Written by David Beery

March 1 is right around the corner, which means - of course - spring break is not far away. But even more important, this turn of the calendar means it’s time for District 214 students to apply for summer and fall internships. March 1 is the deadline to make an internship application - and, in the process - utilize one of the most vital learning opportunities District 214 has to offer.

District 214 continues to lead the way in Redefining Readiness - hence the name of this blog and the focus of so much of our work. When it comes to getting ready for next steps beyond high school, few opportunities benefit students more than gaining first-hand experience in a career and workplace that interests them.

Which is what internships provide. By March 1, District 214 juniors and seniors (and sophomores who have turned 16) will apply for either traditional or micro internships for summer and fall. Full, traditional internships give students 60 hours of work experience; the micro versions offer 30. Both offer extensive hands-on experience. 

We encourage you to take a few minutes to watch and listen to the video below featuring Megan Knight, Director of Academic Pathways and Programs, and Rolling Meadows student Alisa Rzewucki.

Among other points, you’ll hear them discuss:

• How District 214’s Center for Career Discovery designs customized experiences aligned with students’ career interests.

• How Alisa’s classroom work prepared her for a veterinarian internship by providing vocabulary and background that helped her understand what the veterinarian was explaining to clients.

• How the internship enabled the development of friendships and networking with professionals in Alisa’s field of interest.

• How working in a veterinarian's office added many new dimensions to coursework, by allowing her to see, for instance, a cat or dog’s ailments in person and how a veterinarian draws on his or her knowledge and experience to treat symptoms and underlying conditions. “Seeing an animal’s suffering,” Alisa explained, “makes you feel closer to that.”

• How this internship reinforced Alisa’s interest in animal medicine and - at the same time - helped her realize that she might prefer working with larger animals in conservation settings than with family pets in an office. 

• How internships either support students’ ideas about what careers interest them or yield the equally valuable knowledge that a particular career path is not for them after all. As Ms. Knight explains: “This is the crux of why we do what we do here in 214. We want students to leave our doors with a clear path to their futures, to make sure they are not wasting time or money later.”

• The vital importance of District 214’s business partners that provide internships. As Ms. Knight explains, “These opportunities would not be possible without our incredible community support.”

• The need for even additional internship opportunities. How, for instance, a groundswell of student interest in Information Technology and engineering has District 214 looking for community partners in these fields.

Additional details about the Center for Career Discovery and internship applications may be found here. Students may apply by visiting apply214.org. Applications require parent consent, teacher recommendation and counselor verification. After students complete an application, they will participate in an interview, which, as Ms. Knight explains, allows District 214 to customize an internship for each student.

Increasingly, educators and stakeholders understand that standardized test scores simply fall short in determining whether high school graduates are well prepared for what comes next. Internships represent one more way - in addition to other work-based learning experiences and multiple opportunities for students to earn college credit while still in high school - that District 214 is changing and improving the way our students get ready for success beyond high school.

Do you know a student who might be Interested in District 214 Internships? Help us spread the word!