From research opportunities to military summer camps, high school students have many chances to make their summer vacation more productive. The long school break is a time when students can take advantage of opportunities to learn more about future pathways.
College and Career Center specialist Margarita Rodriguez shares these opportunities through the College and Career newsletter, which is sent to students through FCPS email. These opportunities include information about internships, job opportunities and summer programs.
“There’s always something that’s available,” Rodriguez said. “George Mason has a STEM program that’s free for underclassmen. We have the Simmons research opportunity for sophomores. Brown University has an online writing workshop if students want to prepare for their English courses.”
Students can also look into opportunities beyond formal summer programs. Rodriguez explains that reaching out directly to companies and organizations can help students find shadowing experiences in fields they are interested in.
“My advice would be to introduce yourself.” Rodriguez said. “Start off by saying, ‘My name is so-and-so. I’m a student at Chantilly High School. I am really interested in this subject, etc.’ People love to read about students and what they’re interested in. I think that opens doors and opportunities to make connections.”
Gaining experience in fields of interest can help students discover possible career options. According to Education Next, students can benefit from seasonal jobs, programs and mentorship, since these opportunities allow them to develop skills that encourage success.
“We are in Northern Virginia, there’s many opportunities around us,” Rodriguez said. “Not just Amazon, but we have Microsoft. We have new and growing IT companies that are around [and] these universities that are local to us, that give students the opportunity to come and work on their campus over the summer.”
Rodriguez explains that even doing work over the summer, such as volunteering can benefit a student. Volunteering teaches students valuable skills that can’t be learned in a classroom, such as better communication and teamwork, according to The Bridge.
“One of the things that I always say is keep a record of things that you’ve done,” Rodriguez said. “Even if you volunteered for one day, because you can explain what it meant to you. You can say, ‘I did this for x, y and z, but it really meant something to me, because I was able to make new friends or be involved in my community.’”
