LINK: Leading INTERNSHIPS for New Knowledge
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Welcome to LINK!
The Leading Internships for New Knowledge (LINK) program has been part of the Animas High School curriculum and a graduation requirement since the first graduating class. It's one of the key pieces that truly prepares AHS students for life after high school. How does is work? LINK is supported by the Durango's Business Education Connection, or the BEC. The BEC was launched by Janae Hunderman, who was the LINK Internship Coordinator for five years and a teacher at AHS for two years prior to that. The goal of the BEC is to make it easier for both students and businesses to connection to internship opportunities by creating a one-stop-shop for internships at multiple schools. You'll be supported at AHS to explore your interests, learn about careers, practice job search skills such as resume writing and mock interviews, and eventually learn how to network in order to secure an internship opportunity that is an exciting fit for you! We hope that this process eventually helps you find your "Ikigai!" |
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LINK Internship Requirements
Fall LINK Requirements:
More information
Check out the student tab on the Business Education Connection website for more resources
Fall LINK Requirements:
- Complete two informational interviews with potential internship sites
- Submit an updated resume
- Match with an approved mentor
- Complete 90-120 hours in your internship
- Complete a LINK Internship Project, jointly designed by you and your mentor
- Update your Digital Portfolio
- Complete all the steps included on your LINK Internship Badge on the Transeo Platform
- Complete any final presentations that may be required at Animas High School
More information
Check out the student tab on the Business Education Connection website for more resources
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the LINK internship?
LINK is for three weeks in late April and early May. The exact dates can be found on this year's school calendar under News and Events on the Animas High School website.
How much time will I spend at my LINK Internship?
Your LINK Internship is meant to be a full time experience, as such, you should be interning for 30-40 hours per week during the 3-week LINK Internship window in the spring. It's a similar amount of time to being in school everyday and what you might expect in a future career.
Where have students done internships before?
SO many places! Check out the Previous Internship Placements page for some local ideas.
Does Marie assign us to our internships?
No way! Do you want to be assigned to a job or a career path? Animas High School is proud of teaching students real life skills. As part of the LINK Internship process, you'll learn how to communicate professionally in order to make connections and find your own internship. Marie has many connections and resources in the community that you'll have access to, but ultimately it will be YOU who makes it happen for yourself!
Will I have any classes during my LINK Internship?
Nope! All junior classes will complete their curriculum prior to LINK and no junior classes will be occurring at Animas High School.
Can I travel outside of Durango for my LINK?
Absolutely! Since juniors have a full three weeks with no classes, many students use this opportunity to experience living and interning in a different community, state, or sometimes even a different country! See below for more info on travel.
What is the LINK Project?
In the past, interns were used to file papers and to pick up coffee for their bosses, but that doesn't show you much about the career itself. By doing a project, you can get your hands into some real work while at your internship. The project is designed by you and your mentor within the first week of your internship and can be as big or small as you determine is appropriate. Your mentor will report back at the end of the internship as to whether you've completed the project or not. Some project ideas can be found on the Example Project page.
What is the Transeo platform?
Transeo is where you track everything in order to get credit for your internship. You and your mentor will both sign documents and approve your hours on the Transeo platform. You can find the link to login to Transeo in the upper right hand corner of the Business Education Connection web pages.
What kinds of things will I do at my internship?
Hopefully you'll get to do a lot of interesting things! Besides working on your project, we hope that you'll also get to support many of the activities that are a regular part of your mentor's work.
What if I don't find an internship?
Sometimes we can't find what feels like a "perfect" situation for an internship. That said, it is still a graduation requirement and an expectation at Animas to complete a LINK Internship. At times, students have needed to be more open-minded about what they could learn by trying something different. Reach out to Marie if you're concerned about finding your internship and she can help you!
What if I get fired from my internship?
This happens occasionally! Although it isn't a fun learning experience, it IS a great opportunity to learn in a situation that isn't tied to your financial security. Marie, your mentor, your parents and you will all communicate in order to create closure from the experience, and we'll work to find you a new internship experience.
What if I'm sick or studying abroad during the LINK Internship?
If you miss the window for whatever reason, you can always do your internship in the summer or during your senior year. This is not ideal, but it has worked for many students previously.
When do we start looking for internships?
We'll start our outreach in January and the goal is to confirm your internship by Osprey Week or Spring Break.
Do student interns get paid?
Your pay for the internship is the 1.0 credit on your transcript (plus the life experience!). Students generally do not get paid although some mentors may choose to give students a gift.
Can students intern at their job?
Generally not. The goal is to really push yourself to get out of your comfort zone and to experience a potential career. If, for example, you run a cash register at an ice cream store, you could spend your internship hours learning how the business is run, but any cash register time would need to be separate from your internship. It's generally best to keep your job and internship separate.
What if I start my internship and then don't like it?
Ironically, not liking your internship can be a good thing! Sometimes this is how we learn what we DON'T want to do and it's an important step to learning what we DO want to do! If your internship is terribly uncomfortable in the first few days, we have had students switch mid-way but it's incredibly stressful. The best option is to explore a number of options, ask a lot of questions, and make sure you get to know your mentor a little bit before you confirm your internship.
What if I have no idea what I want to do!?
Awesome! That's exactly the point of the LINK Internship! This is your opportunity to try ONE thing that you might like. If you don't like it, it's okay, it's only three weeks of your life and it's an opportunity to stretch, grow, and prove to yourself that you can do hard things. This is not your last opportunity in life to try something new, it's simply one choice out of many, many choices you'll make throughout your life. We'll take time throughout the school year to explore your interests and help you select some things that you might like to explore further.
When is the LINK internship?
LINK is for three weeks in late April and early May. The exact dates can be found on this year's school calendar under News and Events on the Animas High School website.
How much time will I spend at my LINK Internship?
Your LINK Internship is meant to be a full time experience, as such, you should be interning for 30-40 hours per week during the 3-week LINK Internship window in the spring. It's a similar amount of time to being in school everyday and what you might expect in a future career.
Where have students done internships before?
SO many places! Check out the Previous Internship Placements page for some local ideas.
Does Marie assign us to our internships?
No way! Do you want to be assigned to a job or a career path? Animas High School is proud of teaching students real life skills. As part of the LINK Internship process, you'll learn how to communicate professionally in order to make connections and find your own internship. Marie has many connections and resources in the community that you'll have access to, but ultimately it will be YOU who makes it happen for yourself!
Will I have any classes during my LINK Internship?
Nope! All junior classes will complete their curriculum prior to LINK and no junior classes will be occurring at Animas High School.
Can I travel outside of Durango for my LINK?
Absolutely! Since juniors have a full three weeks with no classes, many students use this opportunity to experience living and interning in a different community, state, or sometimes even a different country! See below for more info on travel.
What is the LINK Project?
In the past, interns were used to file papers and to pick up coffee for their bosses, but that doesn't show you much about the career itself. By doing a project, you can get your hands into some real work while at your internship. The project is designed by you and your mentor within the first week of your internship and can be as big or small as you determine is appropriate. Your mentor will report back at the end of the internship as to whether you've completed the project or not. Some project ideas can be found on the Example Project page.
What is the Transeo platform?
Transeo is where you track everything in order to get credit for your internship. You and your mentor will both sign documents and approve your hours on the Transeo platform. You can find the link to login to Transeo in the upper right hand corner of the Business Education Connection web pages.
What kinds of things will I do at my internship?
Hopefully you'll get to do a lot of interesting things! Besides working on your project, we hope that you'll also get to support many of the activities that are a regular part of your mentor's work.
What if I don't find an internship?
Sometimes we can't find what feels like a "perfect" situation for an internship. That said, it is still a graduation requirement and an expectation at Animas to complete a LINK Internship. At times, students have needed to be more open-minded about what they could learn by trying something different. Reach out to Marie if you're concerned about finding your internship and she can help you!
What if I get fired from my internship?
This happens occasionally! Although it isn't a fun learning experience, it IS a great opportunity to learn in a situation that isn't tied to your financial security. Marie, your mentor, your parents and you will all communicate in order to create closure from the experience, and we'll work to find you a new internship experience.
What if I'm sick or studying abroad during the LINK Internship?
If you miss the window for whatever reason, you can always do your internship in the summer or during your senior year. This is not ideal, but it has worked for many students previously.
When do we start looking for internships?
We'll start our outreach in January and the goal is to confirm your internship by Osprey Week or Spring Break.
Do student interns get paid?
Your pay for the internship is the 1.0 credit on your transcript (plus the life experience!). Students generally do not get paid although some mentors may choose to give students a gift.
Can students intern at their job?
Generally not. The goal is to really push yourself to get out of your comfort zone and to experience a potential career. If, for example, you run a cash register at an ice cream store, you could spend your internship hours learning how the business is run, but any cash register time would need to be separate from your internship. It's generally best to keep your job and internship separate.
What if I start my internship and then don't like it?
Ironically, not liking your internship can be a good thing! Sometimes this is how we learn what we DON'T want to do and it's an important step to learning what we DO want to do! If your internship is terribly uncomfortable in the first few days, we have had students switch mid-way but it's incredibly stressful. The best option is to explore a number of options, ask a lot of questions, and make sure you get to know your mentor a little bit before you confirm your internship.
What if I have no idea what I want to do!?
Awesome! That's exactly the point of the LINK Internship! This is your opportunity to try ONE thing that you might like. If you don't like it, it's okay, it's only three weeks of your life and it's an opportunity to stretch, grow, and prove to yourself that you can do hard things. This is not your last opportunity in life to try something new, it's simply one choice out of many, many choices you'll make throughout your life. We'll take time throughout the school year to explore your interests and help you select some things that you might like to explore further.
What are the steps to confirming an internship?
Self-Awareness
We'll begin by considering our values, interests, skills and aptitudes. What are you curious about? What do you like doing? What are your strengths?
Career Exploration
We'll then start looking at different types of careers, hopefully finding some that you've never considered before!
Networking
You'll then begin reaching out to professionals in your fields of interest to learn more about careers. You'll request short appointment with at least three different professionals to conduct what we call "Informational Interviews," in which you simply ask them questions.
Decisions & Action = Request an Internship
After you've interviewed someone, if it really intrigues you, you will ask them if they'd be open to hosting you as an intern. They might say yes, YAY! They might say no, and that's fair too. In that case, you'll remember to ask them if they know of anyone else that you could reach out to.
Confirm Your Internship
Once someone says yes, you'll schedule a time to meet with them to ask any questions you might have and to double check that you really, really want to spend three weeks with them. You, your parent/guardian, and your new mentor will sign some online documents on the Transeo platform confirming that you are all committed to the internship plan. Congratulations, you've confirmed your internship!
We'll begin by considering our values, interests, skills and aptitudes. What are you curious about? What do you like doing? What are your strengths?
Career Exploration
We'll then start looking at different types of careers, hopefully finding some that you've never considered before!
Networking
You'll then begin reaching out to professionals in your fields of interest to learn more about careers. You'll request short appointment with at least three different professionals to conduct what we call "Informational Interviews," in which you simply ask them questions.
Decisions & Action = Request an Internship
After you've interviewed someone, if it really intrigues you, you will ask them if they'd be open to hosting you as an intern. They might say yes, YAY! They might say no, and that's fair too. In that case, you'll remember to ask them if they know of anyone else that you could reach out to.
Confirm Your Internship
Once someone says yes, you'll schedule a time to meet with them to ask any questions you might have and to double check that you really, really want to spend three weeks with them. You, your parent/guardian, and your new mentor will sign some online documents on the Transeo platform confirming that you are all committed to the internship plan. Congratulations, you've confirmed your internship!
Traveling outside of the Four Corners Region for your LINK Internship
If you would like to leave the area, there are a few more things to consider:
Finances
This is one of the first things you should talk about with your parent/guardian before making plans to leave the area for your internship. Animas High School does not fund or have scholarships for students to leave town for their internship. Before considering an out-of-town option, consider your budget for transportation, housing, food and entertainment for the three weeks.
Housing
Where will you stay? You want to feel comfortable and safe. Most students who do out-of-town internships stay with friends or family in other towns. Before searching the vast world of options, it may be best to consider who you could stay with and confirm that they are willing to host you. Once you have that in place, you can begin looking for internship opportunities in their community.
Another option is to travel to a place that has housing such as dorms available. This is less common and general more expensive, but students have selected this option in the past and had great experiences. Dorm style living is especially common when students choose to leave the country for their internship.
Your parents/guardians and you will have to sign an additional form stating that you are both comfortable with the housing plans while you are on LINK.
Transportation
How will you get to your internship? For long distances, flying is likely the best option, For places closer to Durango, many students have had their parents drive them or even drive themselves if they have a license and car.
Once you know how to get there, you'll need to consider transportation to and from your internship site. Will you have a car and are you comfortable driving in large cities? Or will the friend or family member you are staying with be able to drive you? Or is there public transportation that you can take?
Finding an Internship
Although a list of potential internships is available for students in town, all students have to network and do outreach to confirm an internship. Students who choose to leave the area need to plan ahead, network, and do even more independent outreach, and it's worth the effort!
Where have students travelled for LINK?
Dove Creek, Telluride, Leadville, Winter Park, Denver, Moab, San Francisco, Portland, Bozeman, Milwaukee, Amarillo, Austin, Atlanta, Washington DC, Brooklyn, Hawaii, Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, England, Mozambique... the list goes on! What unique location might you add to the collection?
Finances
This is one of the first things you should talk about with your parent/guardian before making plans to leave the area for your internship. Animas High School does not fund or have scholarships for students to leave town for their internship. Before considering an out-of-town option, consider your budget for transportation, housing, food and entertainment for the three weeks.
Housing
Where will you stay? You want to feel comfortable and safe. Most students who do out-of-town internships stay with friends or family in other towns. Before searching the vast world of options, it may be best to consider who you could stay with and confirm that they are willing to host you. Once you have that in place, you can begin looking for internship opportunities in their community.
Another option is to travel to a place that has housing such as dorms available. This is less common and general more expensive, but students have selected this option in the past and had great experiences. Dorm style living is especially common when students choose to leave the country for their internship.
Your parents/guardians and you will have to sign an additional form stating that you are both comfortable with the housing plans while you are on LINK.
Transportation
How will you get to your internship? For long distances, flying is likely the best option, For places closer to Durango, many students have had their parents drive them or even drive themselves if they have a license and car.
Once you know how to get there, you'll need to consider transportation to and from your internship site. Will you have a car and are you comfortable driving in large cities? Or will the friend or family member you are staying with be able to drive you? Or is there public transportation that you can take?
Finding an Internship
Although a list of potential internships is available for students in town, all students have to network and do outreach to confirm an internship. Students who choose to leave the area need to plan ahead, network, and do even more independent outreach, and it's worth the effort!
Where have students travelled for LINK?
Dove Creek, Telluride, Leadville, Winter Park, Denver, Moab, San Francisco, Portland, Bozeman, Milwaukee, Amarillo, Austin, Atlanta, Washington DC, Brooklyn, Hawaii, Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, England, Mozambique... the list goes on! What unique location might you add to the collection?
For more information about LINK contact Work-Based Learning Coordinator Marie Kehm
at marie@BusinessEducationConnection.org or (970) 828-2701
at marie@BusinessEducationConnection.org or (970) 828-2701
