OVERVIEW OF STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
WALTER PANAS WISE PROGRAM
Students will formally state their goals for their internships and describe their expectations. These goals must be shared with the student’s internship site supervisor and mentor.
The journal is a personal reflection of the student’s experience and learning. These entries might include observations, criticisms, explanations, evaluations, recommendations, and references to research. Students may write the Journals in either a creative or expository manner. Mentors will review the journals once a week.
Students will have individual meetings with their mentors every week. Mentors will evaluate the student’s progress to insure that they are meeting the program’s requirements and will be prepared to present their exhibitions. Mentors will also serve as a liaison to the internship site supervisors. The students will also log the hours of their internship endeavors.
All WISE participants congregate every Wednesday during the internship experience during periods seven and eight to discuss problems, concerns, and achievements. In addition, the students will be participating in various workshops, such as resume writing and public speaking.
Students will focus on an area of research based on their internships. Research will include relevant reading, interviews, television programming, videos, internet resources, etc.
In May, the students will complete their I-Search paper. The I-Search paper tells about the student’s internship experience, incorporates research, and involves reflections in daily journals. The following should be included:
ª What I Knew (and did not know about my topic when I started out)
ª Why I’m Writing This Paper (the student demonstrates that the search may make a difference in his/her life)
ª Research/documentation
ª What I Learned (or did not learn-a search that failed can be as exciting and valuable as one that succeeded)
ª Field experience
ª What Skills of Life were learned
Students & parents will be afforded an opportunity to assess the program and the internship site.
Students will make a final presentation of their work and experience to an audience that includes the mentor, peers, parents, staff, and community members.
The presentation will have the following format:
ª The student will present his/her work, and speak about project experiences, including expectation, accomplishments, problems, perceptions, research, and intellectual growth. The presentation should take at least thirty minutes.
ª Presentations must include visuals such as demonstrations using slides (Power Point), pictures, tapes, videos, models, photographs, computers, and other graphic material.
ª The committee and/or members of the audience may ask questions at the end of the presentation.
ª The committee and WISE coordinators will evaluate the presentation.
All students may invite friends, guidance counselors, administrators, relatives, site supervisors, and/or classmates to attend. In special circumstance, arrangements may be made to alter the membership of the evaluation committee or the format of the presentation.
EACH STUDENT WILL:
ª Research materials through reading, accessing information, and interviewing in the areas of employment.
ª Write journal entries on the experience that should include research, the work experience, what he/she does, problems, and reactions to the internship experience.
ª Interact with others at the internship site.
ª Meet once a week with his or her mentor.
ª Attend the large group meetings every Wednesday (WISE Wednesdays). Missing more than one Wednesday per quarter will result in a lowered grade.
ª Adhere to the time management program.
ª Agree to bring concerns, fears and/or problems to the mentor as early as possible.
ª Create a presentation that will be assessed by a team of evaluators.
ª Understand that he/she must pass Economics/Politics, English and complete their internship to pass the course and graduate.
ª Understand that his/her grade will be a reflection of both the student’s work and job performance.