What if 17-year-olds could perform surgical procedures on temporal bones? Go on the air with a local morning radio show? Design and sew their own shirts and ties? Or build 3-D models of homes?

What if someone could do all of that – before they even graduated high school?

Well, for starters, they’d be “co-creators and co-directors of their own learning,” says Michael McElreath, assistant head of the Upper School. McElreath was one of the brains behind Cary Academy’s new Work Experience Program, or WEP, an initiative exclusively for rising seniors to
embark on two-week internships in fields and industries that pique their curiosity.

First introduced in spring 2016, WEP is a product of CA’s strategic plan. One major goal of the plan: Foster authentic engagement.

But, McElreath’s team questioned, what did that even mean? And, most important, what would that look like?

“Cary academy will foster the intellectual and cultural elasticity needed to adapt and thrive in the world.”
– Strategic Plan 2020

It all boiled down to “experiential learning,” hands-on learning opportunities outside of typical classroom settings. The twist? Cary Academy would facilitate experiences specifically catered to each student’s interests.

“We wanted students to get opportunities in areas they’re passionate about – and also in areas that they aren’t familiar with to push them outside of their comfort zones,” McElreath explains.

Since then, juniors have spent their Discovery Terms at organizations ranging from veterinary hospitals to nonprofits benefitting kids with autism. They’ve shadowed district court judges. Gotten a crash course in newspaper publishing. Toured video game design companies. And even worked with polymers and nanoparticles in research labs.

With students immersed in such eye-opening opportunities, it’s no wonder that more and more eleventh graders have signed up for the Work Experience Program every year since it started. In 2016, about 23 students participated. The next year, 55. And this year? About 75 juniors –
roughly 70 percent of the class – interned.

It was such a big spike in interest that McElreath had to call in reinforcements – the PTAA – to help find internship placements for all of the students.

“This year, the PTAA created the Experiential Learning Committee, which
helps support the Work Experience Program,” says 2017–2018 PTAA President, Trude Bate. “As a group, we have vast connections in the local business community. While our individual networks vary, working together, we can reach far and wide.”

Committee members tapped into those far-reaching professional networks
to give rising seniors myriad experiences – like producing a project with a sound engineer and working with a lobbyist while the legislature is in session.

“Our primary responsibility is to network and build connections for CA.
We’ve facilitated connections with professionals who are delighted to partner with Cary Academy,” Bate continues.

And these collaborations have proven wildly successful. On the partner end,
professionals get passionate students who are dedicated to putting in the work and time it takes to have real, purposeful interactions and experiences. They’re surprised at everything these students do, from researching the companies beforehand to observing operating rooms to using Arduino knowledge learned at Cary Academy to make machines. As one mentor put it, that’s all thanks to “CA providing students with tools for critical thinking, communication, and collaboration.”

This year, about 70% of juniors signed up for the Work Experience Program.

As for the rising seniors, WEP internships give them brand-new insights into potential career paths. Some face fears, others may have perceptions challenged, and some even change their minds. Which is totally OK, McElreath points out. “Students can really fall in love with a field. Or they can walk away thinking, ‘This really isn’t for me.’ Which is a valuable lesson itself.”

The Work Experience Program is about exploration, education, and reflection. Rising seniors get to explore areas they’re curious about and try them, whether it’s broadcasting or forensics.

It’s about giving students more opportunities to own their learning.