Newcastle Public Schools is putting kids to work. Nikki Gayler’s internship program has gone from 17 students participating last year to 58 students this year.
Gayler said the school system’s ultimate goal is to help the students leave high school knowing what job they want to do and what they don’t want to do.
Area employers have been very receptive, and have told Gayler they wish they had these types of opportunities when they were in high school. They also are the beneficiary of free labor.
A goal of the program is for these same students to possibly transition into paid employees, and for area businesses to be able to expand in either their services or locations.
The Racer Connect Internship program has really taken off this year and school officials believe it is unique.
Gayler said school staff went to Duncan to study the school’s program there, but found that because of its location, their students were limited in where they could intern.
With the Newcastle program, there’s not the same geographical limitation on where students can go. The entire Metro area is open for internships, and includes both McClain County municipalities and Chickasha.
“Our kids are sent all over the Metro,” Gayler said. “Their opportunities are not limited, in terms of meeting the goals of what they want to do.”
If students wish to try different jobs, they are able to do so. Internships are broken down into semesters, so a junior in high school in their first semester, would still have three semesters remaining where they could have opportunities to work for different companies.
Newcastle students are currently working at a variety of locations. These include: Newcastle Fitness, Thru Tubing, the IT department at NPS Administration Building, Newcastle Public Schools classrooms, Penske (students work on big trucks), Frontline Family Solutions, Wynne’s Feed Store, Luigi’s Italian Restaurant, Newcastle Fire Department, First Baptist Church-Newcastle, Newcastle Christian Church, Contemporary Family Dentistry, Nano Repairs, Chickasha Wings, Therafund- Norman, Whittington Realty-Moore, the Purcell Register, the Midwest City Beacon, the Cleveland County Courthouse, and McBride Orthopedic in Edmond.
Newcastle students have worked at a variety of locations. One student has already sat in on a wisdom teeth removal, while another was able to watch a surgery being performed. Two students are earning their pilot’s licenses, and two others are writing stories and taking photos as they learn how to be journalists. STEVEN WHITMORE
The students exude excitement when they talk about their internships. Steven Whitmore, an NHS junior, is interning at First Baptist Church in the childen’s ministry under Corry Duncan.
Whitmore said his goal upon graduating Newcastle is to go to either Oklahoma State University of Oklahoma University where he will be in the U.S. Army Reserves Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program. Whitmore said he wants to serve his country.
He also may want to become a pastor, and the FBC internship is teaching him how to be a good leader. He has been able to help teach the second grade class on Wednesday nights, and he sometimes substitutes on Sunday mornings.
Some of Whitmore’s duties include teaching the children about Christ, playing games with them, and being a good example. He also helps others in the cleaning of the church including vaccuming and wiping down tables.
LEWIS, ENNIS AND BALDWIN
If you need your iPhone, your Android or your computer repaired in Newcastle, it may be a Racer Connect Intership student who does the repairs.
Seniors Jacob Lewis, Morgan Ennis and Riley Baldwin are working for Nano Repairs in Newcastle. They all aspire to continue their education after graduating from Newcastle.
Both Lewis and Ennis have set their sights on OU, and Baldwin said he is looking at OU, but he wants to continue on and obtain a doctorate so that could play a factor in where he goes.
At Nano Repairs they are working as technicians and have repaired phones, replaced boards on computers, and even worked on gaming consoles. Ennis said most of the time they can fix what comes in broken.
He also proudly said the three of them built gaming computers for Blanchard High School’s esports students.
Lewis said he went into the internship not knowing much about repairing phones, but now he knows a lot including iPad repair.
The students have learned basic fundamental knowledge about the business, but are now learning more specialized repairs and company business. This includes learning about the company’s culture through their activities such as the recent Christmas celebration they were able to attend.
RILEY GREENROYD
Junior Riley Greenroyd has been making her way through various grades as an intern at Newcastle Elementary School. She has landed this semester in the fifth grade classroom of teacher Rodney Hutcheson.
Her duties include aiding the teacher with lesson planning, and math assignments, as well as one-on-one help with students.
Greenroyd said the students are sweet and they look up to her.
Since she has been at NES, she has moved from third grade, to second grade, and fifth grade. The diversity has allowed her to hone in on what grade levels she likes the most.
“I’ve always thought about being a teacher, but this is a great way to get into an environment,” Greenroyd said.
Greenroyd is thinking of attending OU to earn an education degree.
Gayler said the Racer Connect Internship program has other students at Newcastle Public Schools. She said there are two students at Newcastle Early Childhood Center, one at the middle school, one who was in band and is transitioning, and one other student at Newcastle Elementary.
Junior Brayden Brumley has been working towards rebranding the NES social media. Gayler said anything you see posted will be the product of his efforts.
INFORMATION ON RACER CONNECT
Gayler said any business that wants to participate in the Racer Connect Internship program can email her at [email protected]. ok.us. Any parent who wants more information can do the same.
Gayler said, “We are creating the next workforce.”
