For school technology experts, the real work begins after students and teachers leave in June. For four Silver Creek High School students, it was also just the beginning of their two-month, hands-on experience as summer tech interns.
This is the second year Silver Creek’s Technology Department utilized students as summer interns, but it is the first year having four students’ help. Incoming senior Gavin Defries was the department’s first summer intern for the pilot in 2023.
Gavin was joined this summer by fellow seniors Tanner Templin and Tyler Januchowski and 2024 graduate Denver Scheffer. Throughout the summer they worked on the technology in every room; updating, inventorying and replacing technology from laptops and iPads to interactive boards and wireless connection points.
Network Technician Chad Austin-Alford had amazing things to say about the students’ thorough work. “They were able to help us in accomplishing more throughout the entire district in one summer than any previous summer. They have demonstrated that high school students have the capacity to take on these tasks and do an amazing job, we are very proud of the hard work and support they have provided us and the district,” he said.
The summer tech interns navigated the installation of 36 ViewSonic interactive boards; as well as inventoried, inspected, updated, replaced, and/or recycled over 3,000 other devices throughout the district. Additionally, they helped troubleshoot a bug in the iPads that required them all to be reset and reconfigured. A task that normally would have set the summer work back by quite a bit, but they completed in record time.
During the school year, all of the students completed the courses, Intro to Computer Science or IT Fundamentals and assisted with the Student Help Desk, providing first level tech support to their peers. Students that have established more advanced skills and trust, have the option to assist the IT Office more directly with support throughout the buildings and in classrooms.
“The opportunities that Silver Creek is providing our students are growing exponentially. The birth of our Silver Creek Esports Program opened a whole new perspective in not only technology, but also their futures as well,” Technology teacher Mr. Joshua Sadler said. “All four of these students enrolled in our schools Computer Science courses and were taught how to build/repair PCs, soldering, cybersecurity, and even learned how to become certified drone pilots. Teaching these classes has been so much fun and the hands on experience is a great resume builder for students going forward.”
All four of the students said they are interested in pursuing technology in some way after high school. Going forward, Silver Creek Schools plan to continue the paid IT internship program during the summers.