teacher Externship Sparked Innovation in Morris
Through the Teacher Externship Program, coordinated statewide by Resource Training & Solutions, Minnesota educators spend several days in local industries—gaining firsthand experience that helps them bring real-world skills and career connections back into their classrooms.
For Jenny Maras, a veteran business and CTE teacher at Morris Area High School, the program provided fresh energy, deeper connections, and real-world tools she is already bringing back to her students.
“I never want to grow stagnant,” Jenny said. “I wanted to ‘move the dial’ further, deepen relationships, and model for my students what lifelong learning looks like.”
Jenny spent her externship at Superior Industries, headquartered in Morris, where she was welcomed into the Marketing Department and toured the company’s expansive facilities. Superior is a global manufacturer of bulk material processing and handling equipment—from conveyors and tele-stackers to crushers and washing systems—used at job sites around the world. During her time there, Jenny connected with Vice President of Marketing, Mary Erholtz, and met with Trace, a Morris Area High School student interning in the department, who demonstrated how 3D printing is being used to support Superior’s marketing and trade show efforts.
She also discovered a strong company culture centered on humility, hunger, and people smarts—a philosophy captured in Patrick Lencioni’s The Ideal Team Player. Inspired, she built a five-week book study around the book for her students. Superior even donated a classroom set and offered to co-teach alongside her.
Students Leading the Way
Perhaps the most inspiring moment came when Jenny met Trace, one of her own students, who is interning in the Marketing Department at Superior. As part of his
internship, Trace was asked to explore how 3D printing could support the company’s marketing efforts. He jumped right in—learning design software through YouTube tutorials and mentorship, experimenting with prototypes, and eventually producing scale models of Superior’s massive equipment for use at trade shows.
“He really took initiative,” said Mary Erholtz, Superior’s Vice President of Marketing. “Now he’s helping run the entire process. His models are shipped to trade shows around the world, saving the company tens of thousands of dollars while still telling our product story.”
Trace isn’t just gaining industry experience at Superior—he’s now mentoring Jenny as she brings 3D printing into her classroom. Together, they’re planning to integrate the technology into Morris’s popular “food truck” project, giving students a chance to design and market their ideas using cutting-edge tools.
“Imagine how powerful it is for my students to see their peer applying 3D printing to real-world industry problems,” Jenny said. “It bridges the gap between classroom creativity and business needs.”
Beyond Technical Skills
While new technology stood out, Jenny’s biggest takeaway was simpler: employers are hungry for students with strong soft skills.
“Employers need students who know how to email professionally, answer phones, show up early, and interact respectfully,” she explained. “They told me not to assume these skills are already being taught—but to intentionally reinforce and celebrate them.”
This feedback led Jenny to expand her curriculum’s soft skills focus, weaving professionalism into hands-on projects and real-world challenges.
Statewide Impact
Jenny’s externship is just one story among many. This past year, the Teacher Externship Program, coordinated statewide by Resource Training & Solutions, supported 50 teacher externs across Minnesota. Seventeen of those externs earned graduate-level credit at no cost, and together they created 50 new curriculum units directly tied to career learning. To support this work, the program provided $87,500 in stipends, ensuring externship experiences translate into meaningful classroom instruction.
The program is open to middle and high school educators across Minnesota and is designed as a short, paid summer externship—typically 3 to 5 days—where teachers are placed in local businesses and industries. In addition to hands-on learning, teachers receive support to develop career-connected curriculum and may earn graduate credit through the College of St. Scholastica.
The program is open to middle and high school educators across Minnesota and is designed as a short, paid summer externship—typically 3 to 5 days—where teachers are placed in local businesses and industries. In addition to hands-on learning, teachers receive support to develop career-connected curriculum and may also choose to earn graduate credit.
A Bridge for the Future
Jenny’s externship experience demonstrates the ripple effect that happens when schools and businesses partner. What began as a teacher’s summer learning opportunity has already evolved into richer classroom projects, stronger connections between education and industry, and even a student mentoring his own teacher.
Stories like Jenny’s and Trace’s show that externships are more than just a few days in the workplace—they are investments in students, communities, and Minnesota’s future workforce. By connecting educators with local industries, the Teacher Externship Program ensures that classrooms across the state are not only teaching content, but also preparing students with the skills, mindsets, and experiences they need to thrive.
At Resource Training & Solutions, we’re proud to help build these bridges between classrooms and careers—because when teachers grow, students succeed, and communities flourish.
Learn More
The Teacher Externship Program is changing the way Minnesota classrooms connect with careers. Learn more about the program here.