PRO program offers students real-world career experience

Senior+Cheyenne+Lynch+learns+fashion+merchandising+through+her+internship+with+79+Salt+on+the+square+in+Canyon.

Courtesy of Marcie Cook

Senior Cheyenne Lynch learns fashion merchandising through her internship with 79 Salt on the square in Canyon.

Fashion. Medicine. News. Teaching. Music. Architecture. Engineering. Law.

What has been only a dream for some students now has become reality.

The PRO internship program offers seniors a chance to step out into the real world. Senior Faith Douglass chose sports journalism as her career field.

“The last three years, I’ve been in journalism,” Douglass said. “My journalism class inspired me. I’ve really taken a liking to sports journalism, and my senior year I really wanted to work on working toward a career path rather than a bunch of credits I’ll never use.”

It was really cool because not only did I get to watch him do it, but I ended up getting to do a lot of it and learned how to put things together.

— Faith Douglass, 12

Pro students stay on campus Mondays and Fridays working on in-class projects and leave Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays to work with a mentor in their chosen field.

“We have a family friend who’s been a reporter and news anchor,” Douglass said. “He’s done several different jobs in all kinds of sports journalism. I actually started interning with him in the summer before school even started.”

Douglass said they have gone all over the panhandle to cover high school sports teams.

“He had me write a few stories and do a couple of broadcast interviews,” Douglass said. “Then we would film them practicing or playing so we could put a little wrap-up together. It was really cool because not only did I get to watch him do it, but I ended up getting to do a lot of it and learned how to put things together.”

Pro gives students a chance to try different professions in order to have a better idea of a future career.

“I heard it was a good opportunity to get your feet into the career choice you want to go into,” senior Cheyenne Lynch said. “I chose fashion merchandising at 79 Salt. I work with picking out the clothes, organizing them, tagging them, steaming them, basically what a shop owner would do.”

I’m going from being a regular student in the morning then turning into a business woman in the afternoon.

— Cheyenne Lynch, 12

Lynch said she has been interested in fashion since she was a little girl.

“I’ve always looked at people’s clothes,” Lynch said. “I’m really into fashion magazines. It’s always been the career I wanted to go into because it’s what I enjoy.”

Along with occupation-specific talents, students also learn life skills.

“I’m learning how to adapt,” Lynch said. “I’m going from being a regular student in the morning then turning into a business woman in the afternoon. So it’s definitely shown me how to be versatile.”

Because the class is two periods long, most students who are interested have to take required classes in the summer.

“A lot of the people who have it in the afternoon also have senior permit, so I have all afternoon to be in PRO,” Douglass said. “I took four summer classes. It wasn’t hard, and I guarantee I spent less time on the summer classes than the classes my friends are taking now. PRO is probably one of the most beneficial classes Canyon offers, so definitely do it.”