Community Internship A community service and volunteer program in the Columbus Public Schools Target Population Students in grades 10-12 . The Community Internship program is a community service and volunteer program and developed by the Columbus Public Schools in September 1981. The program uses private and public organizations and businesses as resources to complement the education of students. Students are placed in volunteer programs throughout the community and are trained at their volunteer sites. Students are paired with mentors whom they shadow in order to acquire the skills, knowledge and values of the particular profession.
Students receive half an academic credit for their internships.
Students grades for the internship are based on journals kept during their internships. During the 1995-96 school year, four high schools offered the program and 450 students participated in the program. Keys to effective implementation of the program include a full-time volunteer coordinator, the provision of transportation so that students can get to community sites, and an effective monitoring system to ensure students report to their volunteer sites. Scheduling and transportation problems can be a barrier to effective implementation. Thomas A. Albaugh, Internship Coordinator, Columbus Alternative High School, Columbus Public Schools.