By Danielle De Souza • The Journal News • June 10, 2008
Seniors at Byram Hills and North Salem high schools will be graduating soon and stepping into the next phase of their lives. But before they take that plunge, they've been getting a taste of responsibility through the districts' senior internship programs.
"I think these internships give students a wonderful opportunity to test the waters before college," said Bob Croke, coordinator of senior internships at Byram Hills High School.
The Byram Hills program is mandatory for students to graduate. It began 10 years ago as an optional program but became mandatory after parents and students requested it. The school has connections with more than 150 businesses where students can seek work. Internships last for six weeks and students are required to work 30 hours a week.
Meredith Veach, 17, a Byram Hills student, has an internship working for fashion designer Mara Hoffman in New York City.
"I am helping with the spring and summer collections along with the winter '08 collections," Veach said.
She spends her days visiting factories to make sure the clothing materials are of high quality.
"It is real interesting to see how something is produced and how clothing is made," said Veach, who plans to study studio art at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn.
At North Salem High School, the Options program started 12 years ago abd remains optional, but 99 percent of the senior class participates each year, said Bob Mittelstadt, an economics and history teacher who is one of six faculty advisers for Opportunities for Professional Training Inside and Outside of North Salem.
Students are assigned a mentor and a faculty adviser throughout the seven-week internships and are required to work at least 50 hours. The school helps place students in companies, but Mittelstadt said they are encouraged to take the initiative and find internships on their own.
"We tell them to pursue a passion and follow a dream," he said. "There are no sponsorships here."
Zach Citarella of North Salem, 18, is interning at Peckham Productions in Irvington, which produces commercials, documentaries and films.
"I am learning the basics of editing, programming; and I help on the sets of film and commercials," he said.
Citarella will attend Boston College in the fall but remains undecided about his major.
"This internship has been incredible so far, so I may consider film depending on the school's program," he said.
Students in both programs are interning at women's shelters, political offices, fire departments, animal shelters, investment companies, radio stations, schools and mortgage companies.
"I love the program because no senior wants to sit in class in the spring waiting to get out," said Citarella. "It's a great opportunity because it really opens your eyes to if you really want to do something or not."
In many cases, the internships guide students toward potential careers.
Byram Hills' Brandon Granados, 18, said interning at the Westchester County District Attorney's Office in White Plains showed him he really had a love for law.
"The reason I decided to intern here was because I wanted to get into the law field and see if this was something that I really wanted to do," said the Armonk resident.
Granados helps with paperwork and, because he is bilingual, serves as a translator. He plans to study pre-law and business administration at the University of Delaware.
