Now in its second year at VHS is a program available to graduating seniors called Capstone.  If they apply and qualify, seniors are able to miss the last month of school to pursue an internship opportunity of their choice.

Twenty nine seniors have chosen to take the opportunity this year, up from 24 last year, and have begun their internships as of Monday May 16.

With the list of internships as diverse as Barclays, myVeronaNJ, Danceworks Studios, Focus Physical Therapy, Clean Ocean Action, Alaris Health, the Children’s Institute, and Turtleback Zoo, among many others, one can see that the seniors participating are involved in a wide range of experiences.

Megan McKeown is taking part in the program and explains, “I wanted to take advantage of my last month in high school by doing something that will help me in the professional world later in life.”  For those seniors who have a good idea what they want to do after college, Capstone will help them get a taste of their future profession.

Some students want to participate in Capstone so that they can find out if what they plan on studying is what they really want to do.  “I’m doing Capstone because I want real life experience outside of school so that I know what I’m getting myself into after I graduate,” explains Erinn McKenna.

Talia Calandra has decided not to take part in the internship program because, like many seniors,  “I am still trying to figure out what I want to do after college … so I wouldn’t know what type of job to choose,” she says. “I’m sure there will be internship opportunities available for me in college, when I have a better idea of what I want to do,” she adds.

Then there are those seniors who have decided not to participate in the program because they want to finish off their senior year in the traditional way.  Alexa McPhail explains “I am not doing Capstone.  It is my last month of high school and I want to be with my friends in school.”