A well-planned internship can be a great way for a high school student to explore a possible career path and Apologia Educational Ministries has created Internship for High School Credit to walk students and parents through the process of a high school internship and determining high school credit for the internship. I love the idea of my children gaining practical experience in areas related to the field they think they want to go into in the future.
When I saw the opportunity to review this product, I was excited for our family. Over the years, we have enjoyed using many of Apologia’s products. So I felt confident this product would be amazing and it did not disappoint me. With a son who is about to turn twenty-one and three children still in high school, this seemed to be an excellent product to review. Because of plans we already had for this summer and other commitments, I decided to review this product with the goal of having at least one of our children doing an internship either next spring or summer.
This review is being done from my perspective as a parent. The workbook is broken into five sections. The introduction discusses the difference between an apprenticeship and an internship. Also, it recognizes the need for students to have practical hands-on experience in addition to book work. Instructions for using the workbook are included here as well. I found the workbook to be straight-forward and easy to read.
The first section is about getting started. This section includes determining the type of internship. So in my oldest son’s case, he wants to be a Youth Pastor – so even though he is college-aged, this book would be a great program for him to work through and obtain an internship. There are also suggestions for students who do not know what they want to do in the future. My third son fits this category. We have discussed the idea of him doing an internship and he is receptive to the idea. So once he is done helping with Vacation Bible School and then attending our church’s Youth Service Camp, I plan on going through some assessments online to find where his strengths and interest lie. This way we can start to make actual preparations in the fall for an internship in either the spring or summer in a field that actually interests him.
Here are some examples of some brainstorming pages I did for my oldest and youngest sons as well as our 14-year-old daughter.
The first section provides information on interviewing, writing resumes, determining high school credit and even how to prepare for the first day. All of these are important skills to know. I know growing up I was glad to have my parents’ assistance with such tasks. There are even suggestions for the first day.
The second section includes information for parents. The first part addresses contact the parents should have with potential supervisors. It also stresses the importance of knowing and following the child labor laws for your state. I found it helpful that parents need to make sure they know what hours students may work and how many hours are acceptable. I also found it helpful this section points out safety concerns and that parents need to know the working conditions are acceptable. Transcript documentation, course titles, grades and the number of credits to be earned are also discussed. Here are some sample pages.
The third section looks at the first semester and includes worksheets for semester goals, weekly worksheets, performance worksheets, and skills gained worksheets. Questions and activities are also provided for each week with a place for the supervisor to sign. These worksheet pages also include helpful tips, quotes, and other helpful information. End-of-Semester Work performance worksheets are also provided. Here are some samples of these pages.
If the student is going to do another semester for the internship, additional worksheets are provided for that as well in Part IV. A final writing assignment, thank you note suggestions and examples, along with a discussion about obtaining a letter of recommendation and how to update a resume are included.
The detailed records that are going to be accumulated through the course of the internship will provide valuable documentation for student records, portfolios or other required documentation for colleges or other organizations. I feel confident my children will benefit from these pages in the future. I look forward to actually setting up an internship for our third son in the coming months and seeing where the journey will take him. Even if he decides whatever field he interns in is not for him, I know he will take away valuable insights from the experience.
If you would like to read more reviews about Internship for High School Credit or another one of Apologia Educational Ministries‘ products, How to Homeschool with Stunning Confidence, Contagious Joy, and Amazing Focus (DVD & Coursebook), click here or on the graphic below.
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy 
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