Building Community: The Phoenix Feather Store

For my senior fieldwork, I have been working as a school social work intern at Starbuck International K-8 School in Racine, where I work with students from kindergarten to 8th grade. This internship has been a fantastic experience for me!

I have learned about working with students, connecting with families, and seeing how schools function. Building relationships with students has been one of the most rewarding aspects so far. 

My internship has allowed me to gain experience leading small groups, working individually with students, and even working as a crosswalk guard.  

I’ve also been able to work on several fun projects, including the one I’m most proud of: the Phoenix Feather Store. Phoenix feathers are given to students when they follow expectations, commit to their academics, lend a helping hand, or showcase other positive social and academic skills. They can then trade them in for fun school supplies, fidgets, or even a free slice of pizza from a local business. The store was created to build community, encourage positive behaviors, and provide a fun opportunity for students. I have been training students to help run the store, which gives them leadership opportunities and builds their skills and confidence.

I am using this incredible opportunity to learn more about my values in this field, expand my social work skills, and learn more about myself as a leader. 

My social work classes have prepared me well for this internship. The class, Trauma Across Social Contexts, taught by my advisor and social work professor, Debbie Kelly, taught me about child development, the effects of trauma on the brain, and some trauma-informed approaches to working with students. Many of the students I work with have experienced trauma, so this class prepared me to better support my students. 

Some advice for social work students—or any other student participating in an internship—is to say yes to as many opportunities as possible. It’s important to  prioritize time for yourself and spend time with others, but when an opportunity comes up for you to join a team or a project, it’s beneficial to say yes. When you join teams or projects, you learn the importance of collaboration and having a group of people to bounce ideas off or hold you accountable, but you also learn more about yourself. You understand your values better, how you communicate best, what role in a team you prefer, and other essential skills. 

Overall, I am so thankful for this opportunity to be an intern and a part of the community at Starbuck. Discussions with my supervisor have helped me learn more about the important role of a school social worker and the many different ways a school functions. For example, I got to learn about federal programs, how public schools are funded, how curriculum can be different at an International Baccalaureate school, and the different policies that affect schools, both locally and federally. I have learned so much about what it means to be a school social worker from my supervisor, but also my students and faculty, and I can’t wait for my future!

Annika at the Phoenix Feather Store

After Graduation:

For the 2025-2026 academic year, I will be completing my master’s degree at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the School Social Work program. For my graduate field placement, I am continuing at Starbuck International. I am using this opportunity to jump right back into working with students, expanding the Phoenix Feather store, and planning on organizing a t-shirt fundraiser to raise money for their Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports program*. Having prior experience at Starbuck lets me start the year strong and make the most out of my field placement! I look forward to continuing previous groups and programs in order to observe their long-term impact over two years. 

BY ANNIKA ERICKSON

Footnotes:

*Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports: PBIS is an evidence-based practice used in many school districts. This framework aims to create a positive educational environment by reinforcing positive behaviors throughout the school community.