SCC Awards 2016 Summer K12 Teacher Externships

05/24/2016

Five teachers from Southeast Iowa were chosen to participate in the Southeast Iowa Summer Externship Program through SCC.  These externships are designed to give K12 teachers real-world experience in local businesses related to their field of expertise.  Each teacher will spend two full time weeks (80 hours) with their business host. 

The program is offered by the Link, SCC’s K12 outreach program for career readiness. The Link provides programs and resources that help prepare students for the workforce by connecting business and educators. It offers work-based learning activities to students and teachers.  Other activities include student job shadows, career fairs and worksite tours.

SCC Work-based Learning Specialist and Link coordinator Leanne Krogmeier says the program will give teachers a better understanding of today’s workplace they can then take back to the classroom.

“Spending time in these businesses will give these teachers more than a snapshot of the workplace. It helps them answer students’ age-old question, ‘When will I ever use this?’ It helps them structure their teaching to better communicate how various skills are used and why they’re important.”

K12 teachers from throughout the region applied for the program in the spring. Winners were selected in part by how they plan to apply what they learn in their classroom.

Katie Powers, Quality Control Lab Manager at Big River Resources, sees tremendous value in bringing teachers into the workplace. “I like to show teachers what we do. They can use these experiences to encourage their students to explore careers in various fields.”

Powers is looking forward to hosting her teacher, Stacey Rector. “We’re both excited about the opportunity to learn from each other.”

Krogmeier says the program will be offered again next summer. Applications will be available after the start of the upcoming school year.

Persons interested in learning more about the program should contact Leanne Krogmeier at (319) 208-5053 or lkrogmeier@scciowa.edu.

Teachers and businesses participating:

  • Linette Helling, Family and Consumer Science, Burlington High School: Comfort Suites, Burlington
  • Cindy Riley, Art, Winfield-Mt. Union: Des Moines County Historical Society
  • Betsy Wolf, Industrial Technology, Burlington High School: Wendi Riggens Photography
  • Stacey Rector, Science, Mediapolis High School: Big River Resources, LLC
  • Marianne Darnall, Art, West Burlington Jr./Sr. High School: Great River Health Systems  Marketing and Public Relations Department

For more news or to learn about Southeastern Community College, visit: https://www.scciowa.edu/rss/news/index.html