How High School Internships Build Real Money Skills

We talk with Dr. Ni'Shawn Stovall about how EBR’s Learn and Earn Internship Program helps high school juniors and seniors build job skills while earning $1,500. We break down how placement works, what students learn in boot camp, and why mentorship and financial literacy can turn a first paycheck into a long term advantage. 

• Learn and Earn Internship Program goals and who qualifies 
• Differences between a typical summer job and a structured internship 
• Intentional placement based on career interests and credentials 
• Summer schedule expectations and why reliability matters 
• Boot camp training on financial literacy, deductions, and workplace skills 
• Common first paycheck mistakes and how to pace spending 
• Where students can work across local business and health care partners 
• Parent support requirements including hours, coursework, and transport 
• Transportation limits during the school year and options in summer 
• Application timing, early placement process, and program start dates 
• Mentorship value for references, recommendation letters, and career clarity 
• Option to use an existing part time job as an internship experience 
• Subscribe to the Money Matters Podcast, and visit neighborsfcu.org slash financial wellness for more tools to help you build a strong financial future 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Welcome to Money Matters, the podcast that focuses on how to use the money you have, make the money you need, and save the money you want. Now, here is your host, Ms. Kim Chapman.

Learn And Earn Program Overview

SPEAKER_01 0:14

Welcome back to another episode of Money Matters. Are you a parent, a student? Do you know a student? Today we're going to talk about something very important. We always talk about money, but what about money for your kids? What about an opportunity for employment, summer employment, right here in EBR? So joining me today is Dr. Nishon Stovall with EBR, and she's going to give us some really, really good information on how we can have our youth earn money because again, how can they practice and learn their money skills if they don't have access to money? Hi, Dr. Stovall. Hi. Thank you for joining us. Thank you for having me. So I know I was a little behind the ball getting this information, but always good to have information about students having an opportunity to earn money. We're always in the schools teaching them what you should do with money, but if they don't have access to it, it just kind of is a mute point. So again, thank you for joining us. So tell us a little bit about your role at EBR and then we'll get started talking about this phenomenal program.

SPEAKER_02 1:11

So I'm a workforce development coordinator, and my primary role is working with the student internship program. Well, I um attract business partners to participate and let them know why it's beneficial for them to put back into the community and the school system with hosting student interns.

SPEAKER_01 1:29

And so tell me, what's the name of the program? I know it's got a little catchy name. It's the Learn and Earn Internship Program for East Banner Rouge Paris School System. Okay. And there's some meaning behind that. So give us a little overview of this program.

SPEAKER_02 1:43

So we want students to learn and earn exactly what the name is. So we're wanting them to learn about workforce development, understanding what it means to work, those transferable skills and competencies that they learn on the job, and just overall job preparation. And we want them to earn funding while they do so. So it makes it a little bit more meaningful when there's a dollar sign attached to it.

SPEAKER_01 2:08

Oh, absolutely. I think it's a very good motivator. And again, it's that twofold. You want them to have access to money, but then we want to make sure that they have those soft skills that go along with managing money. So who's eligible to participate? What grades are eligible to participate in this program?

SPEAKER_02 2:24

So primarily juniors and seniors, but we do prioritize seniors for this program uh before they graduate. So either their summer year before senior or during their senior year. So we have the summer internship program, but also school year program as well.

SPEAKER_01 2:39

Okay, cool. So what makes this program different from your regular typical summer job that a teen could get?

SPEAKER_02 2:46

Oh, wow. So what makes us different is we have job readiness. So we talk about financial literacy, we talk about having tenacity, we talk about adaptability. Um, when we place students, we don't just put them somewhere. We look at what their career aspirations are. In addition to that, we look at what credentials have they earned and we see how we can align that with the opportunity and the experience that the job placement has to offer them. So we're very intentional with the placement. And in doing that, we find that students are able to kind of make a decision before heading into post-secondary opportunities. Is this really what I thought it would be? Is this industry really what I thought it would be? And so it kind of helps them to make some determining factors early on before they jump into something post-secondary.

Schedule And Summer Work Hours

SPEAKER_01 3:35

That's really cool. And uh, you know, when I think back to my summers, it was like, oh my God, I get to sleep late. So can you walk us through what a typical schedule looks like for somebody that wants to participate in this program? Because I know that they want to take advantage of not having to get up and being in the classroom at seven o'clock in the morning.

SPEAKER_02 3:54

Yes, absolutely. So generally the schedule is 8 to 4:30 Monday through Thursday. So for typical high school students, they're up usually before that time during the school year. So it's a little bit later for their report time, but it is still getting up early during the summer. However, it is flexible with the Monday through Thursday schedule. So they still have their weekends to have fun.

Boot Camp And Job Readiness Skills

SPEAKER_01 4:18

Okay, they still have their weekends, not bad, and then they can earn some money. So let's talk a little bit about what you're doing or what the program is offering to students to prepare them for the works for the work site.

SPEAKER_02 4:30

So generally for the summer program, we have students who participate in our boot camp. During the boot camp, we have institutions such as neighbors, FCU, and others that will come in to provide financial literacy. So, especially in the summer, they're getting this one lump sum. So, what do you do with it? Um, understanding what is the pace of, uh, understanding what deductions are, because sometimes it's a surprise when you get your paycheck and you thought you were getting this amount, and then you see that they took this out and they took this out, and who is FICA and all of these things. So we prepare the students because even though they're receiving a stipend during the summer, they still have deductions that they must pay for the money that they have earned. So we talk about that as well. But we also talk about other things like team building, what it means to be punctual, um, what it means to work a full shift, because there are times where we just want to do something in the afternoon and maybe we want to work a half day. So we talk about what it means to be reliable uh in a workspace, working well with others, and also perseverance, being able to work through problem solving, and also having real world conversations with adults. In addition to that, we also provide them with job readiness skills. So making sure that they understand how to update their resume, making sure that they understand how to interview, how to show up for an interview, and things like that as well.

First Paycheck Mistakes And Saving

SPEAKER_01 5:59

Oh, this is awesome. This is really giving them some real world skills, preparing them for future careers. This is awesome. Why do you think this is so important, especially the financial part of it?

SPEAKER_02 6:09

I I think the financial part is critical. Uh, in this current climate and the economy having its ups and downs and ebbs and flows, it's really important for students to understand how they earn money, but also what to do with their spending. So the financial literacy component is extremely important, especially with the students entering into their senior year. Senior year can be very expensive with fees and all of the different senior activities. It costs money to be a senior, unfortunately. So it also kind of helps them to think about how can I support my parents? What are the things that I truly want to do? Um, and so how can I hold on to some of this funding so that I make sure that I have the funds that I need to be able to enjoy my senior year the way that I would like to.

SPEAKER_01 6:56

And I imagine this wasn't just put together by accident. What do you find are some of the common mistakes you find young people make when they do receive those first paychecks?

SPEAKER_02 7:04

Oh gosh, they spend it like water. It's like turning on the faucet. It's gone as soon as they get it. In some cases, it's already spent before they get it. They already have in mind what they're going to buy, what it is that they like. So it's important for us to have those conversations early on with them to say, hey, when you get the money, if there's something that you want, sure, buy it. But don't, you know, pace yourself. Don't spend all of it. Delayed gratification. Yes, yes. So making sure that they kind of think about the needs versus wants and prioritizing. So sometimes looking at what do I really want and what do I need later, making sure that they have an idea about saving and spending.

How To Apply And Host Sites

SPEAKER_01 7:49

Always easier said than done, right? Absolutely. So, how can students uh enroll in the program?

SPEAKER_02 7:55

So all students are able to apply. Uh, as I said before, we do prioritize senior students, um, but it's for juniors and seniors. So all they have to do is go online and apply. Once they apply, we look at their career aspiration, industry-based certifications that they've earned, and we do our best to match those with the opportunities that are being provided by our host sites. All right.

SPEAKER_01 8:19

And so what are some of the organizations or businesses that are supporting this program where students will be working?

SPEAKER_02 8:24

Uh, so we have businesses such as Neighbors FCU. We have some of our local hospitals and healthcare systems, such as Baton Room General, Our Lady of the Lake, Women's Hospital, Oshner. We have also students who go through ExxonMobil's internship program, which we also support by providing teacher assistance for evaluations and also that boot camp before those students start with that program as well. So we have a host of different sites throughout the community from our business partners that are providing a wealth of opportunities across various sectors.

Parent Support And Credit Requirements

SPEAKER_01 8:59

And it really is a good program because I can tell you in the workplace, you could always use an extra set of hands. And so those students they come in eager, ready to learn, ready to work. And I tell you, sometimes even if it's just going to that copy machine, it's those little tasks that they can learn that can really, really be beneficial. So let's talk about the parents for a minute. How can they support their students being involved in this program?

SPEAKER_02 9:23

The parent support is instrumental to the success of the program and the student success throughout the program. Number one, this is not extracurricular activity. This is not just if I feel like doing it. The students are required to complete 110 on-the-job hours as well as 27 hours of coursework. So it's important that we have the parental support. Sometimes the parent the parents are the ones providing the transportation. And so that means that the student's punctuality is depending on the parent being able to provide that transportation to them, getting them there and picking them up on time. But in addition to that, making sure that the parents reinforce those competencies and skills that we're wanting to reinforce in addition to punctuality, but just again, the problem solving, the tenacity, the perseverance, adaptability. If you get a placement, but it's not truly aligned with what you want to do, being acceptance, accepting of that and pushing through and learning what you're able to learn through that experience, but also making sure you complete the 110 hours, that you're doing your coursework that's assigned throughout those summer weeks, the virtual assignments as well. So it's not just showing up on the job and doing what's expected there, but it's also the coursework because this is for a high school credit as well as a grade on their transcripts.

Transportation Options And Deadlines

SPEAKER_01 10:48

So you mentioned, of course, the importance of the role of the parents being able to provide that transportation. Are there other alternatives for students that may not have parents that have transportation for them? Can they still participate in this program?

SPEAKER_02 11:01

Absolutely. So one of the questions we have on the application is do you have transportation? If students do not have transportation, unfortunately, they're not able to participate during the school year because we're not able to provide transportation during the school year. During the school year, our priority for transportation has to be getting all students to and from school. However, during the summer, our fleet has a lot more accessibility for us to be able to provide transportation to our students. So if students do not have transportation, we eager them to apply for summer programming so that we are able to provide them access to this opportunity.

SPEAKER_01 11:38

And it's hard to even think that, oh my God, it's almost summer. So I imagine there's some deadlines associated with applying for this program. Can you talk about that a little bit?

Business Partner Push And Stipend

SPEAKER_02 11:47

Sure. We start the placement process early May. So we want students who are interested to, if they haven't applied, to apply now or as soon as possible. That way we know that they're interested. We can continue to work with our business partners to ensure that we have space available for them. In addition to that, we also work with our internal departments to place students within the school system as well. We all appreciate the access to interns. Like you said, those extra hands, they help. Yes, they do. Um, and we want our business partners as well as our internal departments to consider our student support as investments and not as charity. They can actually do work. We want you to think about those long days, those long hours when you don't get off on time. What is it that someone else could have helped you do to make that time up and give those tasks to your intern? We want to make sure that they're not just job shadowing and looking, but they're also being a part of the work and actually producing for our business partners and internal departments.

SPEAKER_01 12:50

And speaking of those business partners, do you have enough? Is this the opportunity for you to call out to the community to get more support? Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 12:58

We have just recently launched our LE 100, which is a play on the Indy 500. We want to have 100 committed business partners on our roster hosting student interns. And we have a long way to go, unfortunately. So we are always looking for industry partners to support us. They can host. If they're unable to host, they can also sponsor because the stipend that the students receive is$1,500. And our business partners that are hosting, many of them cover that cost for us.

SPEAKER_01 13:31

So say that again for those parents and those students that are listening. That's quite a bit of money. Say that again. How much will they earn? Yes, they're earning$1,500 for 110 hours. That's quite a bit. I mean, yeah, you know, where else can you get that type of money? And again, it's right here in the school system. You don't have to go door to door, you don't have to fill out multiple applications and possibly complete, compete with other students. This is something right here in EBR. How many students are y'all able to employ? Our goal for this summer is 400.

Mentorship And Career Decision Value

SPEAKER_02 14:01

Okay. And one thing that I want to mention is the difference between the internship program and getting a summer job, what I believe is the mentorship component. We believe mentorship is a multiplier in this program. When students go off post-secondary to wherever they're going, if they're going to work, if they're going to apply for colleges, they need references, right? They need recommendation letters. Having this experience and working with their supervising mentors allows them to have a reliable record recommendation letter from someone who can speak to their skills, their competencies, their work habits, their work ethic, and all of those things from a genuine place versus having to ask a parent or a peer or go back to find a teacher who can't necessarily speak to how they are in the workplace. So I think having that mentorship component, it goes far beyond the internship opportunity. Sometimes those relationships are lifelong.

Start Dates Duration And Flex Hours

SPEAKER_01 14:58

Oh, absolutely. So we talked about the date in terms of them being able to start applying. When can I show up for work? When is my first day of work? When do I get started?

SPEAKER_02 15:08

So on June 1st is when we have our boot camp. That's going to be a Monday through Thursday engagement for that component. And then the following Monday, the students are headed to work.

SPEAKER_01 15:17

And then how long does the summer program last? When will that end?

Using A Current Job As Internship

SPEAKER_02 15:21

So the students will have to work their 110 hours. So it is about four weeks during the summer. Um, we look for the last day to be no later than July 10th, but of course, that's based off of the hours that they work. Uh, the business partners, if they have any days off related to some of our national holidays. I'm just gonna mention that. So it just kind of that just kind of depends. Um, while we want our students to work 8 to 4:30, in some cases, those hours have to shift based off the based off of the business's hours of operation. So it may take some students a day or two longer. And then if there's something that happens where they have to have an absence, then we have that kind of cushion in the summer for that. So generally, first week in July, they'll be done. But if not, they have that second week to recoup some of those hours to finish up the 110.

SPEAKER_01 16:11

If a student already has a part-time job that may not interfere with the hours for this, can they still participate? Can they have two jobs?

SPEAKER_02 16:18

Yes, they can still participate. And actually, if a student has a part-time job already, as long as they maintain that job, they can use that job as their internship experience. We'll assign our internship instructors to go out and meet with their supervisor to discuss the internship component. So what we'll ask of them is is it possible a few minutes a day, sometime out of the week, that particular worker can get an additional experience throughout that same part-time job. So let's say they're in fast food. Is it possible the supervisor or the shift manager can take them through possibly the hiring process or understanding what it means to plan a shift and do scheduling, or understanding peak times and peak hours, or peak times throughout the year when you have to adjust your spending or increase the amount of product that you're ordering. So helping them to understand inventory. So there are ways that we can expand the current job that a student has to develop it into a meaningful internship opportunity as well. So they will still have access to the boot camp. They will still have access to our uh internship teachers who will go through and evaluate them, and that will allow them to still earn the high school credit and a grade on their high school transcript.

Where To Apply And Final CTA

SPEAKER_01 17:35

Oh, wow. I mean, opportunities on top of opportunities. This is really, really great. So let's talk one more time, just a little bit about where students can apply or if their parents listening, where can they get more information?

SPEAKER_02 17:46

They can go to the Eastbound Rouge Paris School Systems website, eBrschools.org. From there, they'll go to the workforce development page and all the information can be found there, as well as a link to the application.

SPEAKER_01 17:58

Well, see, there you have it. Not only just an opportunity for financial education, but for an opportunity for your kids to have access to money. And I think that's a win-win. Any final thoughts, Dr. Silval?

SPEAKER_02 18:10

I will just say if you have a student in East Ban Rouge Prairie School system that's a junior or a senior, please go and apply. This is the this is a game changer. It helps with financial literacy and decision making, but it also helps with those post-secondary decision-making opportunities that can arise. In some cases, we go from internship to employment. Some of our interns never leave. They go through employment. They have some of our employers that have additional opportunities such as tuition reimbursement and assistance. And it allows them to continue on to increase their skills, to get additional certifications while maintaining that employment post-internship. So it's a, like you said, it's a win-win. It's a phenomenal opportunity for our students and also for our parents to take advantage of. And so I would just say to them to make sure that they apply to our business partners, it's a phenomenal opportunity for you to invest in the community in which you uh have commerce. Um, most of our business partners have uh community values and missions to support the community, and this is a great way to tap into that.

SPEAKER_01 19:24

Awesome. Well, thanks again for joining us, Dr. Stofile. And there you have it, 400 opportunities. Make sure your kid gets one of those slots.

SPEAKER_00 19:34

It's time for blueprint building blocks. Small changes that lead to big financial wins. Let's stack up for success.

SPEAKER_01 19:44

Help a team get in the game. If you know a high school junior or senior, whether it's your child, your niece, your nephew, or a neighbor, share this opportunity with them. Exposure is everything. This is a really great opportunity. And then, of course, they won't just earn, they're gonna learn a lot of information. Their first paycheck should have a purchase, so they'll be able to start with a simple plan on how to save some, spend some, and set a goal. And then, of course, if your team does not have an account, consider Neighbors Federal Credit Union a great opportunity for them to further what they learn about financial education.

SPEAKER_00 20:19

That's a wrap on today's Blueprint Building Blocks. Stay on track with your financial journey. Subscribe to the Money Matters Podcast, and visit neighborsfcu.org slash financial wellness for more tools to help you build a strong financial future.