A Capstone presentation cover slide presented at the APS Internship Capstone Celebration. Photo by Allison M. Slocum, APS ©
Approximately 50 seniors from Carver Early College and Midtown High School students marked the culmination of their internship journey on April 18 at the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) Internship Capstone Celebration.
Organized by the Teaching and Learning Department’s Gifted and Talented Education program, the event provided a platform for students to present their projects and engage with representatives from the program’s 25 partners, which comprise corporations, nonprofit organizations, and higher education institutions.
Gifted and Talented Education instructional coach Andrew Nichols emphasized the program’s decade-long commitment to fostering experiential learning opportunities for APS high school students.
“We’ve been in every high school at one point or another,” Nichols said. “We are looking to grow our program, bring new high schools back into the program, and see these opportunities become available to more students all across the city.”
Spanning from January to the end of March, the internship program provided participating students with invaluable hands-on experience, totaling between 40 and 60 hours each. The students were able to leave their school campus early a few days a week to gain hands-on experience in a professional environment.
Midtown High School senior Donovan Yon (r) networking with other Gifted Internship Program participants. Photo by Allison M. Slocum, APS ©
Donovan Yon, a senior at Midtown, secured an internship at Security Capital Investment Banking, an investment brokerage in Atlanta. For Yon, the internship was a gateway to entering Georgia State University’s business program next year with prior experience in finance.
“I learned how to use Excel and I learned how the economy works,” Yon said. “I also learned how to invest, and I was told by my mentors every day how we have a huge head start from most people in the field because we’re [being taught] in high school. It was a very good opportunity, and I’m really grateful for it.”
Judith Yelivora, a senior at Carver Early College, presented her Capstone presentation on her internship with South College Nursing Facility. Photo by Allison M. Slocum, APS ©
Likewise, Judith Yelivora, a senior at Carver Early College, found her experience at South College Nursing Facility inspirational, especially considering her aspirations in bioinformatics.
“My experience was very enlightening,” Yelivora said. “I’ve been looking at going into the healthcare field, and [the internship] was very hands-on, especially when we engaged with the clinical and mother-baby simulations.”
The event not only commemorated students’ achievements, but also highlighted how experiential learning can assist in shaping their futures.
“I got to sit in a few human body and nursing fundamentals classes, and I was able to get a visual into what it would look like if I were studying to enter the healthcare field.” she said.
After college, Yelivora plans on using her education to develop ways of improving existing healthcare systems.
Carver Early College senior Jaliyah Bones (r) sharing her presentation on her internship with South College Nursing Facility. Photo by Allison M. Slocum, APS ©
For fellow Carver Early College senior Jaliyah Bones, who also interned with South College Nursing Facility, the experience led to a transformative realization about her own career path.
“At first, I wanted to go into veterinary care because I wanted to be a vet,” Bones said. “But after interning with South Nursing, I think I want to be an OBGYN. It was a fun experience, and I talked to the nurses who gave me insight.”
Carver Early College principal Christina Rogers shared the Gifted and Talented Internship Program’s ability to demonstrate to the students how academics play an integral role in what they desire to accomplish.
“What I have gained from listening to the scholars today, and their experiences, is an awareness of how these in-field opportunities really expose them to other professions,” Rogers said. “It really challenges them to push themselves to think about what they can achieve on their next level.”
Next month, hundreds of APS seniors will participate in graduation ceremonies marking the end of their high school journey. With programs like the Gifted and Talented Internship Program, participants will have professional work experience and be prepared for college, career, and life.
View the slideshow below for a photo recap of the Internship Capstone Celebration. Photos by Allison M. Slocum, APS ©