From Healdsburg all the way to Bodega Bay minds are opening to new possibilities. Over the course of three weeks, beginning Jan. 23, all Healdsburg High School juniors participate in a for-credit internship program and have the opportunity to work with professionals in their field of interest and experience day-to-day responsibilities.
Through the Academic Internship Program, HHS offers the students the chance to explore potential careers they are interested in pursuing.
The program started eight years ago with the idea of getting kids out of classrooms and into the real world. Shelley Anderson, work based learning coordinator and scholarship coordinator, interviews each student before matching them with businesses and mentors in our community, and says the program is one-of-a-kind.
“Nobody is doing it to the level that we’re doing it. The fact that our program is a graduation requirement and is based on what the students want makes it unique,” said Anderson. She added the internships force students to explore beyond their comfort zones. “Getting students out of school, out of their comfort zones and into a place where they’re going to learn about a career is pretty powerful. Getting out of our comfort zones is how we grow.”
This year 132 juniors participated in distinct internships that range from law enforcement, business, education, health sciences, agriculture and natural resources, engineering and architecture. Some students shadowed at the California Highway Patrol while others shadowed marine biologists at the UC Davis Marine Lab in Bodega Bay. Healthcare is always one of the most popular internships each year, according to Anderson.
“Students know that it’s a flexible career where you can make good money,” she said. “Healthcare is a very broad industry and a lot of students see that.”
The program took place over three weeks spanning the months of January and February. During that time, HHS students spent six days with mentors at designated businesses where they had real hands-on work activities. Internships ended Feb. 7, and students will be required to give a seven to 10 minute presentation about their experiences to a panel of different mentors in March. Students also were required to write journals based on their experience each day.
Internships give students a broader perspective by allowing them to get a clear view of a career and determine their interest, likewise it can help students explore new possibilities they were previously not open to.
Mimi Collins, spokesperson for the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) said, “If you’re doing an internship in high school, that can really help you explore different options. That’s very valuable. Helping you identify what you are interested in and telling you if you aren’t interested in a particular field. It’s a win win.”
Collins who is not directly involved with high school students believes students should be open to new experiences and treat the opportunity seriously because it can help you down the line.
Typically, there are students who are unable to get their first option either because their career interests are unavailable in Sonoma County or businesses are always busy which makes it hard for them to mentor an intern. This results in students getting their second option or an internship at a business closely related to their interest. Safalta Purkuti, who has an interest in psychology, was an intern at the Pacifica Senior Living Community along with 19 fellow interns. Purkuti was uncertain how her career interest would relate to her internship at the Senior Living Center but she was glad she had the opportunity to learn how to interact with people who aren’t used to having young students spend time with them.
Tony Fisher, marketing director of the Pacifica Senior Living Center, has seen the impact the interactions between young students and elders, “If we can create a comfort for young people to want to work with elders, it helps support people that are on a journey of aging. We wish all 20 of our interns would say ‘we want to work with elders,’ but the internship program is really about helping young people decide whether it’s something they want to do. It’s always important to have an experience where you can find what your passion is.”
Similarly, Gabriella Ordaz, who has been interested in becoming a criminal profiler, was not given her first choice for her internship. Instead she interned at Live Oak Preschool where she worked closely with her mentor and preschoolers. Ordaz had a slight interest in following a career in education, but after exploring this field through her internship, she believes becoming a preschool teacher could become her first option for a career path. Ordaz was able to develop a close relationship with her mentor, Therese Walker, who advised Ordaz on paths that would help her pursue a career in education.
“She’s really nice, we got along very well,” Ordaz said. “I’m not very good at communicating but I can communicate well with her.”
Jennifer Carrada who has been interested in following a career in law enforcement, was assigned an internship at the California Highway Patrol. Carrada expected to develop new skills that would help her get a clear view of her career interest. Her mentors, David Derutte and Keren Hancock, made Carrada realize she needed to improve her communication skills as she realized that communication was a key factor in all areas of law enforcement. She said, “This internship has given me more knowledge about what they actually do, the importance of being in a team and learning to properly communicate to get things done.”
Like many other interns, Purkuti faced positive aspects throughout her internship. At the Pacifica Senior Living Center, she experienced the benefits of interacting with elders from a student’s perspective and perceived the impact young students had on elders. She said one of the most positive aspects from her internship was, “learning about their lives and them sharing it with me.”
Editor’s note: At the time of writing, Mercedes Ibanez was participating in the Academic Internship Program.
