This past summer, Pembroke Pines Charter High School seniors immersed themselves in several different summer programs and internships that ranged from local to international locations. As they are just a foot away from the door that opens into the real world, it was with purposeful intention that they applied to participate in programs that would give them a real taste of what they want to do in the future. Whether it’s becoming a doctor, a lawyer, or a journalist, these opportunities have prepared students for what their passions truly entail.
Law and political science
Senior Robertzsa Joseph attended the Democracy Summer Congressional internship in Florida District 25. This hybrid internship lasted six weeks total, allowing students to spend three weeks in online weekly seminars and another three weeks physically helping aid campaigns to raise awareness on important issues. With the intention of getting further involved in the community and learning about the pillars of democracy, Joseph knew she wanted to apply.
The application process involved multiple essay questions, submitting a resume, and giving references to community work in the past. After spending time with multiple democratic Congresswomen and men from around the nation and attending seminars from college professors and political leaders, Joseph explains her favorite part was “getting to meet like-minded students from around the country and doing grassroots work like canvassing and phone banking.”
With a passion for law and political science, seniors Faith Banossian and Emmanuel Baptiste attended the Youth Summer Justice Program at the Broward Law Office of the Public Defender. For two weeks, Banossian and Baptiste shadowed different attorneys at the public defender’s office, witnessed trials, and spent time in the courtroom. Each eight-hour day consisted of exposure to the real behind-the-scenes of lawyers and forensic scientists to dive into the criminal justice field.
For Bapsiste, the true fascination came from the opportunity to “tour the jail because it was such a unique opportunity. It’s very rare that you will have the chance to tour a jail, meet inmates, walk through the courtyard, and even talk to the correction officers.” The duration of the two weeks was filled with the real, hands-on lifestyle of the professionals who have dedicated their lives to enforcing the law. When it comes to the application process, all high schools can apply by submitting an essay and two recommendation forms.
As proclaimed by Baptiste, “It’s a really inclusive and fun program that all underclassmen interested in any type of law or political science should definitely check out.”
Psychology and medicine
With the goal of learning more about the medical field, senior Faizan Shah took a transatlantic flight to attend the Oxford Institute Summer Program, located in Oxford, England, at St Anne’s College. His interest in studying psychology and medicine, while immersing himself in the British education style, made the two-week program just right. Shah describes the classes as “a completely different style of teaching than the American education system. It was more interactive, and students got to build from their own knowledge.”
When it came to the application process, Shah began in December, when he needed to complete two essays with 800 words minimum, each with different prompts. The second part began in June, when Shah attended a final Zoom meeting to be interviewed by the Oxford program officers. The results were shared with the selected students two weeks after the interview. To Shah, it was the “experience of freedom” that highlighted this trip the most.
Senior Isabella Abohasen attended the University of Florida (UF) Research Explorations summer program in the UF Biomedical College. Abohasen hopes to become a doctor in the future and aims to major in biomedical engineering, making this opportunity the one for her. Immersing herself in this two-week program, students had the opportunity to perform research in real college laboratories while experiencing the college experience firsthand.
The application process consisted of submitting a transcript, a list of science classes taken, two essays, a list of hobbies and extracurriculars, and two letters of recommendation. This process was fully worthwhile to Abohasen, as she explains that the best part was “getting a firsthand look at what life would be like at UF and being exposed to different fields related to what I want to do in the future.”
The medical field has also inspired Senior Janice Chung to apply to the AIM-High Medical Camp at Nova University in Fort Lauderdale. This five-day medical camp offers hands-on exposure to various medical fields through interactive simulations. Chung’s main goal was to “explore more into the health care field and see the different routes that it has.” By experiencing what it takes to be in the field, using the mannequins that nursing students use to train for their exams, and using real-life equipment, Chung became “excited to pursue that field.”
By submitting your high school transcript and an essay with the prompt they assign, the possibility of becoming part of this program becomes likely, and helps assist students in figuring out if a certain area of the healthcare field is right for them.
Business and finance
Senior Sanya Gidwani interned at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce in Fort Lauderdale. In this internship, students could become educated on economic growth in the corporate world by collaborating with businesses and discussing advocacy on a regional level.
Gidwani’s interest in the local issues of Florida and how businesses are dealing with new legislation over time inspired her to apply.
The summer internship lasted the entire summer, from June to August, where Gidwani received the opportunity to work on branding and marketing logistics while also exploring hands-on assignments by attending meetings with local business owners that discussed their next steps for growing successful businesses. Additionally, attending council meetings, such as government affairs and racial equity, allows students to understand how businesses are able to be inclusive and also adjust to new legislation and policies that are being passed daily.
Although completing numerous tasks and having firsthand accounts of multiple meetings, Gidwani describes the highlight of this journey to be “attending staff meetings with the CEO and listening to what the process of hosting events and organizing logistics is like.”
The application process is independently secured via email and an interaction with the applicant manager, in which a list of accomplishments and essays needs to be submitted. Although a selective process, Gidwani shares that “this organization opens up many opportunities to future entrepreneurs of the corporate world and allows students to become more knowledgeable of the local economic detriments and benefits in Fort Lauderdale.”
Journalism and Communications
Senior Lizbeth Manoj attended the Summer Media Institute (SMI) summer program in the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications. This is a program for high schoolers interested in journalism and the communications field, and allows students to get hands-on experience through the different workshops.
It also gave students a chance to work in the university’s facilities and use professional equipment. For Manoj, her favorite part of this experience was her audio storytelling specialization. “I got to experience firsthand how podcasting works and all of the different aspects that go into it. I even got to record, edit, and produce my own podcast episode with a group of students, and we were able to use all of the professional technology and equipment.”
With a straightforward application, students are asked to write an essay on why they want to be part of the program and include their journalism portfolio. In this week-long experience, students get the chance to network and gain insight into the college life of a journalism major. Manoj describes this journey as one that “taught [her] so much about all the opportunities [she] can take advantage of.”
International relations
Senior Enzo Quiroz attended the University of Miami (UM) Credit Summer Pre-College program with an interest in Global Business and International Relations. In this three week long program, Quiroz had the opportunity to work alongside several high schoolers and college professors while diving into the world of international relations.
Debating real life topics ranging from security to nuclear bombs, but what stood out most to Quiroz was “being able to meet so many different types of people.” Not only being exposed to the different countries in their discussions, but first hand interactions with students of different backgrounds as well.
Whether the program or internship was instate or out-of-state, one week long or the duration of the entire summer, every student who attended shared the familiar feeling of passion and confidence as they prepare to take their first step in the real world. Charter seniors are close to tossing their caps in the air, but for the jaguars who are still in school, take a moment to fill out that application and click send. The opportunities are truly endless to learn about who you want to be.
