Going to School or Going to Work? The Senior Internship
NEIRAD enilno edition
While most people assume seniors just like to spend their final month of the year slacking off and enjoying the little time they have left before going out into the real world, others prefer to get out there as soon as possible. Darien High School offers its students a special opportunity to do this through the Senior Internship. It gives students the chance to use what they have learned in the classroom throughout their four years of high school in the workplace.
“I decided to do the internship because I thought it would be a more productive way of spending the last month of my senior year,” Emily Ackers said. “If I were still at DHS, my chances of graduating would decrease considerably because I would never go to class,” she added jokingly.
Unlike Emily, some students feel that the internship is not worth it. “It’s a good option, but it is not good for your senior year,” senior Chelsea Grant said. “You miss out on the end of the year, which is the best part of your high school experience.” Students decide not to do the internship because they feel they will miss out on the social scene. Although the seniors doing internships may not be seen roaming the halls as the year comes to a close, they believe that they’ll be able to see their friends more. “I think it will actually make my social life easier because a lot of my friends are doing the internship and we won’t have homework,” Emily said.
Many students feel that the internship gives them a preview of what they want to do with their lives. Emily is doing her internship at Hindley Elementary School where she will be working with the pre-school and special education department. “I hope to gain a more realistic view of what it would be like to major in elementary or special education,” Emily said. Students can get a feel for if they will like what they want to do or not, and decide if it is a career they want to continue doing for the rest of their lives. “The jobs that the interns do require maturity and responsibility as well as a high level in independence and confidence,” history teacher and internship aid Mr. Chris Buckley said.
Just because a senior does the internship, it does not mean they don’t have to do the work they are going to miss. “I wouldn’t do the internship because it seems like you have to do all of your work for school early,” senior Colin Vanderhorn said. Senior Connor Beaumont is doing the internship at KPMG, a financial firm in New York City, and said that he had to finish his senior paper and all of his other work before leaving. “I have been stressed out the last couple of weeks trying to get work done.” Beaumont still has to take his finals, some before he leaves and some during finals week, but most of his teachers are giving him revised finals that only have what he has learned up to the point he leaves.
Connor feels that working at KPMG will give him a good experience in his field because he plans on majoring in international business, with a concentration in finance. “It is a great work experience to put on my resume, and it will be fun,” Connor said. “As students leave DHS to go onto college or the work place, [the skills students learn] will give them an edge over their new classmates as well as to prepare them for the shock of being independent,” Mr. Buckley said.
Last year DHS had about thirty students that did the internship. This year, the number of participants has increased to fifty-eight students. Doing the Senior Internship is not for everyone, but “if you have an idea of what you might want to major in,” Emily said, “then I’d definitely encourage you to try to get an internship in a career you may like to one day pursue!”
