This past Labor Day Weekend, HIGH BEAM celebrated its 3rd birthday. Three years of ongoing research, listening and learning, networking, creating, fundraising, planning, phone calls, video calls, cold calls, cold emails, meetings, recruiting, working long nights after full days of a day job… It all culminated in the launch of our first cohort this summer. It also gave us three founders our first chance to meet in person since we originally met in 2019.
As our cohort members submit blog posts about our trip to London, I realized we might’ve been putting the cart before the horse as I haven’t even described our experience so before we post the rest of the student blogs, let me tell you about HIGH BEAM in London 2023!
Our flight to London was not ideal, but it did give our students a look at what travel is like for a lot of people—especially students—complete with a long layover, dragging luggage on and off trains, and sightseeing while you wait for hotel check-in time. We arrived early on a Sunday morning to an usually humid and warm London. We made the best of it by taking a boat down the river to beautiful Greenwich, home to the Prime Meridian and our opportunity to try a traditional Sunday Roast. Despite the delectable feast of roasted meats, vegetables, and yorkshire pudding, then crossing the time’s starting line, the students ended up being most impressed by the filming location for Netflix’s Bridgerton and Marvel movies! It was difficult to not be impressed by the scenery, after all, and with a stop at a local marketplace, the outdoor time was just the ticket after a very long journey.
The goal for this week was not just sightseeing. We were going to see what “potential” looks like in the real world for jobs, schools, travel experiences, all mixed in with the arts, culture, tastes, people, and sounds of a city.
Monday:
Hop On Hop Off Bus minus the hopping. We got the lay of the land, photo ops, and some history
Lloyd’s of London. As an insurance company, it can be overlooked as a source of history, crucial skills, and learning how to not judge an industry by its cover. Our guide, Tim, had seen it all over his career and told fascinating tales of the founder, accounts like David Beckham’s foot, Bruce Springsteen’s voice, and the communication skills that he relied on to get ahead in his career.
Buckingham Palace photo ops and a black cab ride to...
Selfrdige’s. Arguably the #1 department store in the world, we stopped in to see what a forward-thinking American can accomplish… even over a century ago.
Tuesday:
U.S. Embassy. We spent most of the day here learning what diplomats from different specialties do, how they got to where they are, and indispensable relationship building skills. We shared our visit with a group of students from a local school in order to do our own diplomatic work of sharing our favorite snacks. What better way to learn about other teens than by sharing snacks and slang words?
Borough Market. Continuing our food-themed day with a visit to the oldest food market and a visit with our co-founder’s 6th form students from another school.
The Garden at 120. HIGH BEAM is all about a new perspective, so why not an aerial one of London… but from a less touristy spot than the Sky Garden. This manicured garden had 360 degrees of open air views of just about every major monument in the city.
Wednesday:
The British Museum. If only there was a Rosetta Stone for all life’s communication! At least we got to see the real thing as well as artifacts that sparked awe and debate.
Afternoon Tea. It’s easy to see why this was a favorite stop on the itinerary as it centered around a custom of food. I’m not sure who was more gleeful… the students as they discovered the Alice in Wonderland theme or the chaperones who had kept it a secret just to see the reaction on their faces!
A city walk. We casually strolled from afternoon tea through picturesque neighborhoods and stopped in on the House of Nima Lima (the illustrators of the Harry Potter books and movie sets), Hatchard’s bookstore (the first book store in London), Fortnum & Mason, and a restful stop in Hyde Park.
Wicked. The musical... students of a different sort, decisions, and consequences.
Thursday:
The BBC. We were lucky to get last minute access to a special team of lawyers at the BBC. Working in entertainment can be quite a different type of legal world and with a couple students being very serious about that potential career path, we were thankful to get a glimpse into their world, which requires as much creativity and relationship building skills as the other companies we visited.
Houses of Parliament. It’s one thing to see how the British Parliament conducts business on TV or in films, but to see the iconic building steeped in history and watch proceedings was nothing less than impressive.
Friday:
Tower of London. We passed this building again and again over the week and now it was time for pay off. How many other sites boast a history adorned in blood and crown jewels?
University College of London. We took a college tour conducted by an international student who talked of the wonderful programs at UCL as well as her experience being a student studying abroad. This was an idea-sparking experience if ever there was one.
The theme of the week across all companies turned out to be one of communication and relationship building, bridging people and places, which in a world dependent on online communication, was a useful theme to emerge. We returned home on Saturday and despite how tired we all were, I was in awe of how years of planning came together for such a jam-packed week! We want to take the time now to thank those who worked with us to create such a unique trip (the details of which were over a year in the making): our friends at Lloyds of London, the U.S. Embassy, the BBC, Parliament, and UCL. We also offer our deep gratitude for everyone who spent time with us over the past three years offering guidance, encouragement, and personal stories… particularly our board of directors and advisors. And of course, a heartfelt thank you to all our early financial supporters who believe in us, our vision, and the potential of our students. Our hearts are full!
Wonderful to see you so creative in your vocation as a guidance counselor for the youth. Congratulations.