Balsam Hill Charity Events

Balsam Hill shares the holiday spirit with at-risk middle school students by sponsoring student apprentices through Spark, a local Bay Area charity. Working on projects alongside Balsam Hill employees, the student apprentices get hands-on experience working on projects related to their dream jobs. Recently, Balsam Hill employees led the students in various projects, ranging from graphic design to online merchandising to business operations.

Education is one of the most valuable gifts one can receive, and as a Christmas company, it has been a joy to be able to present the students with that gift through our experiences and skills. At Balsam Hill, we value the generosity of spirit and hope that is represented by Christmas. We feel privileged to have gotten the opportunity to touch young lives.

Spark

Who We Are

In the United States, over a third of all young people drop out of high school without a diploma, permanently limiting their options in life. Spark is an award-winning non-profit with a powerful answer to this crisis, addressing it early – in middle-school – and with a unique apprenticeship program. Through Spark, at-risk middle-school students can try a range of career options after-school, working one-on-one with mentors in professions ranging from computer engineering to dentistry, and law to architecture. Spark has shown that students who do apprenticeships are less likely to drop out, more engaged in school, and more able to actively set the course of their lives through education and into the workforce.

Our Programs

Spark works with companies of all sizes, offering engaging volunteer opportunities for employees to become mentors and introduce local students to their profession. Balsam Hill has worked with several Spark students in fields including graphic design, website design, and business operations. The apprenticeship is a uniquely powerful learning experience, where students gain insight into a career and workplace they never would have access to otherwise, one that vividly demonstrates the doors that a good education can open.