Wakefield Memorial High School reports positive outcomes from first senior internship pilot
Summary
A seven‑week senior internship pilot placed about 14–15 students at local employers including Beth Israel Hospital, the Wakefield Daily Item and Doyle Early Education Center; students reported career clarity, paid summer opportunities and employer interest in future interns.
Wakefield Memorial High School staff and seniors reported results from the district’s first senior internship pilot, which placed about 14–15 seniors in seven‑week workplace experiences instead of attending fourth‑quarter classes.
WMHS internship coordinator Dave Robinson presented three students who described hands‑on experiences: an 18‑year‑old scrubbed into a cardiac catheterization procedure at Beth Israel Hospital and said the experience confirmed her interest in nursing; another intern wrote for the Wakefield Daily Item and had bylines printed in the local paper; a third intern rotated through classrooms, shadowed special‑education staff and considered changing a college major to speech pathology.
Employers provided positive feedback to the district, Robinson said, and several told staff they would be willing to take additional interns next year. Students who completed the program reported opportunities for ongoing summer work and certification (one student obtained CNA certification) and described the experience as career‑clarifying.
Board members and administration praised the pilot and asked questions about ensuring quality control. Students and staff acknowledged a risk that internships could be used as part‑time jobs rather than structured learning placements; the program already screened some employer proposals and declined placements that resembled a student’s part‑time job rather than a supervised internship. Committee members urged clearer expectations, stronger employer screening and a curated list of available employer options to avoid uneven experiences.
The district will host a breakfast to celebrate interns and employers; staff said they plan to grow the program cautiously, build a larger employer database and follow up with employers for detailed feedback on logistics and student performance.
