It's All About the Skills: A Closer Look at Internship

By Danielle Ohlemacher & Lauren Colby // Staff Writers

Founded by Mr. Embree eleven years ago, the Internship class has provided valuable opportunities for close to one thousand students. The class allows students to explore possible professions by interning within the community.

“Most experiences students have they couldn’t pay to get,” Mr. Embree said. He has helped students find internships with a variety of people, ranging from astronauts to horse trainers. Internships allow students to experience real world situations which are unavailable to them in the classroom. One student even fought the major wildfires five years ago while interning with the San Pasquall Valley Fire Department.

David Berning (11) was interested in coaching baseball as well as being involved in non profit groups. He decided to intern with the Miracle League, which runs baseball games for disabled children. He coaches on Saturdays for six to seven hours at the school’s baseball fields with the help of the children’s buddies who help them round the bases.

“I liked it a lot,” Berning said of the experience, “but it was really hard.” Mr. Embree sees the hard work required in an internship as one of the most important things that students learn because it teaches them the skills they will need in the real world. “You learn you’ve got to work to get paid,” Embree remarked. He also said that the most successful students in the class have a positive attitude and are assertive.

By experimenting with a professions of interest, students can decide if the field is worth pursuing in college. Mr. Embree explained that even if students disliked their internship, it was still a success to know that it was not for them. David Berning said that though he won’t be in the internship class next year, he plans to continue working with the Miracle League because he enjoys it.

Students not only learn about themselves through an internship, but they learn the skills they will need to survive professionally in the future.