Chester Academy shows gratitude for community partners at Internship Appreciation Breakfast

Local business owners were welcomed by Chester Academy students expressing their gratitude for the guidance they have received while exploring potential career paths at the school's Partnership Appreciation Breakfast on Tuesday morning.

The Chester Union Free School District proudly collaborates with professionals in the local community to provide students with real-world experiences and specialized insights into a wide variety of careers. This program offers juniors and seniors the opportunity to explore a field of interest first-hand and gain knowledge that will help enhance career readiness.

Guests had the opportunity to converse with their apprentices and learn more about other internship offerings through the program.

“It’s been great,” said Giana Chiusano with Chester Historical Society when asked about her first year working with the program. “Erika (Alban) and I have had a lot of fun; I’ve gotten to know her and I just really enjoyed the enthusiasm of a younger person who's interested in history.” 

This year, the program had over 40 business partners working with 57 students ranging from a variety of careers, including veterinary technician, teacher, physical therapist, architect, nurse, police officer and town supervisor. Some students even took on multiple internships, furthering their career exploration. Internships can either be a job shadowing experience, which incorporates working one or more days, or a five- to 10-week unpaid internship, meeting one day per week for two hours or more.

These opportunities allow students to create professional networks and develop interpersonal and employability skills. The internships offer the invaluable experience of jumpstarting a career and discovering a passion, something that not many high school students are offered.

Jennifer Burretto, Guidance Counselor and Internship Coordinator, shared her thankfulness for partners and their willingness to bring students into their day-to-day work life.

“I’m really, really proud to be a part of this program, it’s a lot of fun,” said Ms. Burretto. “I get to meet so many new people in the community; and all these people that participate, all of you, it’s great to see the passion you have for what you do. It’s great to see the students and their insights and what they learn from the time they spent with you.” 

Students went up to the podium one by one to share their experiences with the audience and present mentors with a plaque, showing their appreciation for their time and dedication. Many students interned with faculty and staff at Chester Elementary School and Chester Academy, working with teachers, nurses, and the technology director to discover their desired career paths.

This internship helped Ella confirm her desires to be an elementary teacher when she graduates.
“I was really nervous at first because I had no experience at all, but I actually really loved it,” said Ella Panebianco, a junior at Chester Academy. “It was a lot of different experiences I went through and it helped me even realize little kids are a lot to deal with… I learned social skills and how teachers deal with little issues.”

If you are a business or organization interested in sharing your expertise with students either in the classroom or next year, please fill out this form or email Jennifer Burretto, Internship Coordinator, at jennifer.burretto@chesterufsd.org.