Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Internship Program topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Westlake students describe internships; board praises program and considers domestic exchange partnership
Summary
Students at a Westlake City Schools board meeting described internships in medicine, nonprofit work, business and the arts as the district’s program grows; the superintendent showed a video about the American Exchange Project and the board signaled support to explore partnering with the city (no vote).
At a Westlake City Schools Board of Education meeting, students from Westlake High School presented details of a growing internship program and directors praised the hands‑on experiences that brought students into local businesses, medical practices and nonprofits.
Bob Patton, who has helped run the program, told the board the initiative grew from seven students in its first year to 17 this year and that "about 40 students have signed up for next year," a sign, he said, of expanding community host support. Students described diverse placements: Janine, who interned at Corgan and Krauss, worked with HR and marketing and helped update the firm’s internship web page and newsletter; Ryland Eckle, at Northshore Endoscopy & Gastroenterology, digitized patient prep packets into QR codes to reduce paper costs and observed both clinical and practice‑management operations; Maris Hughes supported donor outreach for the Footpath Foundation; and Elena Pew learned youth coaching and route‑setting at a climbing gym.
"I sat in on interviews and led meetings about our internship page," Janine told the board, summarizing work that gave her exposure to business processes. Ryland described the QR code digitization project as his largest contribution and said it reduced paper use in patient prep materials.
School leaders and board members praised the students’ presentations as a recruiting tool and evidence of the program’s value. Several board members said many host organizations have agreed to accept interns again next year and thanked students and hosts for expanding opportunities that go beyond classroom instruction.
After the student presentations, the superintendent introduced a 2:41 video about the American Exchange Project, a free domestic exchange that places graduating seniors for a week in an American community “radically different” from their own. The video describes activities such as a day of community service, meetings with local leaders and workforce development sessions. The superintendent said the city and the organization have discussed choosing Westlake as one of the participating communities and that the district would partner with the city to provide local programming for visiting students.
Board members responded positively but did not take a formal vote. The superintendent said the district would continue discussions with city partners and the American Exchange Project to determine details and next steps.
The board and Mr. Patton concluded the session by arranging a group photo of the interns and thanking students and host organizations for their participation. The district did not formalize policy changes at the meeting; the student presentations and the exchange proposal will inform future planning and partnership decisions.
