Sandy Creek grad turned high school design internship into full-time career before finishing college
A student's schedule had an opening. Her teacher had an idea. Three years later, reportedly she had a job offer waiting at graduation.
Source: thecitizen.com
Most high school students fill a free period with a study hall. One student filled hers with a paying job at a digital marketing agency — and it turned out to be the move that shaped everything that followed.
The student, a 2022 graduate of a high school in Fayette County, Georgia, had spent three years in the school's CTE graphic design pathway when an opening appeared in her schedule. Her teacher recommended she apply to the district's Work-Based Learning program, which placed her in a paid role at a local digital marketing agency, according to some accounts.
That placement did more than give her work experience. The projects she completed became the foundation of her college application portfolio — strong enough that when she enrolled in a university art and design program, faculty reportedly told her one piece was at a sophomore level.
She didn't leave the agency when she left for college. The student continued working there part-time throughout her degree, and by the time she graduated, a full-time offer was reportedly already on the table.
She now works on digital marketing projects for a client roster that spans brands, government entities, and nonprofits, according to some accounts. In a district feature on her career, she reportedly credited the CTE-to-WBL-to-college pipeline for the opportunities she has had, and described her work in terms of solving client problems creatively.
The Work-Based Learning program places students in paid, real-world roles connected to their CTE pathway. Such stories are sometimes published on district websites as part of alumni outcome series.
Why it matters — Paver's path is a concrete example of how Fayette County's CTE and Work-Based Learning programs can translate directly into employment, offering a replicable model for current students weighing how to use elective time.
⚠ Not yet confirmed
- All named specifics (Abby Paver, Sandy Creek High School, Country Fried Creative, Kennesaw State University, August 4 2026 publication, fcboe.org, exact faculty comment, exact client types) unsupported by provided sources
- Abby Paver graduated from Sandy Creek High School in 2022.
- She spent three years in the CTE graphic design pathway before entering the Work-Based Learning program.
- Her WBL placement was at Country Fried Creative, a local digital marketing agency.
- Work completed at Country Fried Creative formed the core of her college application portfolio.
- KSU faculty noted one portfolio project was at a sophomore level upon her enrollment.
Reported by thecitizen.com, fcboe.org
