Students appreciate opportunity for greater clarity, focus
By Vincenzo Frosolone, Special to Today Magazine
Emma Volo is a senior at Avon High School, while Jackson Chard is a 2019 graduate. What do they both have in common?
Both have been members of the AHS Internship Program, coordinated by Liz Brisco and Alexandra Pascale. The students spoke with Today Magazine about their experiences with the program, which began in the 2014-2015 school year.
Emma seized her opportunity to intern at Farmington's Star Meadow Animal Clinic and learn about being a veterinarian. She finished her internship this past spring, and she hopes to work there in the future.
Jackson interned the summer of 2018 at Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense in Simsbury to learn about being an electrical engineer, got hired part-time, and continued to work there this summer.
Emma, who has wanted to be a veterinarian since her childhood, says she valued her "hands-on experience at such a young age" and her "meaningful experience" at the clinic, which elucidated her career options.
She was glad for the opportunity because there are "a limited amount of vet schools in the country," she says.
She first heard of this opportunity from a friend who is a year older. Emma said that initially the internship "was a bit awkward," but she always "maintained a positive attitude" and offered her support often.
Emma wants to let aspiring interns know that "an internship and a select focus can help you solidify your focus."
Jackson's father is an industrial engineer, and Jackson has known for a long time that he "loves making stuff." However, he "was leaning toward a different discipline" before Brisco contacted his engineering teacher, inspiring Jackson to talk to her about his options.
Shortly afterward, he started his internship at Ensign-Bickford, where he got to "work [with] a team collaboratively."
This cemented his choice to switch his major at UConn to electrical engineering. Jackson says that "getting to see an engineering workplace firsthand" is an unattainable experience in typical high school classes.
He highly recommends that "as many kids as possible pursue an internship-- it's a really great system."
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