As new technology continues to be integrated into the learning curriculum at De Soto High School, unanticipated technology-related problems proceed to arise on a daily basis. The soon-to-be heroes of the halls of DHS are the new student technology interns, on-call and ready to fix any technology induced issue that presents itself to any student or staff member. 

“As a student intern, I spend one of my class periods either in my office or out and about helping with various technology issues, from the K12 provided student MacBooks to the new silver IP clocks hanging up in every room,” senior student intern Andrew Dority said.

For the interns, becoming familiar with the technology at the school is a major positive to their positions. 

“Being a student intern has benefited me by getting me out of the normal class experience and giving me some hands-on experience,” said senior student intern Brett Howe. “My favorite part of being an intern is learning how many actual problems this school has with technology. There are a lot.”

“It’s hands-on learning in technology. There is a lot you learn,” said senior student intern Alex Bates. 

DHS information technology worker Sam Klinkenborg has been working the closest with the interns, who were chosen at the end of the 2019 school year based on their technological abilities. 

“All of the tech interns applied for this the exact same way they would any other job out in the real world,” Klinkenborg said. “They turned in their resumes to some people at the district and did interviews and were picked based on merit and how they did with the interviews.”

The interns have enjoyed working with Klinkenborg, and as their mentor and fellow technology lover, they have managed to get along with him particularly well. 

“I don’t think I could have asked for a better representative from K12 than Sam. He always makes sure to point me in the right direction and keep me busy,” Dority said. “He’s relaxed enough that the job doesn’t feel stressful, and he cares about his job enough that he makes sure everything gets done correctly in a timely manner, while still being able to help educate me and the other interns about the details behind IT work.”

The feeling is mutual between Klinkenborg and the interns, and Klinkenborg has thoroughly enjoyed the benefits of working with the interns in the short time that they’ve had together. 

“They’re naturals with the technology that we’re working with. There’s been a couple situations where they have been able to figure out problems where I was just scratching my head. One of them will chime in with this idea that’s just absolutely fantastic,” Klinkenborg said. “On top of that, they’ve been great at just being in the room for students and teachers. There’s times when I’ve needed to be out running around and they’ve been able to hold down the fort here.”

However, Klinkenborg finds that he and his interns are learning something new everyday, especially since technology-related issues can’t be organized into a lesson plan. 

“I’ve been trying to teach them, but it’s a little difficult sometimes. Because I’m working with the problems that present themselves to us, I don’t necessarily get to say ‘I’m going to teach you about this today.’ It’s more like ‘this is the problem, what can I do to be teaching you about it while also taking care of the problem in a good time frame,’” Klinkenborg said. 

Despite the challenge of unpredictability, the students believe that the internship will give them opportunities that can prepare them for their futures in the technology field. 

“So far, the internship has given me a glimpse into the IT field and what it consists of,” Dority said. “The program has supplied me with the knowledge, skills and interest to start down the IT field pathway with a head start.”

They also feel that the internship can get them a running start on qualifications for the jobs they wish to pursue after high school. 

“Being an intern looks good on a resume and also shows that you have experience in specific fields. It can really help get good jobs with competitive acceptance rates,” Bates said. 

All in all, the new student technology intern program at DHS will prove to be beneficial, not only to the interns themselves, but to the school as a whole.