“Three years ago, we started the program with a small group of six students and now it has grown to where we have too many students signing up,” explained assistant principal Joan Mellon.
Senior internships have gained a considerable amount of popularity among students this year.
According to Mellon, about 50 students applied last year for an internship; however, only around 40 students got picked to participate.
To apply seniors must have had at least a B average, whether they were taking regular, honors or AP classes.
According to Deborah Seighman, a student also needed to have two teachers sign off on their application and have a good attendance record.
However, the application process is very in-depth and a student needs to be interested and passionate about staying with their internship.
An intern must provide their own transportation to the company and must follow its guidelines, including the dress and safety codes.
Once signed up, seniors’ grades were checked and their high school schedules were created around their internship if possible.
Some students may not have been able to participate because one of their high school classes that they signed up for conflicted with the time of their desired internship.
Also, students needed to have room in their schedule during the fall or spring semester along with realizing that they would only be at school for half of the day, either in the morning or afternoon.
“For some, they are better off to start in the fall because they will also be applying to college and it will give them a better idea about their major.” stated Mellon
For others, they would benefit more from starting in the spring because students might have a difficult time coming back to the “daily grind” of the high school.
After the number of students was determined, students filled out another application and discussed with Seighman the internship program and how it would work.
“The experiences students will get through the program will help them decide which career area to pursue or eliminate. They get to experience a real life setting,” said Deborah Seighman.
After the high school process is completed, intern students must be interviewed by the company or meet with the sponsor of the internship.
“For the first week I met with Mr. Miller at Newlonsburg and discussed the different lessons. I also observed his style of teaching,” said senior Taylor Barner about applying for his teaching internship.
Intern applicants have to earn the internship by impressing the sponsor of the internship.
They are not simply handed the internship; they have to work for it.
From previous years, Mellon estimated that half of the interns change ideas on future jobs after the internship, whether they find out they don’t like that field or find a different field while at the internship.
There is a plethora of options to look into around the Murrysville area ranging from a pastry chef to a veterinarian.
“My internship is based more on experience rather than education because it is necessary to know the bone structures of the animals, how to feed the different animals, and know what you are doing,” said Nicole Popp, who interns at the Cozy Inn Pet Resort.
According to Mellon, interns are able to gain experience just by learning how to approach and talk in business meetings.
Barner, who just started his internship, explained that he has already created bulletin boards with his student’s projects and played small activities with them, but has not yet started to teach.
On the other hand, senior Chelsea Pecora started her internship at the beginning of the year.
Three days a week Pecora works with Annie Essay, special education teacher at the middle school.
According to Pecora, when she is at the middle school she helps the special education classes with crafts, excuses, and learning games such as learning how to purchase items.
For the other two days of the week Pecora interns at Sunrise Schools with the special education classes.
“I love working with the kids and seeing what it is like to be a teacher,” said Pecora.
At the end of the senior internship program, students will give a presentation on the knowledge that they have gained from their experiences.
These experiences will not only help them accomplish more with their major but it will help them grow as an individual.
That experience will be one that will stay with them for the rest of their life and give them new insight on their major.