LOCAL SCHOOLS LEAD

LOCH RAVEN STUDENTS ENJOY WORK-BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Gaining real-world experience in a variety of career fields

By TEAM BCPS

by Ashley Lazo, BCPS communications intern and senior at Loch Raven High School

AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE

The Work-Based Learning program (WBL) is an opportunity available in all Baltimore County high schools, allowing students to explore a variety of internships, apprenticeships, and capstone work experiences. Having the opportunity to go out into the real world allows students to gain experience while also networking with professionals who can offer them guidance. Many students often feel lost when choosing which career field they want to pursue; it can be confusing with the countless opportunities being offered.

When students are offered an opportunity to see the nuances of a potential career and work with professionals, they can better envision what the career is like. With this experience, students can then make a well-informed decision about their career and educational pathway.

This year at Loch Raven High School, there are 23 current interns working in various positions ranging from law firms to financial firms, and even within Baltimore County Public Schools. Jennifer Madrid is the first-year coordinator for Loch Raven’s program and strongly believes that it gives students the confidence and experience they need to prepare for the future.

Students are tasked with reaching out and finding their own internship placements, but their school coordinator supports them by providing connections and/or following up on the opportunity. Throughout Baltimore County, there is a multitude of opportunities for students to explore potential careers, and once a student finds something that piques their interest, the possibilities for growth are endless.

This year at Loch Raven High School, there are 23 current interns who are working in various positions ranging from law firms to financial firms, and even within Baltimore County Public Schools.

Alicia Fales, Supervisor, School to Career Transition, brings insight into how the program benefits students and pushes them toward success:

“When students graduate, we want them to be career ready... there are lessons that are best learned during work experience, and in some cases, workplaces can provide equipment and experiences that we cannot replicate in classrooms. Work-based learning gives students a chance to apply what they have learned in the classroom, and it gives them a chance to get a taste of the career field they wish to pursue.”

"Work-based learning gives students a chance to apply what they have learned in the classroom."

AN UNFAMILIAR ENVIRONMENT

Going into an unfamiliar environment and getting a chance to experience what your future may be like is new and exciting, but can also be a lot to take on. Feeling nervous and unprepared is all part of the experience and the more you learn, the more comfortable you become with yourself and your internship position. The important thing to remember is that it’s okay to ask questions and make mistakes.

“It can be awkward to start... you will be meeting a lot of new people, and starting a lot of new tasks that you’ve never done before," Madrid said. "I would recommend that you take the time to get to know your supervisors and co-workers well and that you volunteer to get involved with as many tasks and projects as you can at your internship site."

“It can be awkward to start... you will be meeting a lot of new people, and starting a lot of new tasks that you’ve never done before."

The more you become involved and ask questions, the more you will see how the work environment functions, which can help you decide if the career field is something you see yourself doing in the long run.

“I am proud of all our interns this year," Madrid added. "Many have started getting paid at their placements and I know every one of them has learned so much more about their career field of interest. They have all grown in confidence and maturity. To see young people at law offices, schools, hospitals, financial firms, and in the trade field has been so rewarding. It makes me truly hopeful for our future. I really want to see the program grow and grow at Loch Raven. I hope we can find more business partners and interested students.”

Now, take a moment to learn about some of Loch Raven's current student interns:

DAZEY BARRETT, MARYLAND SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND

“I intern at the Maryland School for the Blind. My experience so far has been good. It has definitely been an adjustment. Being in a private school for [students] with visual impairments, there are a lot of differences in comparison to a regular public school. It has been remarkably interesting, being able to get a feel for how the school operates on a day-to-day basis. I have learned a lot when it comes to assistive technology as well as everything to do with typing in braille.”

How did you find out about the WBL program?

“I first heard about it through Mrs. Krall, one of my TAM (Teacher Academy of Maryland) teachers, I had also already known that it was something I was looking into doing in the future if I took the Teaching Academy course.”

Student work displayed at the Maryland School for the Blind

The Maryland School for the Blind

Student work displayed at the Maryland School for the Blind

What has your experience been like thus far?

“It’s certainly an adjustment, being so young and in that kind of facility... there’s a lot of training that comes along with it, which you do get to learn more about. At first, I wasn’t sure if this internship was the right fit... but the more that you go and the more you learn about it, you really do start to enjoy it and find out more about yourself.”

What advice you would give students who are considering WBL?

“I would say to just go for it, this program helps you learn a lot about yourself and gives you a deeper look into a career that you could possibly pursue in the future. So I’d say even if you’re not sure, go for it and get the experience.”

SEYDINA DAO, PARKVILLE HIGH SCHOOL COMPUTER SCIENCE AND BCPS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

“I have two internships currently. My first one is at Parkville High School. I work with a computer science teacher as a student aid. Helping students with any questions they may have, I’m always around for them to ask. My second internship that I started not too long ago is with BCPS as an IT intern. I travel around to different schools within the county, assisting them with cyber security or any other technical issues they may have.”

What has your experience been like thus far?

“My experience has been vastly positive. You always have people around to help you have questions. Mrs. Madrid is always there for you; she makes every effort to make sure you're settled and comfortable... just a wonderful experience overall.”

Parkville High School

What is one challenge you have faced during your internship, and how did you overcome it?

“One of the main challenges I’ve had would have to be scheduling. I had to work out how to appropriately balance both internships. I was able to work it out with both my supervisors and Mrs. Madrid to come up with a schedule that would benefit all of us... the flexibility of it all has been my favorite. I usually just leave after my third period and go straight into my internship; they even provide buses in case you don’t have transportation.”

“I am planning to pursue a degree in computer science in the future, these internships are going to give me the experience that I need to attain a job once I do get that degree.”

DESTINY KEENE, PUBLIC SAFETY AT TOWSON UNIVERSITY

How did you find out about the WBL program?

“I believe it was junior year when I first found out about the internship program at Loch Raven, through Schoology posts and it seemed like something that I would be interested in... I had heard of past seniors' experiences within this program, and wanted to give it a try”

Destiny [left] at her Towson University Public Safety internship

What has been one of your favorite parts of your internship so far?

“One of my favorite parts of this program thus far would have to be all the new faces and people I’ve had the opportunity to meet. As well as getting to learn new things about a career I am interested in.”

“I can still go to work, go to school, all while still maintaining my internship. They are very flexible.”

ASHLEY LAZO, BCPS DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH

“I first heard about the internship program my junior year. I had seen various Schoology posts that were being promoted as electives that you could take. Since then, I’ve gotten the opportunity to work as part of Baltimore County Public Schools with their communications team.”

What is something new you have learned?

“Throughout my time interning at the BCPS Office of Communications, I’ve not only been able to learn, but also take part in communications and journalism. I have gotten the chance to write, revise, edit, and publish articles for the BCPS blog. I’ve also enjoyed visiting different schools all over the county and highlighting what truly makes BCPS special: the diverse community and the people who strive to make a difference every day. Additionally, I have been able to venture into other creative outlets and tasks like video editing, video production, being on camera, photography, and graphic design; which have all brought me more insight into what the world of communications consists of.”

From left to right: Ashley, BCPS Communications Specialist Sam Lister, Milford Mill Academy cosmetology instructor Tirah Harris

Ashley on camera with Senior Bilingual Communications Officer Gevene de Harden

What advice you would give students who are considering WBL?

“Getting a deeper understanding of how a workplace environment truly functions and what a future career in communications may look like provides me with a little more insight as to if this is something a see myself doing in the future.”

“The internship program is a great chance for students venture out of their comfort zone and investigate the endless possibilities that they could one day study and attain a career in.”

ECCLISA MEKBEB, ETHIOPIAN OUTREACH MINISTRY

"I intern at the Ethiopian Outreach Ministry, while there I’ve been able to learn a lot of basic office skills, since the non-profit is based in an office setting. I have also gained more insight on the ins and outs of handling business and international relations.”

How does this internship align with your career goals and aspirations?

“When I graduate, I hope to pursue a career in international relations or the business field. My internship has given me the opportunity to get involved and in touch with third world countries and helped me overall understand how public and international relations are dealt with.”

What has been one of your favorite parts of your internship so far?

“One of my favorite parts thus far would have to be receiving messages and mail from those we helped all over the world, being filled with gratitude. It’s important to know that you can make a change in and out of a classroom setting.”

ERIKA PRIDDY, LAW OFFICES OF SPENCE | BRIERLEY

What advice you would give students who are considering WBL?

“It starts off a little awkward... you can sometimes feel like you don’t know what you’re doing. But that’s the whole point, you are an intern. You’re not supposed to know exactly what to do. If you stick it out it can honestly have a significant impact on your future.”

“I’ve always had doubts about wanting to become a lawyer. Having the opportunity to be in a law office and see how the job is daily pushes me further towards becoming a lawyer in the future.”

BRAEDEN VANWESTERVELT, WPG FINANCIAL GROUP

“I intern at WPG financial, a financial firm in downtown Baltimore. My experience has been really good, they give me a lot of hands-on experience.”

What is something new you have learned?

“I’ve had the opportunity of learning about LLC’s, investment practices, and even the vocabulary and terminology that’s often used in the investment world. It’s a lot of information that you learn, so I’m getting a feel of what this type of career is really like.”

What has been one of your favorite parts of your internship so far?

“One of my favorite parts of this internship overall has been the people, you get the opportunity to work with a lot of well-minded, intellectual people. They have taught me a lot about what this career entails... it’s motivating to see how people got here and achieved this career in their life.”

“At the end of the day, it’s a financial firm and there are going to be a lot of people. Since I’m a young intern I am usually just a floater, going around learning everything. It’s an unprecedented opportunity for most, not everyone gets to experience it.”

© 2023 TEAM BCPS

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