SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs started with a pre-school in 1981 and expanded into a high school in 1997, provides “this rich and unique education to our community as the only pre-k through 12 independent school in Saratoga County,” according to the website. Waldorf focuses on the “whole student” and likes to focus on all aspects of life and learning. The juniors at Waldorf are about to experience “real life” through their internships.
The junior class is made up of seven students; Renukadevie Mahadew, Aaren Sweenor, Hayden Cahill, Maitreya Ravenstar, Elihu Conant-Haque, Ivy BerriosMckeon, Bria Fitzgerald; all of which are excited to get started on their internships during their spring break in February.
“The student has an idea of what they want to do for their internship, they submit a proposal that explains in writing what they want to do, what they hope to gain from it, what their major question is going into the experience, and where it will be. they have to find an adult who will be their mentor and help them to go through the experience smoothly. they have to check this with all of the people they’re going to be working with to make sure it’s an acceptable internship experience. then submit the complete proposal and have it okayed by the school,” Elihu Conant-Haque explained the process.
Although, finding the perfect internship isn’t always easy. Hayden Cahill has been looking for a computer programming internship with zero luck, so he has started the search for his second choice, law. Some students are testing the waters to see if their internship would be a possible career path for them or to just try something new. Some are looking for an experience to help them further their studies. Conant-Haque will be interning at the Saratoga Airport for aircraft maintenance and refueling. He achieved this internship by talking to the aircraft mechanic at the airport and building a relationship with him.
“The point of the junior internship is to foster the soft skills: how to write a professional email, how to get dressed for work, how to ask the questions that you need to know when you go into a job,” said Christina Limson-Harvey, high school office manager.
“I think it will be very beneficial for me to work in an environment where you’re working on aircraft that have to fly and you’re working around people who are professionals at this, this isn’t a job where ‘oh we’ll slow down and help you learn.’ Everything has to work in a timeframe and on a schedule and this is serious stuff. so that is going to be a good experience because at school you never really have that because school is there to help you along. whereas in the internship, it’s going to be a very different scenario,” Conant-Haque commented.
Once the internship is finished, the students then create a presentation about their experience.
For more information, visit www.waldorfsaratoga.org
