Upper Columbia Academy (UCA) in Spangle, Wash., will be adding a required internship for all juniors beginning with the 2018–2019 school year. Students will be released from regular schoolwork to get a taste of their future occupation for two weeks in March. They will be able to choose to either stay on campus and do their internship locally in Spokane or return to their hometown for their internship experience. During these two weeks, their only focus will be on their “job.” Once the internship has been completed, the students will build a portfolio of their experience.
“The transition from student to adulthood is a frightening one,” says science teacher Judy Castrejon. “Career choice is heavy on students' minds. UCA's internship program provides an avenue for students to take a step into the adult world and experience their career choice in the safety of the high school environment. This opportunity then opens their eyes to the possibilities available to them and provides direction to their future decisions.”
Students are looking forward to this new experience. Luke Mirasol, who is a junior student from Boring, Ore., says, "I'm looking forward to the internship because it will give me an opportunity to get a closer look and exposure to careers I've been interested in as well as give me some experience."
Eric Johnson, UCA principal, states, “We feel this internship is a vital component of our transition to a project-based learning model of education. Our students will be given the opportunity to gain real-world work experience in a field that they are interested in.”
Jami Fleck has been hired to oversee this program and to assist students with finding just the right internship. For more information, contact UCA.
