Rockport internship program reports 37 of 41 seniors participated; students describe experiences

Rockport's new internship program wrapped up this week with high student participation and positive feedback from seniors who took part in the pilot.

Internship program coordinator Eric Vent told the committee that 41 graduating seniors were eligible and 37 participated in internships or special projects under the new model. "The benchmark was 30 hours a week," Vent said, and while students averaged about 25 hours a week when totals were spread across commitments, he described the year as "a great success for the first year of this model." He noted timeline and communication challenges as items to refine for next year.

Three students shared first-hand accounts. Madison Slier interned at Addison Gilbert Rehabilitation Center and described hands-on interactions with patients and physical-therapy observations: "I felt like a good active member of Addison Gilbert," she said. Adrianna Legitisi worked on a clinical study for a home-use skincare device at Nira and described learning from clinicians and observing patient follow-ups. Student representative Lawson described developing a Project Live Life Large mentorship initiative and organizing a combined high-school/middle-school assembly scheduled May 27.

Students and committee members highlighted practical takeaways: time management, leaving room to plan ahead, and the community benefits of placing students with local employers and organizations. The committee commended staff and volunteers for coordinating the internship fair that preceded the placements.