According to Seacoastonline.com, over 100 Winnacunnet High School students took advantage of the school’s Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) program by participating in internships with local businesses and organizations. Internships in law, healthcare, architecture, marketing, construction and marine biology gave students a true feel for what working in the field was really like. Students remarked that these experiences helped prepare them for the college interview process and build their portfolios.
For students at Winnacunnet High School there’s no waiting for college to get real-world career experience outside of the classroom.
The North Hampton Business Association recently hosted a luncheon at the Old Town Hall, to receive an update on the continued success of the high school’s extended learning opportunities program.
Launched in the 2013-14 school year, the program places students in various community businesses for school credit internships. The program is slated to involve over 100 students this year and 25 community partners.
“The Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) is based on the idea that a lot of important learning happens outside the classroom,” explained program director Donna Couture.
Couture mentioned that aside from resume building, students leave with a set of valuable “soft skills,” such as how to dress for work, write a business email and answer the phone professionally.
The internships are available to students throughout the year and generally run 12 weeks, with four to five hours per week on the job. Intern schedules and commitments are flexible and are often personalized based on the needs of both the students and the local businesses they work in.
