12th Grade  Project 5 weeks

Internship Insight: Explore, Create, Illuminate!

Aiden B
Updated
Content Expertise
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Effective Communication
Collaboration
Self Directed Learning
+ 1 more
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Purpose

Develop a comprehensive video project that analyzes how junior internships affect students' career readiness and educational advancement. Collaborate with peers to interview interns and mentors at their sites, capturing genuine stories that showcase the impact of these experiences. Create a compelling and informative video that shares not only the structure and insights of the internship program but also reflects on its significance in fostering student growth. Display your final video to illustrate diverse experiences and their relevance to real-world applications, serving as a reflective tool for understanding personal and professional development. Use regular journaling to evaluate the journey, focusing on personal and academic growth throughout the project.

Learning goals

Design and produce an informational video that effectively illustrates the significance of junior internships, showcasing how internships prepare students for higher education or career pathways. Engage in critical thinking by examining multiple narratives and viewpoints through interviews, integrating diverse insights into the video's storyline. Cultivate effective communication strategies by conducting empathic interviews, actively listening, and clearly conveying your findings to the audience. Collaborate with peers and mentors to refine and enhance your project components, utilizing structured feedback to improve visual appeal and messaging in your video presentation. Foster self-directed learning by setting personal benchmarks, assessing progress through regular reflections, and adapting strategies based on constructive feedback, as you connect internship experiences to future academic and career goals.

Competencies
  • Content Expertise - Students develop key competencies, skills, and dispositions with ample opportunities to apply knowledge and engage in work that matters to them.
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.
  • Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.
  • Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.
  • Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.
  • Academic Mindset - Students establish a sense of place, identity, and belonging to increase self-efficacy while engaging in critical reflection and action.

Products

Throughout the learning experience, you will create a documentary-style video that conveys insights into the Junior Internship program. This includes capturing authentic interviews with interns and mentors at their sites, structured around a collaboratively crafted storyboard and script. As you develop the project, use self-directed learning strategies to refine your video based on critique and peer feedback. Your final product, ready for a school-wide exhibition, will emphasize the influence of internships on career readiness and personal growth.

Launch

Start your project with a visit to selected internship sites to experience the environment firsthand. During these visits, conduct initial interviews and gather background information from interns and mentors to deepen your understanding of their roles and impacts. Engage in a collaborative brainstorming session with peers to refine the essential questions and outline the video narrative. Capture these interactions on video to establish the foundation for your documentary and guide the direction of your storytelling.

Exhibition

Organize a film screening event at your school or community center where you showcase the informational video about the Junior Internship using the big projector screen. Invite peers, parents, teachers, mentors, and local professionals to participate in discussions after the viewing. Share the process, challenges, and insights gained during the project, and facilitate a panel where you can address audience questions and receive feedback. Document audience interactions and reactions to deepen self-reflection and capture diverse perspectives. Ensure that the exhibition meaningfully represents all involved students and is collaboratively designed to be accessible to everyone.