Absolutely!  One of the long-term benefits of the internship experience is the gaining of a contact in the business community.  By continuing to converse with the supervisor, by email or by letter, the student can maintain a relationship which may continue to provide benefits for both parties.  The supervisor may be able to help the student with decisions related to college, and he/she may even be able to provide some help with tuition or books.  If the student did a particularly good job during the internship, the supervisor may want the student to come back during the summer between his/her senior year in high school and freshman year in college.  The supervisor may even be “grooming” the student for a full-time position with the company once he/she finishes college.  So by all means, the student should stay in contact with his/her supervisor and keep him/her informed of future college and work plans. 

One of the best ways to reward or recognize the internship provider company or supervisor is by writing about them.  The student might do this in a journal, which could then be presented to the Academy teacher, a copy of which would then be given to the internship provider.  The student might also consider making a more formal, stand-up presentation using Powerpoint to talk to classmates, parents, or any other people involved in the Academy internship experience.  In this presentation, the student could share information about the internship provider company and the type of experience the student had there.  Students should also consider having their picture taken with their internship providers and writing an accompanying article for publication in the company’s newsletter (which would go out to all employees).  This article could talk about the student’s internship experience, what a great job the supervisor did, what a meaningful experience it was for everyone involved, etc.  Such a gesture on the student’s part could very positively affect the company’s decision to hire more interns in the future.

The answer to this question is often up to the student.  Some internship providers will be willing to help out with college costs if they think that, by doing so, they will be “investing” in the student’s future.  The quality of the work put forth by the student during the internship could indeed have an impact on the employer’s decision to help pay for college.  If the student performed very well, and if he/she lets the supervisor know that he/she would be interested in working for the organization after college, the supervisor might be more willing to help pay for some of the costs.  In any event, the student should be encouraged to talk with the internship supervisor if he/she is interested in pursuing a long-term career with the company, and make certain that the supervisor is aware of his/her intentions. 

In order to “close the book” on the internship, a final journal, paper, project, or presentation may be required.  This decision is up to the Academy Director and teachers.  The internship experience is one of the most memorable parts of the entire Academy program.  It is therefore best to capture the experience’s benefits in some kind of end-of-internship project or event.  Some Academy programs have a celebratory luncheon or breakfast, where all the internship provider companies are invited to hear a presentation by each Academy student about their experience.  Other Academies might hold a banquet for students, parents, business leaders, teachers and others, where awards or letters, or photos, or some other form of recognition is given to the internship providers.  This is all up to the Academy Director.  However, even if there is no formal reception, there is still a great value in the student putting all of his/her thoughts down on paper.  The student should take this opportunity to recollect why the internship was such a good experience and to compile all the skills and new information he/she learned.  The student should be encouraged to reflect upon how he/she was able to take information from the Academy classes and apply it on the job.  All of these positive experiences should be recorded somewhere to finalize the experience and to cement the memory in the student’s mind.