Meet our Work-Based Learning Interns

I'm a senior at Flathead High School with my heart set on a career in healthcare. I love kids and helping people, and I have spent years giving back to my community, including three years as a club volleyball coach and five years helping out at Lakeside Elementary. When I'm not volunteering, you'll find me playing sports, painting, or spending time outdoors.

This year, I've interned as a classroom helper at Lakeside Elementary School, and I also had the chance to shadow at Glacier Midwifery. Working with elementary students has been the heart of my experience, and it has shaped the path I want to follow.

One of my proudest accomplishments was starting a science program for the third graders at Lakeside. Some of my favorite moments came from simply listening to students tell me about their favorite experiments and hearing how it made them want to learn even more.

Along the way, I've grown in so many ways. I learned patience, classroom management, and how to build lesson plans and adapt them to meet each student where they are. More than anything, I learned how to stay flexible.

The biggest lesson I've taken away is that every kid needs something different from their teacher, and what they need is never wrong. Helping students discover their passions, and encouraging them to chase them, is one of the best ways to help them fall back in love with learning.

This experience confirmed that I want to work in healthcare, and it helped me find my specific calling: pediatrics. Seeing kids' curiosity, their love of learning, and their vulnerability makes me want to help them feel safe and in control during some of the hardest moments of their lives.

On a lighter note, I'm always eager to learn something new, whether through a good book, time spent outside, or the feedback I get from my volleyball players.

I am a senior at Flathead High School with a deep interest in women's health and science, and I am especially drawn to labor and delivery. When I am not focused on those, you can usually find me on the volleyball court or working at the pottery wheel.

This year, I have been interning as a Certified Nursing Assistant at Brendan House, a Logan Health facility, where I help care for elderly residents. My days are spent on patient and medical care, from taking vitals to practicing the kind of bedside manner that helps people feel safe and looked after.

One experience has stayed with me. I was caring for an elderly woman, checking on her every twenty minutes, and because of her dementia I would gently step into a different role each time so that she felt comfortable. It showed me just how much patience and compassion this work really asks of you.

Along the way, I have built real clinical skills, including vitals, glucose monitoring, ambulation, and end of life care. But the biggest lesson I have learned is simpler than any procedure: everyone is doing the best they can, so a little kindness goes a long way.

I have also completed both CPR and child CPR certification, and I have now worked as a CNA for over a year.

Looking ahead, I plan to become a certified nurse midwife and a labor and delivery nurse. I want to dedicate my career to women's health and to protecting women's voices in the medical world.

On a lighter note, I will happily admit it: I am crazy good at pottery.

I'm a senior at Flathead High School, and I've always been drawn to healthcare and chemistry. I've taken biotechnology, chemistry, and biology, and I have a real interest in vaccines and medicine. I'm a hands-on person in just about everything I do, whether that's running cross country, playing tennis, skiing, paddleboarding, or making art.

This year, I've been interning as a Pharmacy Technician in Training and Pharmacy Clerk at Sykes Pharmacy, part of Greater Valley Health. I fill prescriptions, including controlled substances and certain suspensions, handle insurance claims and hard copies, and take care of tasks like answering phones. At the register, I organize packaged prescriptions and ring patients up.

One experience really tested me. When we switched our pharmacy software, I picked up extra shifts and completed twelve hours of training outside my scheduled hours just to learn the new system. It taught me that I can operate well, even under pressure.

Along the way, I've learned to fill prescriptions, operate pharmacy software, handle orders, answer insurance questions, process claims, and work with the community. The biggest lesson I've taken away is that a job is more than the work you're required to do. It can help people in need and connect you with the community around you.

I've now been through two major software changes, picked up hundreds of hours, and learned to handle patients' prescriptions, tell medications apart and understand how they work, and find the best solution for whatever problem a patient might run into. Right now, I'm studying to test for my technician's license through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board.

Outside the pharmacy, I maintain a 3.5 GPA or above, play violin in Flathead's symphonic orchestra, and have participated in Work-Based Learning for two years. Getting hired at Sykes set me on a pharmaceutical path: I plan to enroll in pre-pharmacy at FVCC, then transfer to the University of Montana to earn my Doctor of Pharmacy. My goal is to become a pharmacist.

On a lighter note, I have two chubby cats named Gigi and Moose. They're pretty cute.

I am a senior at Flathead High School and a Full IB Diploma candidate. Leadership and music have defined my time here: I serve as Drum Major in the FHS Marching Band, and I have been a leader in Pep Band and on the Speech and Debate team all four years. I also have a deep passion for politics and foreign affairs.

This year, I have interned as a Legal Intern at McGarvey Law, where my work ranges from filing and client correspondence to supporting OneBravePack, along with frequent trips to the courtroom. Seeing the legal profession up close has been one of the most rewarding parts of my senior year.

One of my favorite memories was serving as a law clerk for one of the firm's attorneys while she was substitute judging a pleading session in Flathead County Justice Court. I got to watch, and even weigh in on, charges ranging from speeding tickets to hunting violations. Being part of the behind-the-scenes work and the courtroom proceedings that keep our justice system running was genuinely exciting.

Beyond the day-to-day office experience, from operating a printer and scanner to handling workplace communication, I have developed a real appreciation for the justice system and the work behind the pursuit of fairness. The biggest lesson I have learned is that the most successful people in this profession are the ones who are organized and well prepared. The public usually only sees what happens in the courtroom, but the outcome of a trial is decided by the months of preparation that come before it.

I have helped prepare briefs for the firm's attorneys and compiled evidence that proved critical in mediations with defendants. I also helped promote the Elementary School Levy through OneBravePack, which even included going on the radio to support the effort.

This fall, I plan to major in Public Policy Leadership at the University of Mississippi, and then continue to law school. My goal is to build a career in politics or law, and ideally a bit of both.

On a lighter note, I currently hold a top 25 high score on the McGarvey Law office pinball machine. With a few weeks left before my internship wraps up in June, I am hoping to climb even higher.

I'm a senior at Flathead High School, and I'm happiest doing work that lets me be creative, connect with kids, and give back to my community. Outside of school, you'll usually find me surfing, painting, or spending time with friends.

This year, I've interned at Glacier Grins Pediatric Dentistry, where I started as a dental assistant and have since grown into the role of social media manager. As an assistant, I prepped patients for the dentist and eventually tested for my X-ray certification. In my social media role, I follow trends, organize events, and analyze how our account performs so I can understand which content brings the highest return.

One moment really stands out: the first time I completed X-rays on my own. It felt like a huge accomplishment, and I was proud of how hard I had worked to get there. Earning my X-ray certification was one of the biggest milestones of my internship.

Along the way, I've gained a lot of customer service experience talking with patients' parents and their children, and I've picked up new software and tools in my social media work. Just as importantly, I've learned that it is more than okay to ask questions. Guiding nervous patients through their visits and talking through treatment with parents pushed me out of my comfort zone and gave me a real boost of confidence.

This internship also helped me understand myself better. I'm grateful for my time as an assistant, and while it showed me that the clinical side of medicine isn't where my passion lies, I loved the pediatric side and the creative work that came with it.

On a lighter note, one of my favorite hobbies is wakesurfing.

I'm a senior at Flathead High School, and I'm happiest when I'm around people. I love spending time with my family and friends, being outdoors, and soaking up summer on the lake. More than anything, though, I love working with kids.

This year, I've been interning as a student assistant at Glacier Grins Pediatric Dentistry, working directly with patients. It has been the perfect fit for someone who genuinely enjoys connecting with children and helping them feel at ease.

One moment really stuck with me. We have a patient who loves coming to the dentist so much that they drew pictures and notes ahead of their visit and brought them in as gifts for all of us. Little moments like that are a reminder of why this work is so rewarding.

Throughout my time at Glacier Grins, I've gained a wide range of professional skills, including time management, dental skills, communication, problem solving, teamwork, organization, and productivity. These are not just skills for the workplace; they are ones I will carry into everyday life, and they have set me up for success.

The biggest lesson I've learned is patience, especially with patients who find dental visits uncomfortable or hard to face. Meeting them with calm and kindness makes all the difference.

This internship has given me something to build on, whether I fall back on it later or move directly into a career that involves kids. Above all, it has shown me that I want a career centered on working with people.

I'm a junior at Flathead High School, and this year I've been interning in masonry with JNC Construction. It's hands-on work that has taught me how to lay stone on walls and floors, and how to finish and clean it so it looks just right.

Over the course of my internship, I've built a real set of masonry skills. I've learned how to cut stone, strike, lay stone, prep walls, and mix mud. There's a craft to making everything look clean and precise, and I've really enjoyed getting better at it.

One of the biggest things I've taken away is the value of hard work. Masonry often means long hours and real physical effort, and learning to put in that kind of work has taught me a lot about dedication.

Masonry actually runs in my family. My uncle invented a stone splitter that changed the whole game in the trade, so being out on the job has given me an even deeper appreciation for the craft and the people who keep pushing it forward.

Looking ahead, my goal is to become a welder. This internship has given me a strong foundation in skilled trades and a real respect for hands-on work.

I'm a sophomore at Flathead High School, and I've managed to balance a lot this year: three sports, my schoolwork, and a paid internship that earns me Work-Based Learning credit. I love infants and young children, so this opportunity was a perfect fit for me.

I've been interning as an assistant infant teacher at Trinity Lutheran Childcare, working hands-on with infants and toddlers. Before stepping into the classroom, I took several childcare training classes, and the best part was that I was paid to take them. From there, I learned even more once I was working directly with the kids.

One of my favorite parts of this experience has been the people. I met one of my best friends at this job, and I've built so many relationships and memories along the way. I'm really glad I took this internship.

The biggest lesson I've learned is patience. Working with toddlers has taught me how to handle each moment with kindness and care, even when things get busy.

This internship gave me a lot more than classroom experience. I earned valuable training, including CPR and first aid certifications that I would normally have had to pay for myself, and I built real, practical childcare skills.

This has been a huge learning opportunity, and I plan to stay in childcare throughout my high school years. While I've realized early childhood isn't the path I want to follow for the rest of my life, I'm grateful for everything it has taught me and for how much I've grown.