ERIC ED447649: Gifted Education/School-to-Work Models: Best Practices and Unique Approaches. Executive Internship Program (Pinellas County Schools, Florida).

58 Pages·1998·0.95 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
EC 308 138
ED 447 649
Gifted Education/School-to-Work Models: Best Practices and
TITLE
Unique Approaches. Executive Internship Program (Pinellas
County Schools, Florida).
National School-to-Work Opportunities Office, Washington,
INSTITUTION
DC.
Department of Education, Washington, DC.; Department of
SPONS AGENCY
Labor, Washington, DC.
PUB DATE
1998-00-00
60p.; For related gifted education/school-to-work documents,
NOTE
see EC 308 120 and EC 308 132-142.
PUB TYPE Reports Descriptive (141)
EDRS PRICE MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.
*Academically Gifted; Career Education; *Career Exploration;
DESCRIPTORS
Education Work Relationship; *Experiential Learning; High
Schools; *Internship Programs; Leadership Training;
Partnerships in Education; Program Design; *School Business
Relationship
IDENTIFIERS Florida
ABSTRACT
The National School -to -Work Office in collaboration with the
National Association for Gifted Children, the Council for Exceptional
Children, the Association for the Gifted, and the Council of State Directors
of Programs for the Gifted have identified 11 gifted education/school-to-work
(GT/STW) models that are either best practices or unique approaches. This
information packet provides an overview of one of the best practices models:
The Executive Internship Program in Florida. In 1974, the Executive High
School Internship (EIP) model was introduced in Pinellas County. It is
affiliated with Executive High School Internships of America, a national
organization of experiential education programs and coordinators. More than
2,000 highly motivated, academically talented EIP seniors have spent 10-15
hours a week with professionals to learn leadership, creative thinking, and
other skills in fields such as medicine, law, visual arts, communications,
state/local government, business, and the social services. Students receive
high school elective and junior college credits. Executive Internship
Coordinators are certified teachers who work closely with businesses to
maintain connections among students, schools, and partnership agencies, and
monitor student interns. School- and work-based learning is integrated
through biweekly seminars, journals, and projects addressing leadership
development and presentation skills. The information packet includes a
program description and a program brochure.
(CR)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
Gifted Education/School-to-Work Models: Best Practices and
Unique Approaches. Executive Internship Program (Pinellas
County Schools, Florida)..
I
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
This document has been reproduced as
,
re eiyed from the person or organization
riginating it.
Minor changes have been made to
improve reproduction quality.
Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
official OERI position or policy.
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
2
Gifted Education/School-to-Work Models:
Best Practices and Unique Approaches
The National School-to-Work Office has been collaborating with the National Association for
Gifted Children, The Council for Exceptional Children, The Association for the Gifted, and the
Council of State Directors of Programs for the Gifted on a national effort to identify exemplary
Gifted Education/School-to-Work (STW) models. Our purpose has been to forge new
relationships between the STW and gifted education communities around common and critical
goals: teaching rigorous and relevant academic skills, identifying and developing talent, and
guiding career development. We believe sharing these practices will expand learning
opportunities for all learners by building an even richer and more inclusive STW system, and by
"raising the bar" on learning and teaching for all students.
We use the term "gifted and talented," which is broader than "academically talented" (used in the
School-to-Work Opportunities Act), because state definitions of giftedness mostly use some
variation of the current federal definition, which is (1988 Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented
Students Education Act):
Children and youth who give evidence of high performance capability in areas such as
intellectual, creative, artistic or leadership capacity, or in specific academic fields, and
who require services or activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully
develop such capabilities.
Last year, letters were sent to state-level STW and gifted education directors and association
leaders to help identify gifted education models that also exemplify STW. Submissions were
also requested on all gifted education Listservs. We received 23 competitive submissions.
A technical review process was used to ensure that all submissions were thoroughly and
impartially evaluated. An outside review panel was assembled which comprised experts in
gifted education and STW. Their experience included state gifted education and STW
leadership, local STW program evaluation, and post-secondary gifted education research. All
submissions were evaluated according to criteria consistent with guidelines made available to all
applicants.
Five Best Practices and six Unique Approaches were selected by the panel. The designation
"Best Gifted Education/STW Practice" signifies excellent progress in implementing a
comprehensive STW system that challenges high achieving/gifted and talented students. The
designation "Unique Gifted Education/STW Approach" recognizes a unique program element.
Unique Approaches did not present all key components of a comprehensive STW system
(school-based, work-based, and connecting activities), or provide sufficient information about
how gifted and talented students are served.
Programs evaluated as very strong:
specifically serve gifted and talented students;
3
2
demonstrate a school-based learning component that supports and builds on a work-
based learning component, and provide students with high level academic and technical skills
and opportunities for career exploration and guidance;
demonstrate a work-based learning component connected to academic classroom
learning, and prepare students for the diverse skills needed in today's high-performance
workplaces;
present connecting activities that build and maintain linkages between students,
educators, the workplace, parents, and others in the community;
provide evidence about effectiveness, including indicators that it could be replicated in
diverse settings throughout the country; and
address identified priorities such as strategies to: improve math and science
achievement, serve gifted students in rural and urban areas, enhance middle school achievement,
and promote linkages with institutions of higher learning.
The following is a brief description of one of the five Best Practices selected:
In 1974, the Executive High School Internship
EXECUTIVE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM (FLORIDA):
(EIP) model was introduced in Pinellas County. It is affiliated with Executive High School
Internships of America (EHSIA), a national organization of experiential education programs and
coordinators. Over 2,000 highly motivated, academically talented EIP seniors have spent 10-15
hours a week with professionals to learn leadership, creative thinking, and other skills in fields
such as medicine, law, visual arts, communications, state/local government, business, and the
social services. Students receive high school elective and junior college credits.
Executive Internship Coordinators are certified teachers who work closely with businesses to
maintain connections among students, schools, and partnership agencies, and monitor student
interns. School- and work-based learning are integrated through bi-weekly seminars, journals,
and projects addressing leadership development and presentation skills. KeyPals is a distance
learning/ mentoring component involving rural middle school students. Implementation
materials may be purchased.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Dr. Mary C. Black, National President EHSIA and Program Coordinator, Pinellas County
Schools Administration Building, 301 Fourth Street, SW, Largo, FL 33770, [phone],
[email protected].
Ms. Diane Lops, EIP Coordinator, [phone].
Ms. Sandra Irvin, EIP Coordinator, [phone].
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
4
PINELLAS COUNTY
SCHOOLS
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
o¢wa
c5tEdin9
d (Win.rtzt
goveznot's.
301 Fourth Street S.W.
P.O. Box 2942
Largo, FL 33779-2942
[phone]
FAX [phone]
May 14, 1998
School Board of
Pinellas County,
Florida
Chairperson
Lorraine Kleinwaks
Lucile 0. Casey
National School-to-Work Office
Vice Chairperson
400 Virginia Avenue, SW
Linda S. Lerner
Suite 210
Lee Benjamin
Washington, DC 20024
Barbara J. Crockett
Corinne Freeman
Jane Gallucci
Susan Latvala
Superintendent
J. Howard Hinesley, Ed.D.
Dear Lorraine,
Enclosed please find the program model submission for Pinellas County Schools,
Florida, Executive Internship Program to the Gifted Education/School-to-Work
Symposium Project. I hope that our program will be considered
as a model for this
project as ours is one that has successfully served students for close to 25
years.
Information in this packet includes copyrighted material (created by Dr. Black);
therefore, any duplication must be done with the permission of the author. Please
contact me at [phone] if additional materials or clarification
are required for
consideration as a model for this project.
We are happy to submit our program model to your project, and the Executive
Internship Program coordinators look forward to hearing from
you in the near future.
Respectfully,
Dr. Mary C. Black
Program Coordinator
Executive Internship Program
BESTCOPYAVAILABLE
Pinellas County Schools is
an equal opportunity
institution for education
5
and employment.
Printed on Recycled Paper
Thursday, September 28, 2000
The Executive Internship Program
Page: 1
The Executive. Internship Program
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Executive Internship Program (EIP) is an elective dual-credit program which enables high school seniors with a
cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better to experience professional settings in the business community during
the regular school day. Students participate in unpaid internships either during the summer before their senior year
and/or up to two semesters throughout their senior year. The Executive Internship Program offers three elective
credits from St. Petersburg Junior College for each semester of participation. In accordance with Florida
Department of Education guidelines, students may receive a total of three high school elective credits through
participation in the program. In 1998, the Executive Internship Program was identified by the national
School-To-Work Office as one of five Best Practices Programs that challenge and meet the needs of high
achieving/gifted and talented students.
To participate, eligible students must apply during the spring semester of their junior year.
To find out more about the EIP, or to contact one of the program coordinators, interested students should
contact their guidance counselor or assistant principal.
FACILITIES
The Executive Internship Program is a county-wide program serving all high schools. The coordinators are centrally
located at the School Board Administration Building, which allows them to be readily available to students, school
personnel, community sponsors and parents. Seminars are held on one or more campuses of St. Petersburg Junior
College. Students must provide their own transportation to the seminars and to the internship site.
BENEFITS AND KEY FEATURES
o Professional experience in specific career fields
o Professional mentoring
o Opportunities for networking in professional environments and fields
o Hands-on learning
o Career and Life Planning seminars (3 credits)
o Leadership Development seminars (3 credits)
o College Success Skills seminars (3 credits)
o Ability to make educated decisions regarding higher education and career goals
CURRICULUM
The Executive Internship Program offers high school elective credit for internships and dual-credit for the Career
and Life Planning, Leadership Development and the College Success Skills seminars. Students are afforded the
opportunity to explore career fields as well as the junior college community, which enables them to make more
educated decisions about their futures.
STUDENT SELECTION
Invitations to attend either of two evening information forums held on designated high school campuses in the
district are mailed to eligible students (those having a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above) and their parents early in the
second semester of the junior year. At the information forums, program coordinators and current EIP students
discuss the program and answer related questions about the program.
APPLICATION PROCESS
6
BESTCOPYAVAILABLE
http://www.pinellas.k12.fl.us/MCP/htmVeip.htm
Thursday, September 28, 2000
The Executive Internship Program
Page: 2
Applications are distributed at the spring information meetings and are also available in high school guidance
departments. Students must apply for any and all terms by the spring deadline, which is usually within two to three
weeks of the last public meeting. EIP applications must be completed and returned to guidance counselors for
forwarding to the Executive Internship Office. Students will be notified by mail of acceptance or denial, and if
accepted, will be scheduled for interviews with the coordinators. Final acceptance is contingent upon successful
student/sponsor interviews and placement.
8.18.2000
Magnet and Fundamental Proarams
Schools & Students
Home
rt4.1its
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
http://www.pinellas.k12.fl.us/MCP/htmVeip.htm
7
Pinellas County, Florida
Dr. Mary C. Black, Coordinator, National President EHSIA
Diane N. Lops, Coordinator
Sandra T. Irvin, Coordinator
Executive Internship Program
Pinellas County Schools
301 Fourth Street, S.W.
Largo, FL 33770
[phone] (M. Black)
[phone] (D. Lops)
[phone] (S. Irvin)
Fax: [phone]
Department: Magnet and Fundamental Programs
Program Criteria: elective credit, junior/community college dual-credit, part-time,
one or
two semesters and/or summer, seniors, unpaid
Recruiting: school-based information assemblies for qualifying juniors
Selecting Students: seniors, application, teacher and guidance counselor recommendations,
parent permission, minimum 3.0 grade point average, excellent attendance, transportation,
interview
Interviewing Students: individual interviews with coordinator(s) at home school, interviews
with sponsor
Placing Students: match student interests with sponsor capabilities
Timeline: 18-week semester, 3 grading periods
Monitoring Students: 2-hour bi-weekly seminars, two site visits
per semester with sponsor,
one site visit per semester with student, daily student logs, individual conferences
Evaluating Students: sponsor evaluation, seminar activities and participation, project
presentations, peer evaluations
Program Evaluation: interns, sponsors, parents
Seminar Structure: 2-1/2 hour bi-weekly afternoon seminars, coordinator-directed
activities, student-directed activities.
8
PINELLAS COUNTY
SCHOOLS
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
Winnzt
gouczno%a cSteding
301 Fourth Street S.W.
PO. Box 2942
Largo, FL 33779-2942
[phone]
EXECUTIVE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
FAX [phone]
School Board of
Pinellas County,
Florida
The Executive Internship Program offers academically talented students professional
Chairperson
experiences in a community setting. Geared to developing management skills and
Lucile 0. Casey
refining career preparation goals, this program provides the opportunity for carefully
Vice Chairperson
selected secondary students to intern with community leaders. Through involvement in
Linda S. Lerner
actual problem solving, students apply advanced academic skills and define goals for
Lee Benjamin
further study. It is offered as a dual enrollment
course through a cooperative agreement
Barbara). Crockett
between Pinellas County Schools and St. Petersburg Junior College. Executive
Corinne Freeman
Jane Gallucci
Internship Coordinators, who are certified teachers,
serve as liaisons between students,
Susan Latvala
schools, and agencies involved; both high school and junior college credit
are earned for
Superintendent
the course.
J. Howard Hines ley, Ed.D.
The course credit which is awarded for this experience recognizes the importance of
school and community partnerships in developing dedicated professionals and effective
leaders. By extending career development beyond selecting appropriate professions and
defining long-term goals, students actively work with personnel in
a variety of
professional fields, such as medicine, law, communications, government, business, and
social services. Interns attend important meetings,
prepare reports, analyze data, make
public presentations, and recommend courses of action. Unlike
a work study experience
where students are paid for work in entry level positions, the Executive Internship
Program pairs students with professionals who model leadership skills. In addition
to
determining their aptitude for a specific profession, students
are encouraged to aspire to
leadership roles and to explore career options within the field.
Colleges and universities find that professional goals of Executive Internship graduates
have been tested through experience and students have become effective self-directed
learners. They are recognized as excellent candidates for the high expectations of
colleges and universities and are often awarded scholarships
or admitted to target
programs as a direct result of their manifested commitment to the career and to personal
and professional excellence. Sponsors who have participated in the Executive Internship
Program see internship students as having well- focused goals, interest in the field, and
practical ability in problem solving. Similar
programs are offered across the nation, and
since its introduction to Florida in 1972, the
program has provided thousands of students
with unique career-related experiences. Follow-up
surveys indicate that graduates of
Executive Internship have completed programs of higher education and have become
successful professionals who credit the Executive Internship Program
as being a defining
Pi Hellas County Schools is
experience in their lives.
an equal opportunity
institution for education
and employment.
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
Printed on Recycled Paper
9
PINELLAS COUNTY
SCHOOLS
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
gouczncrt 1 cSteding Siuraul (Winne%
301 Fourth Street S.W.
P.O. Box 2942
Largo, FL 33779-2942
(813) 586) 1818
The Executive Internship Program was introduced in Pinellas County high schools in 1974. Today, the
FAX [phone]
Executive Internship Program is affiliated with EHSIA, Executive High School Internships of America,
a
School Board of
national organization of experiential education programs and coordinators. Well
over 2,000 students in
Pinellas County,
Pinellas County have participated in the program.
Florida
Chairperson
The program represents a unique blending of the business community, the local junior college and the public
Lucile 0. Casey
schools. It is available to eligible high school students during their senior year. The students spend
an
average of 10 - 15 hours a week working with a professional at decision - making levels in their future career
Vice Chairperson
field. They are not paid by their sponsors, but they do receive high school elective credit and college
Linda S. Lerner
elective credit from St. Petersburg Junior College for their participation. The serious educational
nature of
Lee Benjamin
the program requires that interns keep daily analytical logs of their activities; participate in weekly seminars;
Barbara J. Crockett
prepare presentations demonstrating what they have learned during the internship; and submit a program
Corinne Freeman
Jane Gallucci
evaluation.
Susan Latvala
Some of the benefits of the program enable the students to: 1) make more informed decisions regarding
Superintendent
J. Howard Hinesley, Ed.D.
college course work and potential majors, 2) see the relationship between theoretical classroom knowledge
and the practical application of that knowledge, 3)develop a mentor relationship with
a professional in their
chosen career field, 4) explore a chosen field of interest, and 5) develop
peer relationships with adults. The
program coordinators carefully pair sponsors and students. Pairing considerations include geographical
locations, student interest, sponsor availability, expertise and commitment to the
program.
The caliber of students, cooperation and support from the community, St. Petersburg Junior College and
Pinellas County Schools are responsible for the success of the
program. Eligible students demonstrate high
levels of integrity, leadership, motivation, and flexibility; these are supported by
a strong grade point average
and an excellent school attendance record. Most sponsors have expressed their strong
support of the
program by their continuous participation and referral of other potential sponsoring organizations. Program
sponsors serve as mentors; they monitor interns' progress, and provide resources and opportunities to foster
a successful experience. Throughout the internship, sponsors collaborate and assist in goal-setting and
achievement and prepare periodic written evaluations of the students and their internship experiences.
Major colleges and universities around the country have recognized and acknowledged the academic merit
of a student's internship experience. One university wrote:
Many scholarships at colleges and universities are
based not purely on academic performance but also
on outstanding leadership qualities. An internship
program can add valuable experience and competence
in that field.
In the Executive Internship Program 1987 Follow-Up Survey of Former Students,
one student wrote:
The Admissions Board at Harvard was impressed with the
program. From what I gather, the university feels that a
professional experience adds a great deal to a high school
education. I really feel that this program influenced their
decision to accept me.
Pinellas County Schools is
an equal opportunity
institution for education
and employment .
10
Printed on Recycled Paper