As thousands of District Five students returned to the classroom this week, some Byrnes High School students did so with a few new tools in hand. More than a dozen Byrnes students were part of the district's summer internship program.
The program, the first of its kind in District Five, places current high school students in departments ranging from Technology, to Maintenance and Public Relations. Over 10 weeks this summer, students gained valuable, hands-on experience — from troubleshooting network issues to supporting district-wide communications projects.
“Our students have aligned their career goals with areas that we service in our district,” said Heather Gordon, Director of Secondary Education. “I think it’s great for students to be interacting with adults that are working in their career field — adults who can guide them and give them relevant advice on how to pursue their goals.”
For intern Ali Abdulhadhim, an intern in the district's maintenance department, the program was a stepping stone toward a future career. “I’m planning to be an electrician, and this was a great opportunity. It’s opened a lot of doors and allowed me to see commercial electrical wiring. It also provides an opportunity to see what you will be doing if you enter these trades.”
Gordon says a goal of the program was also to help students learn skills beyond traditional job requirements. "They're also learning the skillset that it takes, and that it's more than just technical skills, it's the soft skills that are really valuable."
Madison Dunn said the internship experience will help her far beyond the summer months. “It can help me learn responsibility and time management.” Rising Senior, R.J. Cummings. agrees and found the program pushed him outside his comfort zone.. “It helps you branch out further than you think you can go,” he said.