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School Business Partnership highlights internships, state-funded work-based opportunities for East Islip students
Summary
District and business leaders described year-round internships, summer paid work funded by the New York State Department of Labor, mentoring and career events that exposed students to local employers and helped several secure jobs or scholarships.
At a recent East Islip Union Free School District Board of Education meeting, community and business partners described a year of internships, mentoring and work-based learning that gave high school students hands-on experience and in some cases paid summer work.
Bonnie Daugherty, senior vice president in corporate banking at Valley Bank, told the board the School Business Partnership connects students with business professionals across fields including retail, finance, information technology, automotive and trades. “What we're doing with this business partnership with the high school is among some of the greatest things that we have to offer in our community,” Daugherty said.
Student speakers described concrete outcomes. Johan Toledo, a senior at East Islip High School, said a mentoring contact he met through a partnership event helped him win a scholarship and shaped his college plans. “Working at the New York State Building is the best thing to happen to me in my life because they have great opportunities to hire somebody who has special needs,” Toledo said. Casey Krebs, a certified financial planner with Setera Investors who participates in the Mentor Me program, described taking a student through a retirement-planning case during a shadow day and said the program gives students “a real life flavor” of industry work.
Program leaders and business representatives described multiple program formats: speed career sessions that expose students to many professions, a “Catch a Career” breakfast where students select top career choices and meet matched professionals, mocktail/networking events to build communication skills, Mentor Me workplace shadow days, and a STEAM night connecting younger students with science and technology careers.
Employers and partners mentioned by speakers included Pat’s Market and Saint Mark’s Thrift Shop (which provided community internship placements), the Corporate Source (which accepted high school interns for placements at a New York State building), Kiddie Academy (which has hired former workplace-learning students full time), Suffolk Transportation Service (which provides district student transportation and participates in the partnership), and the New York State Department of Labor, which funds the district’s Work Based Learning program so students can be paid during summer placements.
Bridgette LaPiccolo, identified in the meeting as part of the School Business Partnership team, and other program staff thanked businesses and noted that the partnership is expected to remain important as a state requirement for district–business collaboration. Presenters said one result of the work-based learning program has been some students converting summer placements into full-time employment with partner businesses.
Speakers also described capacity challenges and community support: presenters said the program needed about seven community placement slots this year after several long-term community partners closed, and that new businesses stepped in to fill openings. The meeting also included recognition of a $1,000 donation to the program from the United Way of Long Island.
The presentation concluded with administrators thanking business partners and noting that program leader Bridgette LaPiccolo is retiring this year but the partnership will continue. Board members and presenters encouraged additional local businesses to participate in future placements and mentoring events.
