ALLENTOWN, Pa. — More than 100 Allentown students are working for the school district this summer as interns.
Central Elementary School has three interns who are helping with preschool classes, including Allen High School sophomores Chase McCoy and Jostyn Lantigua.
- The Allentown School District is employing more than 100 interns this summer
- The interns are students age 14 years old or older or 2023 graduates
- They are paid $15 an hour and work up to 30 hours a week
The school district launched the Allentown Youth Intern Corps program in late June, for enrolled students aged 14 to 21, and 2023 graduates. They work up to 30 hours a week for $15 an hour.
McCoy says he’s spending his earnings on his music interests and his family.
“I'll put some things away for savings. And I can help out in the house with some like Wi-Fi bills, or you know, if we need anything in the house, I help out with that.”
McCoy said he plans to do musical engineering after high school and believes this internship is giving him skills like discipline, communication and working with others to help him succeed.
“It's a little scary, but the people here [are] welcoming."Allen High School sophomore Jostyn Lantigua on his first job as an ASD intern
Lantigua said this was his first job.
“It's a little scary, but the people here [are] welcoming,” he said. “So it's not that bad.”
Lantigua said he wants to be a commercial airplane pilot and also says he believes the internship will benefit his future career.
Central’s Principal Rebecca Bodnar says for many students this is a new experience that will help them gain important skills.
“Just explaining to them how to be successful when you're working,” she said. “What that looks like, being on time, communicating with the adults and just teaching them all the things that they'll eventually need to know and learn for having any job in their lifetime.
Students are interning across the district, including in project management, custodial and secretarial capacities. The program runs through August.
Thursday is National Intern Day.
