Anastasha Echavarri
Staff Writer

The third in a three part series.

While interviewing several students at Westford Academy about their internships and how they’re fairing, a shocking statement from one senior shook guidance and even principal Jim Antonelli.

“I’m just working at my family’s job—of course I’m getting paid for it. Everyone’s getting paid for it,” said an anonymous student.

Guidance counselor Wendy Pechacek replied concerning how she feels about this: extremely disappointed. She and other members of the staff were positive that they were clear on the fact that the senior internship was strictly an educational experience.

“It’s an internship, you don’t get paid. It’s like community service- it’s not community service if you’re being paid,” said Pechacek.

At the end of every quarter, it was made evident what the program consisted of: internships in careers that you are interested in, which allows you to see how you handle the real world in the career you want.

“The average person will change jobs about 8 to 10 times throughout their lives. The internship allows you to test the waters, to see if this is what you want to do in the real world,” said Antonelli.

However, the performance of the 2010 class had so many faults within its system that being paid as well as other freedoms became an impossibility for years to come. New rules were instated so as to enforce the integrity of the program by requiring diligent journal entries, logs, and papers that are becoming extremely time consuming for the seniors.

These new rules were dictated to the class of 2011 throughout each quarter and were greatly enforced. During one advisory day, even, a power point presentation was given listing the specific requirements that the students would have to follow. Still, some students seem to avoid the system and avoid taking the heat.

“This is wrong, it’s just wrong. They were tested, they were assessed, and after four years we should be able to trust them,” said Antonelli.

Students in the past have been caught in the act of being paid under the table, but the consequences are unclear. Seeing as the senior internship is still a somewhat new concept, ideas were being thrown around for punishments if interns broke the rules.

“All senior activities are up for grabs,” said Pechacek.

Prom, the Disney Trip, and even walking in graduation might be taken away as punishment for a student who tries to take advantage of the internship.

Recently news was given about the anonymous senior who purposely decided to get paid under the table despite all of this. Their internship was approved just a few days ago.

While there are still several kinks to work out in the system, Antonelli still plans to go ahead with his five year plan of integrating the program into the curriculum because of the good he thinks will come out of the internship. Whether or not guidance at WA will be able to trust the seniors to stay true to the program is strictly up to the them.