MSD of Wabash County Professional Career Internship Program

By Emma Adams, Communications Student Intern

MSD of Wabash County offers its high school students the opportunity to intern with a variety of local businesses and institutions in order for them to receive experience in the career they wish to pursue. The internship program also allows students to get a taste of their desired field so that they are able to determine whether or not they are suited for that path. Seniors from Southwood and Northfield are currently representing their schools in a variety of internships.
 

Northfield Students:

Emma Napier decided to intern at Pipe Creek Veterinary Clinic in order to get an introduction to the world of veterinary medicine. At her internship, Emma is responsible for basic animal care, sanitization of surgical equipment, monitoring animals under anesthesia, preparing syringes, and a variety of other tasks. Her favorite aspect of her internship is observing and learning about various surgeries and medical procedures. Emma’s resolve to pursue veterinary medicine has been bolstered as she has gained a deeper understanding of the physical, emotional, and surgical aspects of the career.

“My internship has given me the valuable opportunity to see the inner workings of the world of veterinary medicine. My internship has taught me a lot about interpersonal skills, communication, teamwork, practical skills, and maintaining a professional environment even in emotionally difficult situations.” - Emma
 

Madison Hall is currently interning at Ladd Dental. Her responsibilities include sanitization of equipment, taking dental notes, and scheduling patients. Madison enjoys the relationships she has developed with her colleagues and has learned more about the procedures involved in dental hygiene, which has solidified her interest in a career as a dental hygienist.

“My favorite part about my internship is growing relationships with the people that work at the office and being able to get hands-on experience.” - Madison
 

Gabriel Haupert is interning at the Parkview Hospital Emergency Room because she has the desire to pursue a career in the medical field. A large portion of her responsibilities is preparing equipment, instruments, and information for the nurses and physical therapists she works with so that their jobs run smoother. She enjoys getting to know patients and helping care for them. Through this experience, she has developed a preference to pursue physical therapy rather than become a nurse or doctor.
 

Southwood Students:

Randy Boone is an intern at The Rehab Place at Parkview because he intends to pursue a career in physical therapy. Randy’s favorite parts of his internship are the relationships he has formed with the team of physical therapists he works with and the patients he has helped. 

“I have learned how to interact with people from all different walks of life, and that has been truly special to me and a great skill to develop.” - Randy
 

Allie Haecker is interning at Southwood Elementary School due to her interest in becoming an elementary teacher. She has greatly enjoyed helping students grow as the year progresses. She has gained a better understanding of how best to help students on an individual basis, getting to know them and aiding them in becoming the best versions of themselves.

“My favorite part of my internship is helping the students individually. I feel like I get to know each one of them personally. My internship has taught me that everyone’s circumstances are different and to be kind and patient with the students.”  - Allie
 

Emma Adams is interning at the MSD of Wabash County Central Office and has completed a variety of projects, including updating club information on the school district’s websites, writing blog posts (such as this post) about school events, organizing senior spotlight information, and helping create the tobacco-free slideshow in Southwood Jr/Sr High School and Northfield Jr/Sr High School’s cafeterias. Emma intends to pursue editing as a career and feels that her internship has prepared her by providing her with a variety of learning experiences.
 

Carrie Collins interned at the MSDWC Central Office as well during the first semester. Carrie was responsible for visual media projects, helping create the tobacco-free slideshow, helping with senior spotlight posts, and updating photos on MSDWC’s websites, among other things. She is now interning at Southwood Elementary.
 

The MSD of Wabash County Professional Career Internship Program was first established in 2013 by Mrs. Kari Johnson, previously a business teacher and now the current assistant principal at Southwood Jr/Sr High School. Over the years, many students have been a part of the program and took what they learned from their internships into their careers.
 

Alumni:

Payton Deeter interned at Crossroads Bank in their accounting department and lending department. At his internship, Mr. Deeter was taught how accounting functions outside of a classroom setting, the basics of handling home loans, and the basic functions of a bank. Additionally, Mr. Deeter’s internship transferred into a job after graduation, which aided him in the real-life application of concepts he learned in college. Mr. Deeter’s experience as an intern also showed him that he still wanted to pursue a career within the same field as his initial choice of accounting, though he sought a more personal aspect than was typically included in a banking job. Mr. Deeter now handles the internship program for Southwood and Northfield and is helping students grow and get experience in their respective fields in the same way he did.

“As a senior in high school, I fully expected to become an accountant after college. Working at the bank showed me that I loved working with numbers, spreadsheets, etc., but I also found out that I love working with people and need that aspect to keep a healthy and fulfilling balance. I don't think my internship changed my path, but more so opened my eyes to what route I picked. Although I no longer work in a bank, I am still using a lot of the processes I learned there in my own classroom.” - Mr. Deeter
 

Ariel Dale interned with Kami Ross at Metro North Elementary School as a kindergarten teacher. Ms. Dale is grateful to have had the opportunity to work with experienced educators and learn how to effectively interact with and teach young students. Ms. Dale has applied several teaching strategies that she learned through her internship to her current third-grade classroom at Sharp Creek Elementary. Ms. Dale’s internship solidified her decision to pursue elementary education.

“One of the biggest things I learned was the passion and dedication all the teachers have for their job and their students. The exposure to the challenges and rewards of teaching in an elementary setting during my internship was foundational in preparing me for the responsibilities and joys of being a teacher today.” - Ariel
 

Mrs. Johnson was motivated to create MSDWC’s internship program because she sought to provide opportunities for students that they could not receive through a traditional classroom setting. Mrs. Johnson wanted students to be able to explore the careers they desire to pursue and learn whether they are suited for their intended careers. Not wanting students to sink money into degrees that get them their dream job, which may turn out not to be as expected, Mrs. Johnson sought to provide them with a means of trying their intended field on for size and exploring the many facets of their work.

Also important to Mrs. Johnson when developing the idea of an internship program was the community aspect of sending students into their surrounding community. Interns are able to learn more about local businesses and form connections with people in the community while learning valuable skills that will help them down the road. Businesses also benefit from the arrangement because they are training the next generation of the workforce. Building strong relations with the future community early on can leave lasting positive impacts on and associations with potential future employees or customers.

Turner Stephens, Sharp Creek Elementary

Emmerson Chellis and Madi Culver, Bluebird Boutique

Talia Carrillo, Wooden Ivy

Gabreil Haupert, Kelli Winer Design

Madison Hall, Metro North Elementary

Hannah Holmes, Crossroads Bank