When Earlham High School first launched its new internship program at the beginning of second semester 2025, RJ Lawn & Landscape in Waukee signed on. This was the first instance of the company getting involved with a high school internship – it had hosted college interns before – but it decided to take a chance because the school asked, explained Nick Paoli, RJ’s chief culture officer.
“I met with the Earlham team, and I honestly loved what they were trying to do. It’s a fabulous idea to give students a taste of the modern workforce and what it takes to be in that workforce,” he said.
RJ and the school district collaborated to develop an in-depth training plan with employability and technical skills that would be learned during two-week rotations in different departments, from sales and design to the C-suite to landscape, grounds and turf – a plan that was entirely possible under a work-based learning (WBL) model. The intern, who has graduated, is continuing with RJ this summer before heading to college.
In fact, RJ’s experience with its first high school intern went so well that it recently sent intern packets to high schools across the Des Moines metro area to recruit more students.
“We had a wonderful experience with Earlham’s program. It was really nice to have a program leader [Earlham High School intern coordinator Bailey Gulley] who was so communicative,” Paoli said.
The partnership with RJ grew out of Earlham High School’s decision to do more to help students figure out which careers are the right fit for them while developing an early talent pipeline to be more responsive to business and industry, said principal Kristin Sheffield.
“We are trying to best support the students from school to work so they feel prepared,” she said. “Not just how to land an interview, but how to have success on the job.”
Earlham, like many other high schools across Iowa, plans to expand WBL – from four interns in the second semester of 2025 to 10 in the 2025-26 school year. Before being placed with a business during the school year, all interns first must take an employability class for dual college and high school credit to prepare resumes and portfolios. They also discuss how to conduct themselves professionally by contemplating questions such as, “What would you do if you make a mistake, but your employer hasn’t realized it yet?”
What sets Earlham High School apart is continuing its internship program into the summer months, a time when high schools typically don’t offer WBL opportunities. This extended period is possible for Earlham due to winning a new competitive STEM BEST (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers) summer pilot grant from the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council. The award is one of 12 summer grants announced in May.
The $8,900 award mostly covers time for Gulley, who is an instructional coach as well as lead intern coordinator, to teach an employability skills “boot camp” for three summer interns, prepare rigorous training plans with employers, coordinate with the employers where interns are placed throughout the summer, and evaluate the students who can earn credit. In the event that transportation turns out to be a barrier to participation for summer interns, the high school has made plans to use school resources to help close that gap.
Landon Sheffield, one of Earlham’s three summer interns, is working for school district technology director Cory Houghton in a paid IT help desk role, which includes wiping data from laptops to help make them ready for seniors in the fall. Landon, 16, has long been interested in a technology career, but this experience led him to realize he may lean more toward data analysis than help desk support. “[The experience] really helps you figure out more about yourself and what you want to do,” he said.
Two other students are unpaid interns with Bricker-Price Block Restoration Corp., a non-profit in Earlham, where they help with Kids Club, a series of dynamic, day-long summer camps for preschoolers through eighth graders. That includes assisting camp instructors and staff with organizing and leading activities, supervising campers during activities, meals, and breaks, and serving as positive role models. After gaining experience, they will organize “Camp Quest,” a scavenger-hunt day in late July.
Allissa Johnson, Bricker-Price Block executive director, said the two students were impressively polished during their interviews. “I felt like the school had prepared them in the best way possible,” added Johnson.
The high school that resides in the town of about 1,450, a half-hour drive west of Des Moines, is seeking more employer partners for the 2025-26 school year. Accounting, cattle ranching and general business operations are among pathways that need employer partners. If grants could help with the cost of paying interns, recruiting both businesses and students would be easier, said Kristin Sheffield.
In any case, the high school is committed to making more internship opportunities – and therefore more WBL experiences – available to more students. “I’m very passionate about making sure kids know what they want to do,” Gulley said.
Connect With WBL Opportunities
Are you a student interested in an experience similar to Jenna's, or an employer looking to sponsor a related WBL program? Iowa Workforce Development and the Iowa Department of Education have the resources you need to be successful in WBL.