Internships

The AVEF Internship Program is an opportunity for you to learn specific skills and to explore different possibilities for your future career or business. It is a chance to challenge yourself, gain confidence in your abilities and earn money. You will meet new people in the community who may be helpful to you as a friend or mentor. An internship is usually a valuable experience to add to your resume and may be a source of "letters of recommendation" for job applications in the future.

If you live in Anderson Valley and you are currently enrolled in 9th through 12th grade you may apply. You do not need to be a student at AVHS. If you are selected for an internship you must provide a valid Social Security card number. Ideally you should also have a curious, positive and cheerful approach to work

Yes. If you successfully complete all 80 hours of the internship, you will be paid the prevailing minimum wage for those hours. You will be paid through the Anderson Valley Unified School District office.

You should begin by making sure that you will be available to work 80 hours during the summer. You should discuss the internship opportunity with your parents or guardian and determine that family summer plans or work related transportation needs will not affect your ability to complete the internship. Then look at the job descriptions. The types of positions vary from year to year. They will be posted on this web site and available in a binder in the library in mid-March (see "Important Dates" tab).

Applications must be typed. You can download application forms from this website and save them on your computer as either PDFs or Word Docs for completion and printing. The forms can also be picked up from the library, but they must be typed. Make sure that your applications are complete and signed. You must include a reliable phone number so that we can contact you in case there is an unexpected cancellation or change in the interview time. Submit your completed forms to school librarian. Deadline date for submitting applications can be found at the "Important Dates" tab of this website.

The deadline date for receipt of applications is listed under the "Important Dates" button of this page.

80 hours. Except in unusual circumstances you are expected to complete these hours during summer vacation. You should discuss major work schedule issues (eg family travel) during your interview and resolve smaller details after you are selected. Mentors are generally quite flexible and understanding of other activities or responsibilities students may have.

Selection is based on the quality of your application and interview. A member of the AVEF board and the mentor will attend the interview. The mentor makes the final decision.

The school librarian will post the interview schedule in advance. It is your responsibility to make sure that you can attend on these dates. If you fail to come to the interview and have not informed the librarian in advance, you will not be a candidate for the position.

There is no limit, however you must be willing to be interviewed for each position. Once you are notified that you have been selected for a position your other applications are removed from consideration and you will be removed from the remaining interview schedule. If you were an intern in the past, you are encouraged to apply for internships again but you may not apply for the same position(s).

We have noticed that students who practice an interview situation beforehand consistently perform better than those students who do not practice. In addition, there is a Tips for Interviewing worksheet in the front of the library binder and on this website. Your internship interviews can be a valuable opportunity for you to develop this important life skill.

Mentors are generally impressed if you bring a resume to the interview or include it with your application. Even if your past experiences do not seem relevant to the position, your resume will be helpful to the interviewer.

This varies according to how many students apply for a position. In some cases you will be informed on the day of the interview, but it usually takes the mentor a few days to make the decision.

Communicating directly with your mentor is usually the best way to resolve any difficulties. Most mentors are eager to help if they are convinced that you are eager to learn. Learning to work with an employer or other employees is a valuable part of your internship experience. If the problem continues or seems serious, you are encouraged to call the AVEF board member who attended your interview. Their phone number will be given to you when you are selected. In addition, this AVEF board member will visit you and your employer during the first weeks of the internship to find out how the internship is going.