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Saint Vrain’s Trojan Tech program expands internships; City of Longmont to host summer interns
Summary
Saint Vrain Valley School District presented results from Trojan Tech, a P‑TECH program at Longmont High School. City staff serve as mentors and the city plans to host about 20 paid interns next summer.
District and school leaders described Trojan Tech, a Pathways in Technology Early College High School program that lets students earn a high school diploma and a fully transferable associate’s degree at no cost to families. Brandon Schaeffer, executive director of legal and governmental affairs and P‑TECH for the Saint Vrain Valley School District, told the council the program pairs students with mentors and paid internships to prepare them for careers.
"Students begin the program in the ninth grade and by the time they graduate, they have the opportunity to earn both a high school diploma and an associate's degree," Schaeffer said. Longmont High School Principal Jeff McMurray told councilors the program targets students underrepresented in business fields, including first‑generation college students and English language learners.
City human resources coordinator Caleb Sievercroup described the city's mentorship role. "Right now in the Trojan Tech program, there are about 60 mentors that are signed up with a student and of those 60, about half of them are City of Longmont employees," he said. The presenters told councilors the program has already produced hundreds of college credits and strong academic results: Trojan Tech students were averaging a 3.6 grade‑point average and several students qualified for state and national FBLA competitions.
Students who had completed internships described hands‑on experience with city operations and cybersecurity work. Logan Johnston, a recent intern, said his work included tours of the water and electrical systems and a presentation on securing the electrical grid. The district said the city will host about 20 paid P‑TECH interns across departments next summer.
Councilors praised the program and encouraged staff and local businesses to continue expanding internship and mentorship slots. No formal action was required; the presentation was informational and staff will continue coordinating internships with the school district.
