Newsday Covers Senior Experience Course at Baldwin High School

Excerpt from article:

Valentina Prochotsky always knew she wanted to be a dentist, but was unsure of committing to eight years of schooling.

So when the 18-year-old learned in her junior year she could shadow a dentist through the Senior Experience class at Baldwin High School — a yearlong program intertwining curriculum with real-life experiences that includes an in-person internship — she jumped at the opportunity.

"Through this program, I had guidance," said Prochotsky, who worked two days a week at Cosgrove Dental in Rockville Centre. "I really found a passion for it, and I do want to continue with my education and dentistry."

Prochotsky is one of the more than 40 students who gave 20-minute presentations about their internships on Friday, showcasing what they learned to their peers, family members, and business and community partners.

English teacher Chris Soupios said student internships include a variety of fields, such as education, medical, business and the arts.

"We try to work with the students’ interests as well as communities," Soupios said.

At the beginning of the year, students indicate their interests, and then teachers reach out to local businesses to form a partnership.

The yearlong class meets either Monday, Wednesday and Friday or Tuesday and Thursday, depending on which section students are placed in. On the days students are not in class, they work at their internship.

Baldwin schools Superintendent Shari Camhi said Senior Experience, which started two years ago, teaches a combination of social studies, English language arts, business, and civics and government lessons that meet state graduation requirements and integrate school curriculum.

Overall, the program encourages students to think critically, express themselves through public speaking, and collaborate with others, Camhi and Soupios said. For instance, students are divided into groups who read a book that has been challenged; then they discuss reasons it should or should not be allowed in classrooms.

See the full story online in Newsday.com>>