doe.sd.gov > Office of Learning and Instruction > Capstone Experiences


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Capstone Experiences

YOUTH INTERNSHIP | ENTREPRENEURSHIP EXPERIENCE | SENIOR EXPERIENCE | SERVICE LEARNING


Capstone experiences allow students the opportunity to consolidate and apply the learning from their high school coursework into a meaningful and relevant career-related experience. This student-driven experience is based on the student’s chosen career cluster or pathway and designed to help increase college and career readiness.

YOUTH INTERNSHIP

Youth Internships allow students the opportunity to consolidate and apply the learning from their high school coursework into a meaningful and relevant on-the-job experience. An Internship is an opportunity for a student to spend time with one or more employees at a business, non-profit organization or government agency. The objective is to observe and gain hands-on experience in how business and industry work. The Internship experience is selected based on the student’s chosen career cluster/pathway.

Internships help students:
• Gain hands-on experience at a local business to build upon skills learned in the classroom.
• Establish a clear connection between education and work.
• Develop an understanding of the workplace under the guidance of an adult mentor.
• Explore and research a variety of careers.
• Develop workplace responsibility and learn about workplace realities.
• Establish professional contacts for future employment.
• Establish positive work habits and attitudes.
• Learn technical skills that will be valuable for future jobs.
• Understand what education opportunities are available that will lead to a career in their chosen career pathway.


Internships help teachers:
• Keep curriculum up-to-date through communication with employers.
• Make education more relevant and valuable for students.
• Access the latest tools and equipment.
• Acquire information on actual proficiencies required by employers/occupations.
• Interact with the business community to secure resources (e.g. knowledge, equipment, software, etc.) to enhance learning.


Internships help employers:
• Gain access to an expanded pool of qualified applicants.
• Invest early to get “hard-to-find” people “trained-your-way”.
• Reduce employee training costs.
• Establish closer working relationships with local schools and educators.
• Communicate to students how important it is to learn well: how to read, write, speak, listen, calculate and think when it comes to workplace success.
• Generate positive publicity and public relations for their company.
• Help students make better informed educational and career choices.
• Influence curricula taught in schools.
• Develop new projects with student assistance.
• Communicate required job-specific proficiencies to educational personnel.


ENTREPRENEURSHIP EXPERIENCE

The Entrepreneurship Experience provides a student with the opportunity to develop the skills needed to become a business owner. Through a hands-on project the student takes responsibility for meeting timelines, making decisions, conducting research, preparing and making presentations – all skills needed for success in the workplace.
 Entrepreneurship Experience Framework 2010
  Complete Document - (word document)
  Introduction
  Implementation and Responsibilities
  Idea or Product
  The Business Plan
  The Portfolio
  The Presentation


SENIOR EXPERIENCE

A Senior Experiences allows a student to see the connections between what he or she is learning now and the application to postsecondary and careers. They become an expert in their chosen topic area and showcase the skills and abilities they have gained through their high school experience.
 Senior Experience Framework 2010
  Complete Document - (word document)
  Introduction
  Implementation and Responsibilities
  Topic Section
  Research Paper
  The Product
  The Portfolio
  The Presentation
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L I N K S


Resources and Rubrics
Youth Internships Manual
Youth Internship Program Criteria
D O C U M E N T S
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