Boyertown's Internship Program Helps Students Make Good Choices

by Lesley Misko

“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth…” – American poet Robert Frost.

In his well-known poem, “The Road No Taken,” Frost describes the challenges of choosing a life path without the ability to see into the future and know whether the choice is the best one. Later in the poem he regretfully acknowledges that if the choice turns out to be unhappy and disappointing, he is probably stuck with it anyway. As we age, life does not provide many opportunities for “do-overs.”

To help students avoid those potential unhappy outcomes and to help facilitate them in making good choices in selecting a career path, Boyertown Area Senior High School (BASH) offers an innovative internship program designed to provide hands-on experience in various professional fields. This initiative strives to bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world application, preparing students for realistic expectations concerning future careers and higher education.

Initiated a number of years ago, the program offers students the opportunity to intern with local businesses, schools, the medical community, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. They can choose from a diverse array of fields, including healthcare, engineering, information technology, education, and the arts. The development of the internship program was a collaborative effort involving BASH faculty, local business leaders, and community stakeholders.

According to a 2018 article in The CUB, BASH’s student newspaper, “The program started a few years ago, with one student interning outside the school with Building a Better Boyertown, and the program kept expanding to include elder-care, non-profits, child care, criminal justice, and real estate businesses, among others.”

The benefits of the internship program extend beyond the students. Local businesses and organizations gain access to a pool of motivated and talented young people who bring new ideas and enthusiasm to their work environments. Participating businesses have expressed their satisfaction with the program and their interns' contributions.

The BASH Internship program represents a significant step forward in preparing students for their future in the workforce. By providing real world experience and creating community connections, BASH is setting a new standard for career readiness.

Tomorrow's Expression will share examples of the ways in which the internship program has been utilized by students.  

Produced by BASH TV, this commercial gives a bit of an overview of the internship program. You may have to watch a brief commercial first. We have no control over that; it’s just the way YouTube works.

- To read the complete Robert Frost poem, click here.  

 - To access a site about the BASH Internship Program and a link  to the application, click here.

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