New Upper School Internship Program Begins
Beginning this week, two PCA seniors started working one-on-one with teachers at the Lower School as part of the Upper School’s new internship program.
Ashley Olson (pictured in center) and Gillian Brown (pictured second from left) will be pursuing Education degrees in college next year. They will be interning in the Lower School several days a week and have been paired with teachers in their areas of interest. Ashley Olson is interested in early education and will be working with HarleeTuttle in PCAP for the second quarter. Gillian will be studying secondary school mathematics and will intern with MichelleTrainor in Grade 6 for the second quarter, as well as running a math lab. At the start of next semester, a determination will be made as to whether or not they will continue to work more in depth with their mentor teachers or broaden their experience in another classroom.
Dr. Carrie Abood, Lower School Principal, coordinated the student-mentor teacher program, pairing to best meet the students’ internship goals. She has seen first-hand the value of internships. As a former Assistant Professor of Education, Dr. Abood worked closely with Education majors and taught an entry-level Education course to college freshmen. “In my years of advising Education majors, it was always clear that the students with high school internship experiences were better prepared and more realistic about what it means to be a teacher in today’s schools. It was my job to help college students decide if teaching was truly the right career path for them; for those coming to college with rich experiences, such as the one that Gillian and Ashley will experience, that decision was already clearly solidified.”
These hands-on opportunities allow our students to experience the real world responsibilities of their future career. Next year, this program will be expanded and offer internship opportunities in a variety of fields as the high school partners with local businesses and offices. If you are interested in hosting a high school student in your work place, please contact me.
Colleen Geller
Academic Guidance and College Planning Counselor