As students reach their senior year they are offered the chance to extend their everyday learning outside of the typical high school classroom. With the help of internship coordinator Rosie Rankin, seniors are beginning to fill either their third or fifth period time slot with an internship at a number of locations on the Outer Banks.

“I have personally find that internships are a good alternative to a regular period class because they allow you to learn more about the real world, which you are not granted the opportunity of while in a normal classroom,” senior Tori Lowe said.

From the Coastal Studies Institute to Swell Productions to local boutique Foxy Flamingo, students are engaging in work that they would expect to perform in careers pursued after high school and college education. Students are expected to complete certain tasks that give them an insight on the “real world,” ultimately providing them with real life workfield skills.

“Internships are a lot more different than sitting in a science or math class because they require you to have to act and work as if you are a real adult working in an actual work-field. I feel as if I am taking more life skills away from my internship than I do from my common core classes,” said senior David Giles.

Most internships affiliate with the occupation the student plans to pursue after high school and college. Rankin works with local businesses finding the perfect fit for each student and their desires.

“I meet with the student and we talk about what they want to do for their career and then it’s a matter of finding their best fit in our area. It’s really nice when it all comes together!” career counselor Rosie Rankin said.

Senior Haley Rea began interning with local film production studio Swell Productions. Rankin and Rea found this to be the most fitting internship due to her desire to go into a career in videography. Rea has been a novice filmer for a number of years now, filming her friends on a personal hand-held camera and editing on her laptop. However, Rea hopes to be able to learn more tips and tricks with videography that will help her now and in college.

“For the past few years I have been teaching myself all the different tricks and styles that I use now, I can’t wait to learn new ways while being at Swell Productions that will help me become a better videographer and editor,” Rea said.

The Coastal Studies Institute offers an opening for just two students a semester where they will learn about collecting research on the environment and its impact on oysters. Four students applied for the position and received them, switching off at the end of the semester. While seniors David Giles and Wallace Casey are currently interning at CSI, seniors Aidan Charron and Tori Lowe will begin interning there in January.

“I can’t wait to begin my internship next semester, so that I can learn more about what goes on at the Coastal Study Institute, bettering my idea of what I want to do in college,” Lowe said.

The students who applied to intern at The Coastal Studies Institute found this to be their best fit due to its program involved with the environment. While all four students are seniors, they plan to venture off into different fields of studies closely related to the work performed and studied at CSI.

“I’ve really enjoyed the tasks I’ve performed and information I have learned while at CSI,” senior Wallace Casey said. “It has definitely made me realize that I want to go into a field of Marine Science while attending a university.”

Along with the tasks students are performing while at their internships, they are also required to do a number of assignments that teach and practice real life skills that will be performed on the job site. These assignments consist of credentialing, designing business cards, prepping for an interview, building up a resume, along with many more.

“The assignments that we are required to do outside of our internship are really helpful because they teach you how to build up a resume or a website, which will help later in life when I’m working in an actual work field,” said senior Katelynn Morrisette.

Senior Wallace Casey catches oysters during his internship at CSI in Skyco. “Hunting for oysters is harder than you think, they’re really fast,” said Casey.