Where Do You SEE Yourself?

Where Do You SEE Yourself?

At John Crosland School, we believe in preparing our students not just for the classroom but for the challenges and opportunities that await them in the real world. One way we do this is through our Senior Exploration Experience (SEE), a revival of a student internship program that was a staple at our school before the pandemic.

This program is part of our LIFE (Learning Independently and Financial Education) class, a senior elective that equips students with vital skills and real-world experiences. SEE takes place during the two-week masterclass period in the spring semester, giving our seniors the opportunity to explore career paths and college majors through hands-on internships.

The goal of SEE is to provide students with a deeper understanding of the vocational world, giving them a chance to “SEE” themselves in a potential career. This experience is more than just a chance to explore a field of interest—it’s an integral part of ensuring every Crosland student graduates with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in life after school.

Taking Initiative and Gaining Confidence

For SEE, our seniors were tasked with locating a business that aligns with their personal interests, career aspirations, or potential college majors. Students were coached on how to present their internship’s purpose and requirements and practiced communicating their requests through scripts. To ensure they could find the perfect opportunity, they were encouraged to network with family members, neighbors, and other contacts.

Each senior was also asked to create a set of questions to guide their exploration and reflect on what they hoped to learn from the experience. At the end of the two weeks, students presented their experiences to upper school students and parents at our Comets Create Showcase, sharing the knowledge and insights they had gained.

Real-World Experiences

The internships varied widely, showcasing the diversity of interests and talents among our seniors. Some students had the opportunity to learn about auto repair—studying the parts of an engine, sandblasting and refinishing valves, and discovering what it takes to run an auto-repair business. Others worked in equine therapy, training horses and caring for animals that help riders with neurodivergence or PTSD. One student explored the field of manufacturing, analyzing gypsum to produce the correct composition for wallboard production.

These experiences were not just about gaining technical skills, but also about building confidence, learning adaptability, and gaining clarity about future paths. By connecting classroom knowledge with real-world practice, SEE bridged the gap between theoretical learning and hands-on experience, inspiring our seniors to look at their futures with a sense of purpose and possibility.

A Clearer Vision for the Future

The Senior Exploration Experience has become a cornerstone of our senior year, helping our students develop the confidence to pursue their passions and navigate the road ahead. By giving them the chance to explore potential careers in a meaningful way, we ensure that our seniors graduate with not only academic knowledge but also real-world experience and clarity about their future paths.

At Crosland, we’re committed to preparing our students for success in every aspect of life. Through programs like SEE, we help them envision a future full of opportunities, equipped with the tools to succeed.