Author Archives: Peaches Avre

From Student to Staff: Peaches Avre’s Full Circle Moment

Peaches Avre’s journey with BestPrep began in 2014 as a student from Two Rivers High School in Mendota Heights. In her AVID class, she was introduced to eMentors, BestPrep’s online mentorship program. She was paired with someone from UnitedHealth Group who gave her career advice and helped her see what was possible beyond the classroom. […]


Dean Breuer’s Path to Success with BestPrep

A single summer can change the trajectory of a young person’s life, especially for Dean Breuer, the CTE Business and Marketing Specialist at the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and a BestPrep board liaison. When Dean was a junior in high school, he took a chance on Minnesota Business Venture (MBV) after his business teacher encouraged […]


Analise’s New Experiences at Minnesota Business Venture

BestPrep’s Minnesota Business Venture (MBV) program is a week-long summer camp that helps high school students explore careers, build leadership skills, and gain real world business experience through hands-on learning.   Analise is a first-time camper at MBV who was recognized by her Resident Business Leader (RBL) for her dedication and focus. As an introverted high school student from Wisconsin, she felt nervous […]


Esther Gfrerer: Empowering the Next Generation

BestPrep’s Minnesota Business Venture (MBV) program is a week-long summer camp that helps high school students explore careers, build leadership skills, and gain real world business experience through hands-on learning.   MBV relies on the help of more than 150 volunteers between both sessions. One of those volunteers, Esther Gfrerer, has volunteered with MBV for the past two years as a business plan […]


Skills For The Future: Aarav’s Journey From Camper to CEO

BestPrep’s Minnesota Business Venture (MBV) program is a week-long summer camp that helps high school students explore careers, build leadership skills, and gain real world business experience through hands-on learning.  MBV has impacted many students across the 45 years it has been in session, including Aarav, a student from Eden Prairie High School. Just last year, […]


Andy Hennig: A Life Changed by BestPrep

It’s no exaggeration that BestPrep alters the course of peoples’ lives in more ways than one – especially for long-time supporter, Andy Hennig.  Andy is a BestPrep board member and Communications Manager at the 3M Innovation Center who first got involved through BestPrep’s summer camp, Minnesota Business Venture (MBV). In the summer of 2000, he spent one week overnight at St. John’s University volunteering as a Resident Business Leader (RBL), a working professional who provides guidance and real-world advice to a group of high school students.  By the end of the week he knew he would be back, exclaiming, “I just fell in […]


Khadra Sharif: Skills for a Lifetime

From shy teenager to successful business professional, Khadra Sharif’s journey is nothing short of inspiring.  Khadra currently serves as Target’s Executive Team Leader for the Service & Engagement and Fulfillment departments where she leads with confidence and conviction – qualities she attributes to her experience at BestPrep’s summer camp, Minnesota Business Venture (MBV).  Khadra first attended MBV in 2017 as a Robbinsdale Cooper Senior High School student. In the begining, she was nervous about spending time with other students because it was her first camp experience. She was also afraid to speak English since it wasn’t her native language. Despite those initial fears, MBV became a turning point […]


Alexess’ Transformational Week at Minnesota Business Venture

BestPrep’s Minnesota Business Venture (MBV) program is a week-long summer camp that helps high school students explore careers, build leadership skills, and gain real world business experience through hands-on learning.   One student who was greatly impacted during the first session of MBV was Alexess, an incoming sophomore from Visitation School in Mendota Heights.  When Alexess first arrived at camp, she was extremely nervous because […]