214@100: Internships give grads a leg up on careers

When she graduates from Buffalo Grove High School in 2016, Sarah Aljanabi could already be certified as a pharmacy technician. She's earning hours toward her credential by interning at Walgreens - one of hundreds of industry partners working with District 214 to deliver relevant, hands-on experience to students before they even leave high school.

District 214's unique internship program matches students with suburban partners in fields that fuel their passion. Students get a head start on potential future careers and the opportunity to apply skills learned in class to the workplace. The process can save them thousands of dollars in postsecondary education by forging a direct path toward their future.

Since the program's inception, students have logged more than 1.1 million internship hours with more than 600 industry partners. The program pairs students with employers for up to 10 hours a week for a full semester or 20 hours a week for six weeks in the summer. A new microinternship option provides an abbreviated experience.

The internship program had a focused goal: Make sure students are leaving high school with more than a diploma. From increased access to college credit and entry-level industry credentials earned in a high school classroom, to the growing internship program, that's now a reality.

• 214@100 is a celebration of District 214's centennial; 100 people, places, things and events that have shaped the school district's unique history. To contribute an idea, send an email to district214@dailyherald.com.