Internships | Washington High School is ‘Rethinking High School’

WASHINGTON, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)—The State Board of Education has discussed how Indiana should redesign its high school diploma requirements, which have not seen significant changes since the 1980s.

Dr. Katie Jenner, Secretary of Education, recognized three schools that she wrote are leaning in on “rethinking high school.” One of those schools is Washington Community Schools.

Washington High School is ‘rethinking high school’ by giving students the opportunity to learn in a hands-on environment in Indiana’s emerging semiconductor industry.

Principal Brian Holland said WestGate@Crane partnered with Purdue University and approached the school to participate in a curriculum writing project.

“We were kind of leaps and bounds over where they wanted us to be,” Holland said. “And so we were actually helping to pull everybody to the level we’re at with the micro lessons that we’re already doing in our classes,” he added.

In December, Washington High School and Reliable MicroSystems launched the first-of-its-kind microelectronic student internship program.

“There’s been a push from the federal government about microelectronics,” Holland said. “WestGate@Crane has started implementing that process, and they heard that we were doing some things with microelectronics in our school system.”

Xavier Frank became the first student to participate.

“I feel incredibly blessed to have this opportunity,” Frank said. “I think it’s given me a lot of great opportunities.”

Xavier serves as a staff engineer intern for Reliable MicroSystems. He said he’s done coding, designed chips, and even some soldering.

“Everything that an electrical engineer does, I’ve spent some time doing,” he said. “I’ve only been there for four months, and I’ve grown tremendously as a person, as a student, and as a future employee, and now I know what it’s like. Getting that experience is fantastic.”

In an update last month, Jenner wrote that Washington High School offers students the chance to experience careers and develop skills that will benefit their future.

This opportunity to learn in a hands-on environment, centered in Indiana’s emerging semiconductor industry, is the result of collaboration between local, regional, and state entities. It is also funded in part through a partnership with the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Institute for Workforce Excellence. Additional support comes from the Scale K-12 project, which works to integrate new ideas and technologies into curriculum that will help students gain a better awareness of microelectronics in the world around them.

Dr. Katie Jenner – IN Secretary of Education

Holland said, it’s a pipeline, “The interest is built early, and depending on their class schedule, they can alter their schedule to have this opportunity to be involved in these classes.”

He added that it’s an opportunity to retain high-achieving students like Xavier Frank, which will benefit the community.

Xavier said the internship helped enhance his college applications. He has committed to attending Princeton University this fall, where he plans to study physics. His advice? Seize the opportunities and never feel limited by where you come from.

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