Healdsburg High internships expand with local partners; students describe courtroom, lab and arts placements

Dave Hubbell, the district’s work-based learning coordinator, told the board the internship program has continued to expand and is student-interest driven. "Without the junior seminar framework we can't drive the minutiae of the preparation," Hubbell said, describing mock interviews with community volunteers and on-site rotations that exposed students to professional settings. He said the program added about 10 new internship partners this year and named local placements such as Healdsburg Hospital (Providence-owned), Sonoma Jet Center, Alio Labs and the Sonoma State Biology Lab.

Three juniors presented their experiences. Jasmine Hernandez (speaker 11) described shadowing attorneys and attending a public-defender court session that included a 2016 trial closing statement: "That was a really cool experience," she said. Miles Cobb (speaker 13) recounted working with local artists through the Cinema Art School and meeting studio professionals, saying the networking element was a major takeaway. Maher Dimin (speaker 14) summarized lab duties at a Sonoma State research lab — photographing cells, observing cell-culturing and learning aseptic technique — and said the experience confirmed his interest in biomedical engineering.

Board members praised the internship evening and noted the program’s longevity. One board member said the district’s internship program has run for 13 years and is a county model for connecting high-school students with workplace experiences. The board did not vote on program funding at this meeting but acknowledged continued partnership and coordination work would be needed to sustain placements and expand capacity.