Instead of sitting at desks in a classroom all day, eleven students participated in the new Career Internship Program, exploring fields such as education, barbering and the police force. These students showcased their professional growth and newly developed workplace skills through presentations in the school library on May 16. 

The Career Internship Program was introduced this academic year for juniors and seniors. It provides the opportunity and resources needed to pursue an internship in their field of interest for academic credit. The program also includes a “Career Connections” class in the interns’ schedules. This class serves as a dedicated time for students to either complete their internship or catch up on work they missed due to their internship. 

Career Exploration and Innovation Leader Michelle Kaelin works individually with each student to understand their interests and find the best fit for an internship. Students were placed with mentors at places such as the Northborough Police Department or the Northborough-Southborough Public School department.

“It gives students a different kind of learning, and they can see how some of the skills developed in school are reflected out in the real world,” Kaelin said.

Although students are at different stages regarding their choices for future careers, Kaelin believes that this program can be a learning experience for any student willing to take a risk in a new environment. 

“Being able to apply those skills is beneficial, and also just building their own skills, like teamwork, communication and professionalism,” Kaelin said. “Those are core skills that are going to be important no matter where you are in life.”

Kaelin emphasized that the showcase provided the perfect chance for interns to share what they have learned and their individual growth with their mentors, community members and families. She believes that internships are valuable because they effectively prepare students for their future jobs.

Junior Claire Tang was one of the students who found the internship program to be a valuable experience. As an intern at the finance department of the Northborough-Southborough Public Schools, she completed tasks related to renters’ insurance, health insurance for retirees and school bus procurement relating to contracting with the school bus routes and drivers that were challenging at times. 

“They didn’t just give me easy tasks,” Tang said. “I feel like I had a lot of trial and error in doing tasks.”

Tang also credited this program for providing her with more clarity on her interests in the future.  

“In the beginning, I didn’t really know what I wanted, but after this, I was thinking that I really like this and I want to do something further with it,” Tang said. 

Senior Adriana Russell was an intern at Lincoln Street School in Northborough, helping with lesson planning and making sure students stayed on track. Overall, Russell found her internship to be rewarding and helpful in confirming her plan to find a career in the education field.

“My favorite part was being in the classroom, the environment and getting hands-on learning,” Russell said.

School Resource Officer Stephen Sullivan works at the Northborough Police Department, where two students, junior Mia Nicosia and senior Jordan Lopez, had their internships. Sullivan did an internship at a federal agency when he was in college, which he greatly enjoyed, and tried to mimic some of those aspects in this program.

“I remembered that when I did my internship at a federal agency, the most fun thing we did was the ride-alongs,” Sullivan said. “We got to go out into the streets and help people or arrest the bad guys.”

Similarly, Nicosia and Lopez would help out with paperwork and also go on ride-alongs, something that Sullivan thought was the most fun and important part of the internship. 

“I wanted them to have that experience of getting out of the office or getting out of the station, and going out and seeing what we do, and how we interact with the community in a positive way,” Sullivan said. 

One of Kaelin’s main goals is to continue spreading the word about this unique program that Algonquin provides. If students are interested in an internship, they can contact Career Exploration and Innovation Leader Michelle Kaelin to learn more about the program and the opportunities it offers.

“One thing that I did differently was having an application and learning how to communicate with students and families about the program so more people became aware of it and realized that it was something that was an option here,” Kaelin said.

Not only do internships help students improve their workplace skills, but they also enhance their communication and leadership skills, according to Kaelin. She hopes that the internship program will continue to grow, as it is the best option for students seeking real experience in a particular work field, while still being in high school.

“I’m super proud of this group,” Kaelin said. “We have learned a lot going through the process together. Through some different ups and downs and challenges, I’ve been really impressed with how they communicated with me and their mentors.”