- by Jordan Jackson-Gross
Pictured below: Senior Jackson Hunt, who interns at US Army Corps of Engineers Kaw Lake office, volunteered to help park rangers over the busy Labor Day weekend.

As the new school year has started, over 125 new Wildcat Interns have begun work-based learning experiences at businesses all over Ponca City! This year, we are excited to build new partnerships with businesses in high interest career areas, including the medical field (especially physical therapy and occupational therapy), construction trades, engineering, law, and graphic design. Be on the lookout for young people in your favorite businesses and organizations around Ponca City wearing Wildcat Intern badges, and be sure to say hello. If you have time to chat with them about what they’re learning on the job, you’ll be blown away by the incredible experiences they are having.

Each semester, qualifying juniors and seniors at PoHi apply to participate in the internship program, which allows them to leave during the school day for up to two hours to gain professional experience at a job site. Using results from career assessments, students explore different career pathways and request internship placements at local businesses and organizations where they can gain work experience and connect to mentors in the professions they are interested in. These experiences and relationships provide invaluable real-world opportunities that help our young adults make the best choices possible about their futures as they face the transition from the school system to the world of work.

This program has experienced incredible growth over the past several years, and that is thanks to our businesses who say yes to the call and invest as participating stakeholders in our students’ career learning opportunities. With over 100 partnering businesses in Ponca City, chances are, you and your organization have probably gotten a request to host an intern. If so, we at Ponca City Public Schools would like to say thank you! This program is one of many that reminds us that our community is full of champions for children. I look forward to sharing more of the amazing work based learning experiences our students are getting to participate in over the weeks to come.

If your business is interested in learning more about hosting a Wildcat Intern in the future, please reach out to Jordan Jackson-Gross at [email protected] or 580-718-4878 and we’ll help you understand the program and work to connect the right students with you.