Written by: Kaitlin Streator, BB2C Communications and Engagement Specialist
Each school year, students across Appalachian Ohio and parts of West Virginia participate in and benefit from Building Bridges to Careers (BB2C) events and programs. Our Career Speaker Series, Family Career Fest, and Discover Days are just a few of the ways BB2C bridges the gap between education and employment.
Discover Days, in particular, are impactful events designed to inspire students' career choices. By bringing together students and local professionals within specific career clusters, these events offer hands-on activities and valuable networking opportunities to show what a day in the field actually looks like.
Some students leave a Discover Day realizing a specific path isn't for them. Others leave with a spark of curiosity to explore new fields. And then there are students like Waterford High School senior Garin Schaad, who leave knowing exactly what they want to do after graduation—equipped with professional contacts that give them a jump start on their careers.
Garin Schadd was also a Marketing Intern for BB2C for the 2025-2026 school year
"I definitely wouldn’t have found out about the internship or had a chance to apply [without BB2C]... I probably would’ve just kept doing what I’d been doing—weed eating and that kind of stuff—until college,” Schaad said.
Schaad recently completed a summer internship with Perry and Associates Accounting Firm in Marietta, Ohio. He first learned about the opportunity when he attended Discover Accounting Day during his sophomore year. Without that event, Schaad noted, he might not have known the internship existed.
"Maybe eventually I would have found [an internship], but it wouldn’t have been as early as I did, and I wouldn't have had as many opportunities to learn about the field,” Schaad said. "I was already pretty dead set on doing accounting, but [the internship] really helped me for sure want to go into it. I don’t really have any doubts now. It was a good work environment. I had a lot of fun with all the guys I worked with.”
In addition to his accounting experience, Schaad is a former Marketing Intern with BB2C. While he doesn't plan to pursue a career in marketing or communications, he credits the internship with teaching him skills that will directly benefit his future in business.
"The biggest thing I learned was how to communicate with others in a group—which is pretty big for accounting, because even at a smaller firm, you’re working with teams of people. I’ve always been somebody who likes to do stuff on my own, so I learned how to cooperate and do well as a group."
Garin stands with the other Discover Accounting Day students and Perry and Associates staff members
Schaad not only developed key professional skills through his internship, but he also proved to be a trustworthy ambassador for Perry and Associates. Earlier this month, Perry and Associates collaborated with BB2C for another Discover Accounting Day, inviting Schaad to speak and share his experiences with attending students.
"It feels pretty good that they thought I was reliable enough to want me to talk at the event,” Schaad said.
Following a Q&A session with Schaad and the team at Perry and Associates, Schaad shared his next big step: he will be attending Ohio University next fall to major in accounting.
"I’m excited for Ohio University. Coming from a graduating class of 50 kids, a big campus is a big difference, but I’m ready for it. My main goals are keeping my grades up, filling out scholarships, and just getting things done on time because I'm a big procrastinator... and I'm president of five things!"
While it isn't always possible to track every single student who passes through BB2C’s programs, seeing a student trace their success directly back to their experiences with BB2C and a dedicated local business is a wonderful reminder of why this work matters.
To learn more about the programs offered to students and local businesses, visit bb2careers.org.