May 30, 2005

Real-world work inspires students

Internships give charter-school youths
the chance to learn outside the classroom.

By Kim L. Hooper
kim.hooper@indystar.com

Spray and wash: "They usually flee when I come out with the hose," said Felisha Dugan, 15, of her work at the Indianapolis Zoo. Charlie Nye / The Star

Twice a week, Felisha Dugan slips on rubber boots, gloves and an insulated brown jacket to work with 46 gentoo, king and rockhopper penguins at the Indianapolis Zoo.

Among her duties: spraying down the penguin exhibit.

"They usually flee when I come out with the hose," she said, after a recent round of sluicing off the exhibit in the Zoo's Water Building.

The work marks a rare opportunity for any 15-year-old -- but is a requirement for students at the Indianapolis Metropolitan Career academies, two city charter high schools in their inaugural year.

Before they graduate, academy students must complete an internship.

So far this school year, students have been paired with a judge, an Indianapolis Public Schools teacher and a veterinarian with a Downtown Indianapolis pet clinic, among others.

The 50 mentors were honored last week at a breakfast at Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana, 1635 W. Michigan St. Goodwill operates the charter academies at its Michigan Street headquarters.

Of the two schools' 78 freshmen, 66 worked as interns.

The approach is based on the small-school concept of the Big Picture Co., a Providence, R.I., nonprofit that helps launch new schools nationwide.

Founded by two veteran educators, Big Picture is supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which is providing seed money to open more small-enrollment schools or to create smaller schools within large schools across the country.

The Central Indiana group is the first in Goodwill Industries International to open a public school. The nonprofit has provided job skills and employment training for nearly 75 years.

James M. McClelland, president and chief executive officer of the Central Indiana Goodwill, decided to expand the social service agency beyond its traditional role in a bid to give young people the skills for success so they can avoid needing his agency's help as adults.

"Our mission is to help people prepare for, find and keep jobs," he said. "We can best do that by increasing the number of high school graduates and getting them to go on to college. We improve the work force by helping young adults become contributing members of the community."

Charter schools are public, paid for by tax dollars, but they enjoy freedoms in hiring, spending and curriculum that their traditional public school counterparts do not.

Many high schools join with local businesses to give students opportunities to connect what they learn in class to practical work experience. When students are paired with local mentors, educators say, they gain a better understanding of possible careers and the paths to get them there.

At the academies, students like Felisha work with an on-site mentor and complete career-related tasks that teach them job expectations.

Academy student Patrick Forester, also 15, worked with an Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis physics professor this year, helping with his research and doing an audit of an astronomy class he taught.

"I saw firsthand how you apply scientific methods to real-life experiences," Patrick said.
With their focus on independent study, Patrick -- who attended school in Pike Township before enrolling at the Metropolitan Career academy -- said students at the academies can "go as far and as fast as you want. I like that.'

One way internships can improve classroom lessons is by giving students access to jobs that require more knowledge and skills than ordinary "youth jobs" such as fast-food restaurant employment.

Since she was 7, Felisha has been fascinated with sharks, whales and other creatures of the sea. "The Little Mermaid" was her favorite movie for a long time.

Preparing the food and maintaining the habitat for the zoo's waterfowl and mammals have reinforced her desire to go to college and become a marine biologist. She recently obtained certification in scuba diving through her zoo internship.

"I never would have thought I'd have an opportunity to work at a zoo or be certified as a diver at the age of 15."

Call Star reporter Kim L. Hooper at (317) 444-6494.