As part of their new secondary school, Omololu International School enrolled all the students in First Form in a 30-hour internship program designed to give the students real-world experience working in industries that they may one day be interested in for a career.
Starting in May, and running a total of 6 weeks, students spent 5 hours each Friday working for an assigned company or organization here in Anguilla. Students were placed with the Anguilla Animal Rescue Foundation, The Outreach Pre-School (TOPS), Hi-Tek Signs and Designs, Frangipani Beach Resort, the Anguilla National Trust, and Roy’s Bayside Grille.
The administration worked closely with the owners/ directors of each placement, ensuring that the environment was conducive to learning and that it would benefit not just the student, but the organization itself.
“I’ve always loved working with computers, so this has been a really cool experience,” said Ariana Alvarez, a First Form student working at Hi-Tek Signs and Designs in The Valley. “I feel so lucky that we get to do this in Form 1 and we don’t have to wait until we’re older.”
Ms. Farah Mukhida, Director of the Anguilla National Trust, which hosted two interns, said, “OIS’s internship program offers an amazing opportunity to Anguilla’s young people by allowing them to develop new skills and to figure out whether their interest in a field is something they would like to pursue even further.”
In September, Omololu will be adding a Second Form class but intends to expand the program to accommodate the additional students. The goal is to place students in a different industry next year, to help expand their horizons regarding what job options are out there for them.
“It’s been really successful and a great learning experience for the students,” says Mr. Jordan Scheer, the Principal of Omololu. “We had very high hopes for the students to get a lot from the program and it’s always great when those expectations are exceeded. I think some of our students may have found their future careers.”
Omololu International School embraces holistic and experiential approaches to learning about our world, equipping students with meaningful understanding and skill sets to lead successful lives and to make a positive contribution to society. As an authorized Primary Years Program World School, OIS upholds the ideals of preparing our students for lives as global citizens. Registration for the 2018-19 School Year is now open and offers special pricing for Anguillian students. For more information visit www.omololuschool.org, follow the school on Facebook, or contact them via phone at 1 (264) 497-5430 or via email at info@omololuschool.org.
– Contributed