For many seniors, Friday, May 18, was their last day of school. This year was the second year that McLean High School has conducted the Highlander Internship Program (HIP) where seniors are given the option to engage in an internship of their choice, and hopefully gain useful real world experiences. While it is not required, it has been increasingly popular among students at McLean. The program lasts a total of two weeks, and then participants are required to present about their experiences with posters in a HIP presentation fair on June 1.

Requirements for participation in the program include a GPA of at least 2.0 and be in good standing with teachers.

“You have to have a certain GPA and are not allowed to exceed a certain number of absences,” senior Julia Longo said. “For the internship itself you have to complete 60 to 70 hours and give a little presentation at the end of the program.”

Many students decided to participate felt it was a good way to get new experiences that will hopefully assist in making career decisions.

“I think it allows people to see what they like doing or don’t like doing, which lets them see what type of profession they might be interested,” Longo said.

Longo is doing her internship with the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy. Since she plays softball and will continue playing at the University of Pennsylvania next year, it offered her the opportunity to explore possible career paths. She has been doing field work, event coordinating, coaching and tutoring. Not only is the program a great opportunity, it also provides a break from the traditional school day.

“Personally I jumped at the thought of getting out of school two weeks early, especially to get some real world experience,” senior Liberty Henson said.

Henson, who is interning at Spring Hill Rec Center, has been shadowing personal trainers and observing fitness classes.

“My favorite part about doing the program is attending the drop in fitness classes and meeting the different instructors,” Henson said.

Another senior, Havi Carillo-Klein, is doing her internship at her temple. She is learning about Jewish education, something that she loves and enjoys.

“I’ve been working with a variety of leaders in Jewish education at my temple such as the camp director, religious school director, nursery school, and rabbi,” senior Havi Carillo-Klein said. “I have been helping them around temple and learning about their roles in jewish education.”

The program has proven to be a success at McLean, with the majority of the senior class participating. It can provide many opportunities that otherwise would not be available to them. Students in HIP also recommend for rising seniors to take advantage of it next year.

“It’s a great opportunity to figure out what you’re interested in and how it works in the real world,” Carillo-Klein said.