Internships

Watch more student internship experiences on our Learning Through Interests/Internship playlist.

Mentor Internship Information     Family Internship Information

Internship Search: Students, parents, and staff collaborate to secure internships aligned with students' interests. Through this process, students develop networking, communication, self-advocacy, and initiative skills. They are encouraged to step outside their comfort zones and engage with the adult world. For 9th-grade students, age restrictions can make certain internships harder to find. In such cases, students are encouraged to explore closely related areas, building transferable skills for future placements.

Student Preparation: In the spring of 8th grade, Bellevue Big Picture students take an LTI Prep Class to prepare for 9th grade and start their internship search over the summer. The 8th grade class focuses on networking, phone and email scripts, resumes, and informational interviews. The 9th grade LTI 5-week Prep Class delves deeper into the internship research and search process, transferable skills, the LTI project, mentor relationships, mock informational interviews, and basic teen employment safety, rights, and appropriate behavior.

Mentor Time Commitment: During the internship search process, a prospective intern schedules a 30-minute informational interview. If both parties wish to continue, and the startup process is complete, the intern begins their internship on consecutive Thursdays for 6-7 hours each day, lasting 10-12 weeks or longer if appropriate. Mentors support interns learning on Thursdays and, with the help of Big Picture staff, develop meaningful and rigorous projects.

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Interns are responsible for conducting 2 exhibitions (presentations), one at the end of first semester and one at year-end. Mentors are invited to come to exhibitions which are held at Big Picture. Mentors are also invited Mentor Appreciation and Internship Exhibition Event in the spring. Mentor attendance at the school events (exhibitions and appreciation event) are highly recommended and appreciated but are optional depending on availability and scheduling.

Are you ready to become a mentor or just need more information? Contact

Barb Mercier, Community Partnership Coordinator – mercierb@bsd405.org, 425-456-7807

Hillary MacDonald, Family Partnership Coordinator – MacDonaldH@bsd405.org

Tony Granito, Internship Coordinator – granitoa@bsd405.org