Today Manchester Township High School's (MTHS) Structure Learning Experience (SLE) class had the opportunity to gather with their internship mentors in gratitude.
This school year, MTHS seniors who were accepted into the Structured Learning Experience class had the opportunity to explore potential future career paths through a hands-on, authentic learning experience brought to them by the partnerships fostered between the community and Manchester Township High School. Teachers Brianna McKiernan and Maryann Adams oversee the class and spend the first semester teaching about college and career readiness. They discuss with students their talents, skills, and desired career paths, work through developing and submitting resumes, learn how to "dress to impress", practice interview skills, and more during their first semester. After successfully being accepted for an internship during their second semester, students then spend their afternoons in the workplace interning.
This school year presented MTHS with the largest group of interested seniors for the SLE class. 16 students participated in the SLE program and 15 businesses from Ocean County graciously hosted Manchester's interns in many wonderful workplaces.
During today's SLE Gratitude Gathering, as a culmination of their semester, students invited their internship mentors to a donated, catered lunch, and presented about their experience as interns. Such participating local businesses where our students worked this semester included:
Tacohaulics
Hazelet Realty Group
Amore Boutique
Hilltop Nursery School
Ocean University Medical Center
Jenkinson's Aquarium
Hanlon's K-9
NorthStar Veterinary Hospital
Howling Woods Farm
Community Medical Center
Trinity Rehab Physical Therapy
Joan Valentine House
Fuggi Law Firm
Peter Loffredo Law Firm &
Manchester Accounting Services
During the presentations we heard from students about their experiences interning in healthcare, the food industry, customer service, law, real estate, working with animals, and more. Students discussed how they were able to apply many of the skills they have to their internships such as developing graphic designs and promotional pieces for a real estate firm, learning about business, billing, insurance, and client relations at a law firm, and one of our students was even provided the opportunity to lend her love of art to a wall at the Lanoka Harbor store during her internship with Tacohaulics. The vast job experiences that MTHS students are exposed to through these internships are because of the great community that welcomes them to explore the workplace in this way as their interns!
Interim Superintendent of Schools Mrs. Pedroza addressed the students and community today sharing how important the "Structured Learning Experience (SLE) class at MTHS is for allowing our students the hands-on opportunity to see and experience career pathways before college. The workplace experiences our students are having through the SLE class are irreplaceable and can not be replicated in the classroom. We love the growing relationship between MTHS and the businesses in our community and appreciate all of the opportunities that SLE is providing our seniors. Going into an actual business or facility and experiencing the day-in and day-out operations is invaluable. Thank you to all who make this possible and congratulations to our students who worked so hard this year in SLE!"
