Internships from a large variety of career paths are offered to students in 11th and 12th grades, giving them the opportunity to gain experience and develop important skills for their future careers. 

The internship program is all about giving students the opportunity to gain insight that other students don’t receive. These experiences will facilitate their journey throughout the next couple of years. The internship programs offer students opportunities to work in schools, offices and even hospitals. 

Students participating in internships form pivotal relationships and learn important life skills like problem-solving and communication. It is an easy way for students to develop and expand their knowledge about the career path they are interested in. Additionally, the internship program has helped a number of students discover what they want to do for the rest of their lives.

Despite all the research a student may complete, they might not truly know what they want to do with their life until they have had first hand experience in the environment.

“Sometimes people have a perception of what the career is all about and not until they actually see it can they get an understanding if this is something they really want to do,” said head of the internship program Diane Nelson.

The experience that an internship offers allows students to improve specific abilities that they will need in the future, whether it be in college or in a job. Students may become more open-minded as they go through their internship. Whether this is open mindedness with other people or other careers, it is an important characteristic for students to foster. It is significant for young students to be receptive and open-minded so they can gain understanding and make progress within the relationships in their internship. 

“I think that being an intern especially at the school that I intern at has […] opened my eyes to see how kids with special needs […] act. It’s definitely brought to my attention the negative stigma about them and how they can’t do anything when that is so completely false,” said participant in the special education internship junior Talia J.

When students participate in internships, they can become more confident in the career path that they are planning on pursuing. They become more assured with their skills and expertise. An example of this would be a nursing internship. When the student works officially in a hospital for the first time, they become much more familiar and comfortable with the environment.

“When they go to college and they are studying nursing, they’ve had a lot of clinical experience. They’ve been in a hospital, they’ve been in that environment, and they’ve always felt that they are more prepared for when they have to do their first clinical rotation,” said Nelson. 

This can carry over to the education internship as well. Students who aspire to work with kids in the future are often more comfortable doing so after they have already been in that environment. They are getting an early start, learning about the behaviors of children and how to form positive relationships with them. 

“When I first started last year, when a child started […]  having a problem, I would go right to the teacher but now, […] I am able to solve it myself,” said participant in the elementary education internship senior Nora S.

To participate in an internship, a student can attend the informational meeting in which they will receive information about the different types of internships offered. At this meeting, there is also a panel of students who have already participated in an internship. They will provide information about their firsthand experiences to help students make their choice. If a student has any questions about the internship they wish to participate in, they should discuss their plans with Diane Nelson.◼️