Internships
Be a Mentor • Share Your Knowledge • Inspire Students through Internships
We are re-imagining education.
At the core of our approach is developing close relationships with students and families, helping students identify what they are passionate about, and then harnessing this motivation to drive rigorous learning connected to experiences in real workplaces.
Our work is focused on relationships, rigor, and relevance. The tools for career readiness learning include individualized learning plans, Learning through Interests and Internships (LTI) coaching, and a breakthrough college transition program.
Critical to the success of our school’s structure is the head-start students get by completing career development courses and engaging in real world experiences.
At Big Picture, internships are very important to student learning. These experiences allow our students to engage real world work environments based on career interests. Big Picture gives students opportunities to help prepare them for life outside of high school. State-approved paperwork is used when building an internship. Teachers, students, and mentors keep a close communicative relationship.
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We have welcomed hundreds of professionals to our mentor cadre. As a mentor, your most important responsibility is providing guidance and knowledge. We think it’s important for mentors to keep us in the loop with how their student intern is doing, so we ask them complete a Student Evaluation paper. This allows the teacher and student to see things they are doing well and things they can improve.
Internship timelines vary. Depending on where the student is and what the future mentor is looking for, some internships can last up to a full school year. Others sometimes last for a couple months.
Ways to Get Involved
Under the career readiness umbrella, professionals can connect with students in a variety of ways. Different in scope, each opportunity contributes to student learning and success.
- Share your network connections.
- Observe showcased projects and exhibitions.
- Contribute to our research: career trends, workplace gaps, talent pipeline needs, and employer expectations.
- Become a virtual mentor.
- Help students practice skills by hosting informational interviews, and answer questions about your industry or job.
- Develop field trip or job shadow experiences.
- Work with us to design a student internship.
- Become part of a Career Readiness Advisory Committee.
Gwen Lennox
Gwen.lennox@highlineschools.org
Career Development/Internships Director
206-631-7700
Testimonies
“At Big Picture, I have really grown as a person. I have learned how to become a responsible adult in the real world. I have learned how to advocate for myself and how to take my education into my own hands.” Student
“Whether helping build confidence, providing insight into a career path, sharing information to develop a clearer idea of interests, or constructing an internship experience—a trusted mentor adds significantly to student success.” Advisor
“I enjoy being a mentor and watching students reach goals and build confidence. But from a personal perspective, I enjoy it also because I re-engage with my own work. It’s nice to celebrate your profession. And then, I love to see students leave feeling validated and leading their own learning. I could live on that!” Mentor