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While most students enjoyed a relaxing summer break, a select group of six Widefield School District 3 (WSD3) student interns chose to dive deep into enterprise networking, cybersecurity defenses, and hardware engineering. The group officially graduated from the Summer Technology Internship Program. The intensive four-week program ended with a professional Capstone Showcase, where the interns presented their live digital portfolios to district leaders, families, and industry mentors.

Instead of using standard classroom simulators and textbooks, the internship worked like a "teaching hospital." Students acted as junior tech workers, rotating through different specialized departments to solve real-world problems alongside experienced IT professionals. The interns provided important hands-on help to get the district's complex tech ecosystem ready for the upcoming school year. They learned about the importance of consistency and documentation, managed live device-preparation workflows, and solved Help Desk user tickets.

"We didn’t just want them watching our team; we wanted them doing real workflows," said Neisha Smith-Burger, Instructional Technology Coordinator, who mentored students on app vetting and data privacy. "They stepped directly into our live operational ecosystem, working alongside experienced mentors to see exactly what it takes to support a massive district infrastructure."

The six interns entered the program with several technical achievements already under their belts, including Python Entry-Level, Certiport IT Specialist, and Additive Manufacturing certifications. They also brought foundational knowledge in CompTIA Tech+ and ITF+, thanks to Ziggy Joseph, WSD3 teacher and 2026 STEM Teacher of the Year. Multiple interns even used their personal time during the four weeks to study for advanced CompTIA A+ and Network+ certifications using the ACI Learning platform, which the school district provided.

During their rotations, they used these skills to speed up automation workflows, analyze network architectures, and understand complex data privacy regulations. Their final digital portfolios showed off their hands-on tech experience. They also proved they had mastered essential workplace habits like time management, professional communication, teamwork, and customer-centric problem-solving.

During their final presentations, the interns shared big career goals, including paths toward Enterprise Network Engineering, Computer Science, Government IT, Electrical Engineering, and Game Development. For many, this summer job helped them discover their true IT specializations and served as a launchpad for future tech careers.

The experience doesn't end with the summer. Several interns plan to take their skills back to their high schools. There, they will continue assisting school librarians with student device repairs and maintaining digital media tools throughout the school year.

The showcase concluded with an official certificate ceremony, recognizing their 60 hours of professional Work-Based Learning. Afterward, guests enjoyed refreshments and viewed the students’ digital sites, which showed evidence of everything they learned.

Congratulations to our six phenomenal 2026 Summer Student Technology Interns!:

• Wayne R.

• Tyler P.

• Kemal M.

• Isaac S.

• Eli P.

• Foly K.

You have set an incredibly high bar for future groups, and the entire WSD3 community is proud to support your journey into the technology industry!

Hear what the interns had to say!