As an already popular program that places New Canaan High School seniors in local businesses for internships each spring skyrockets toward an all-time high in participation, district officials are seeking additional “host sites” to accommodate the students.
Of the 333 total seniors in the NCHS class of 2017, 278 applied for the “Senior Internship Program,” up from 165 one year ago.
“Because we have over 100 more kids than last year, we are looking for 100 more spots, so that is our challenge,” said Susan Carroll, coordinator of the College & Career Center at NCHS.
Asked to account for the program’s rapidly rising popularity, Carroll said: “I think that it is part of the culture at New Canaan High School now. This class, because the program is eight years old, they have never not had seniors going into a senior internship program. They’ve had alums come back and rave about the program. So I think it’s sort of embedded into how we do senior year now at New Canaan High School.”
Here’s a look at participation, year-by-year:
NCHS Senior Internship Program Participation
| Graduating Year | No. Interns | Class Size | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 12 | 308 | 4% |
| 2012 | 32 | 320 | 10% |
| 2013 | 40 | 331 | 12% |
| 2014 | 72 | 318 | 23% |
| 2015 | 83 | 302 | 27% |
| 2016 | 165 | 277 | 60% |
| 2017 | 278 | 333 | 83% |
Carroll, with assistance from a volunteer committee, has run the program since it launched. This year, the ‘SIP’ program, as it’s known, has grown so popular that the school district has taken on a single person—Heather Bianco, who in a past corporate life managed interns and young employees—to coordinate it.
Any type of business is encouraged to inquire about the Senior Internship Program—retailers, service providers, trades, nonprofit organizations, offices—and those that work in any facet of marketing, media and engineering especially are needed, according to preferences selected by the seniors in their applications.
The month-long internship starts in mid-May and wraps up prior to graduation. Host businesses are asked to fill out a form for the program’s coordinators.
Asked what prospective host sites should know, Carroll said: “I think they should know how energizing it is to have a senior in high school in your place of work, whether you are a nonprofit, a corporate business or a classroom. A 17- or 18-year-old brings you a level of energy, curiosity and willingness to try things that can sometimes make even the savvy business owner a different way. I think it’s a marvelous energizing tool.”
Businesses who are interested in learning more about the NCHS Senior Internship Program should contact Heather Bianco at heather.bianco@ncps-k12.org or call the College & Career Center at 203-594-4664.