A teen’s first job comes with a long list of firsts. First interview, first uniform, first day. Through IHG® Army Hotels Teen Academy, those early milestones come with something else: the opportunity to learn alongside supportive mentors, contribute to the community and begin imagining where a new set of skills could lead.
For the past decade, the paid summer internship program has introduced teenagers to the people and responsibilities behind hotel operations. Participants work alongside experienced hotel team members while gaining exposure to departments such as housekeeping, laundry, breakfast service, maintenance and front desk operations.
But the experience is about more than learning how a hotel runs. It is designed to help teenagers become more confident, dependable and prepared to enter the workforce.
One Summer Can Make a Difference
For some interns, Teen Academy represents their first opportunity to earn and save their own money.
Brian Gonzalez Morales traveled from Puerto Rico to spend the summer with his older brother Edwin, an IHG Army Hotels colleague at Joint Base San Antonio. During his first year in the program, Brian saved enough money to purchase a car when he returned home.
The experience gave him more than a financial goal to work toward. He enjoyed his time with the hotel team so much that he returned the following summer. This time, he took on an additional role as a mentor, helping new participants navigate some of the same responsibilities he had recently learned about himself.
His story reflects one of Teen Academy’s most meaningful outcomes: Participants do not simply complete the program and move on. Some return for another summer, continue working at the hotel or become a source of support for the next group of teenagers walking through the door.
Finding Confidence in New Places
Teen Academy can also introduce participants to roles they may never have considered before.
At Fort Leavenworth, a participant named Dyani spent her summer working in the maintenance department under Vicky McLaughlin, one of the only women to lead the department.
In her end-of-summer reflection, Dyani described how quickly her perspective changed. Although she initially felt like an outsider, the openness of her mentor and the stories they shared helped her become part of the team. By stepping into an unfamiliar department, Dyani gained practical knowledge while also seeing firsthand that a career path does not have to follow traditional expectations.
That relationship between both participants and mentors is central to the program. Hotel team members teach workplace standards, demonstrate daily responsibilities and provide guidance to teenagers who may be entering a professional environment for the first time.
Expanding Hospitality Beyond the Hotel
Learning to serve others does not stop at the hotel doors.
Each Teen Academy class participates in at least one community service project during the summer. Past participants have supported local food banks and organizations such as the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which assists families of fallen first responders and service members.
These projects allow teens to see hospitality in a broader way. For participants, community service becomes another opportunity to work as a team, take responsibility and understand the impact they can make together.
Training the Next Generation of Hospitality Professionals
Teen Academy began in 2016 with 14 teenagers at Joint Base San Antonio, as a way to fill much-needed summer job openings and provide work for dependents of hotel colleagues. Today, an average of twenty IHG Army Hotels locations participate in the program each summer, hiring an average of 90 teens per year.
The program is also now open to dependents of military personnel living on post. By opening the program to more military-connected teenagers, IHG Army Hotels has created another way to support the families who live and serve within the communities where its hotel teams work.
Where Are the Teen Academy Alumni Now?
One of the main purposes of Teen Academy is to introduce young people to the hospitality industry and ignite a passion for delivering excellent service to our guests.
Beyond Teen Academy, IHG Army Hotels is committed to hiring veterans, military spouses and family members, recognizing the valuable skills and experiences they bring to caring for our guests.
Several Teen Academy participants have gone on to become full-time colleagues at IHG Army Hotels, carrying the skills they learned as teenagers into their future.
Melanie Flores, now a housekeeper at Joint Base San Antonio, still uses the communication, punctuality and problem-solving skills she learned in the program. One of her favorite parts of the job is interacting and laughing with guests and other team members.
Adrian McManaway-Vasquez, a front desk agent at Fort Huachuca, always reflects fondly on the Teen Academy program, and credits Teen Academy with teaching him hotel standards, time management and how to communicate across different teams.
Ariana Avalos, a houseperson at Fort Benning, describes the experience as “hands-on,” giving participants the opportunity to learn hotel standards while building relationships with guests and colleagues.
Jordan Robinson, now a laundry attendant at Fort Benning, shares how the program prepared him for the real world by showing him the ins and outs of a real job.
Dneijha “Dee” Chambers, who now works at Fort Benning, encourages current participants of the program to ask questions, step outside their comfort zones and enjoy the experience. “Believe in yourself, have fun and leave knowing you’re stronger, more confident and ready for whatever comes next”, she said.
Opening Doors for the Future
After 10 summers, hundreds of shifts and countless firsts, Teen Academy continues to show how meaningful an early work experience can be.
For one teenager, it may mean saving for a car. For another, it may mean finding a place on a team, discovering a potential career in hospitality, or gaining the confidence to take on the next challenge.
And sometimes, one summer is all it takes to begin.
Teen Academy is part of IHG Academy, which provides pathways into the hospitality industry through internships, apprenticeships, work experience and on-the-job training.
(c) 2026 IHG Hotels & Resorts. All rights reserved. IHG Army Hotels properties are independently owned by Rest Easy LLC, a Centinel Public Partnerships company, and operated by an affiliate of IHG. No DoW, US Army or federal government endorsement implied. For information on Centinel, visit CentinelUS.com.
