The teachers of Eden Prairie High School teach their students many fine things – but only the community working together can show our youth how to succeed in the real world. The school’s Senior Intern Program provides students with opportunities to learn straight from professionals, as well as to contribute to industries they might soon join. And you can help!
“The Senior Intern Program gives students a head start on college and career planning,” said Karen Brettingen, who supervises the program alongside her colleagues Rachel Hari and Shelly Streich. “They receive authentic professional experience thanks to our school’s partnerships with hundreds of people, businesses and organizations throughout our area.
“The Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce, which has collaborated with us since 2007, selects 20 interns every year to serve as chamber members. Each intern is matched with a fellow member who serves as their guide. The Eden Prairie Rotary Club provides the interns they select with even more opportunities to network, and the Royal Credit Union has partnered with our Business & Marketing Department to create ‘The Perch’ – the high school’s very own student-staffed credit union.
“There are no assignment sheets in real life. For our seniors to excel, they have to learn how to figure things out on their own. That is why our greatest need right now is for more local businesses to join our micro-internship project.
“Dozens of companies create case studies or intern projects for our interns every year. They may specialize in healthcare, engineering, marketing, law, or any other industry young people could aspire to work in. Students learn project management skills in class to use as they contribute to their organization. Interns developed a website for Aaberg Travel Design, conducted marketing research for The Prouty Project, and partnered with Musco Lighting to deliver a successful sales presentation to the school’s athletic director.
“Even if you cannot provide a micro-internship, you still have a lot to offer our seniors. Any local professional can welcome a senior for an informational interview or job shadow, where they explain what they do and then show how they do it. First-hand experience like that really helps our seniors decide what they would most like to do with their lives.
“We invite everyone, no matter their trade, to join our careers classes’ roundtable discussions every Wednesday of the school year. Students are eager to freely ask questions of nurse practitioners, mechanics, construction workers, and anyone else who has a rewarding career. Community members may also volunteer for innovation interviews during our entrepreneurship classes, where they advise students on how to succeed by thinking outside the box.”
If you would like to do your part for Eden Prairie’s students, please email Mark Anderson at manderson@edenpr.org.