Internship Overview

High Tech High Internships

The High Tech High Internship program aims to foster personal growth and help students
acquire workplace skills and in a real-world environment. The program offers local
organizations a well-supported intern who provides a modest return on investment.
Program Features

•All High Tech High juniors are required to complete an internship in business or
agency. The internship consists of a three-week, full-time
immersion at the worksite, concluding with the intern’s presentation of learning.
Students receive credit for successfully completing their internship and related course
work.

•Each student is paired with a workplace mentor who understands and supports the
goals of the program. Mentors communicate regularly with the HTH Internship
coordinator about student progress, attendance, and project development.

•All interns develop a substantial project(s) with the mentor that contributes to the work
site.

•Near the end of the internship, each intern presents his/her work and overall learning
to a panel of mentors and other site employees. This culminating event celebrates the
student’s accomplishments and offers an occasion for reflection and critique.

•The site experience is supported by a seminar back at school, where students prepare
for and reflect on their internship experiences. Intern assignments include mentor
interviews, photojournalism, creation of an internship portfolio, project proposals, and
regular reflection on growth and progress.

Logistics

Insurance: Interns are covered by HTH liability insurance while on-site or participating in any
activity related to their internship.

Pay: The internship may be paid or unpaid. Donations are accepted to the program for
transportation and other expenses.

Transportation: Provided (either by the student’s own car, a HTH shuttle, mass transit, or
parent).

Program Structure and Mentor Guidelines

•Duration: The internship consists of an orientation followed by a three-week, full-time
immersion at the worksite.

•Each student is paired with a mentor who understands and supports the goals of the
program. Mentors communicate regularly with the HTH Internship coordinator about
student progress, attendance, and project development. During the three-week
immersion, HTH 11th grade teachers visit the worksites to check in and offer support.

•The student and mentor work together to plan the student’s substantive project. Some
projects may go on throughout the internship; others are of shorter duration. It is
important to develop a project proposal during the first week, to ensure that both the
mentor and the intern have a clear goal to work towards.

•HTH interns have worked on projects that range from event and marketing support
projects, web design projects, recruitment and retention projects with HR department,
networking, software and hardware support, and public relations support, including
presentations in public forums and in the community.

•The mentor plans a time toward the end of the immersion that the intern can present
his/her project and learning to a small panel of employees, and perhaps HTH
teachers, and peers.

Internship Period

High Tech High North County: 5/24-6/11