Cashmere High School internship program reaches new heights

CASHMERE—Many programs exist within Cashmere High School to help students reach their goals, but a particular one stands out this year with a record 60 participating students.

Cashmere High School (CHS) provides a unique opportunity for 11th and 12th-grade students called the CHS Internship program. This program allows students to have real-life work experience while still completing high school. Some jobs are paid and others volunteer based, but all reward the juniors and seniors with new skills, connections, and first-hand awareness of future career options.

Craig MacKenzie, the principal of Cashmere High School, first introduced this program to the school in the year 2022-2023. Since then it has gained popularity through those interested in taking a step outside the classroom. Marcia Fall, the counselor and internship coordinator, assists students with the details of their internship and their workplace.

“We really want all of [our students] to graduate with choices,” explained MacKenzie. “And I think an internship is a good step towards building credibility in the community outside of our high school.”

Students at Cashmere have the freedom to choose where they would like to spend their semester as an intern. They are given the opportunity to explore their interests and get an inside look into the day-to-day duties of that career.

“My goal would be that every student during their junior or senior year, at least one time, connect themself to a community member and to a profession, and just explore whether or not it was something they were interested in continuing to pursue,” said MacKenzie.

Many students have chosen to work with children at Cashmere Middle School and Vale Elementary, while others have more interest in working with realtors at NCW Realty and physical therapists at Biosports. Teachers in the district have reported having outstanding interactions with the high school’s students.

“I’ve had such a good experience with it, I've really appreciated having extra bodies in the room to help,” said April Hemmer, a 7th-grade teacher at Cashmere Middle School. Hemmer worked with an intern last year and couldn’t wait to participate in the program again. 

She also commented on the interaction between her own students and her intern from the high school. “There's a different dynamic than I think a teacher would have, but in a really positive way.” Hemmer’s interns this year are working directly with students, assisting them with challenging school work and teaching them new skills.

One of Hemmer’s interns, Gabby Winchester, spoke about her gratifying experiences as an intern. “Working with the seventh graders has been pretty enlightening,” said Winchester. “They were super passionate and engaging, and super willing to get to know me and whatever material I was putting in front of them.” She enjoyed getting to learn what it is like in a real teaching position, as well as obtaining new expertise when it comes to working with kids.

However, such a beneficial program does not come without its obstacles. MacKenzie touched on the challenges that are presented when connecting a student to the community. He explains that it is in his best interest to expand the program, but there must be somebody who wants to participate in the suggested field. They occasionally have trouble connecting a student to a business when there is a lack of interest in the area. 

Students can apply through the counseling office to a variety of available internships. CHS partners with businesses from Leavenworth to Wenatchee, including Crunch Pak, Confluence Health, and Cashmere Physical Therapy. A full list of their community partners can be found on the Cashmere School District website under the Counseling/Career Center and Internships.

Cashmere High School is committed to creating memorable experiences for students and giving the Cashmere community a space to participate. CHS desires to balance student interests and promote the different experiences that students have had in order to push them to reach their full potential.

Jada Wood is an intern for Ward Media and a junior (Class of 2026) at Cashmere High School.