It’s not every day that you see a 17-year-old walk through the doors of one of the world’s largest financial firms, ready to start their summer internship. After rounds of interviews and an extensive hiring process, working at JP Morgan as an Investment Banking Intern this summer was a dream come true for Daniel Lee ’20.

Since most people associate internships as opportunities reserved for only college students, many fail to realize that high school students can secure internships as well. Work experience can be valuable for young people as it exposes them to the many different fields and professions that are out there. In addition to the money they can earn, pursuing such opportunities helps them develop new skills. When asked how the internship impacted him, Lee said, “The opportunity of interning at JPMorgan was perfect for me in the sense that not only was I given the opportunity to work in a professional setting, but I was also able to learn a tremendous amount about finance. Despite being a high school student placed in a team of professionals, I was still given a lot of tasks that require great responsibility and attention to detail.” 

Lee would highly encourage his fellow Bronx Science students to seek out opportunities and gain work experience as well, especially by taking advantage of organizations like Futures and Options and PENCIL, which help NYC students secure paid internships.

“I highly encourage students to find a job or volunteer during the summer and school year. In my opinion, it does not have to be at a big company; simply working will be a valuable experience,” said Raymond Zhou ’20.

Mohammed Tajwar ’20 spent the past summer working at the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, which advocates for and empowers school administrators through a variety of different resources, including leadership training. Regarding his contributions to the organization, he said, “I had the opportunity to attend a professional meeting among officers, lead a meeting, and pitch my findings with colleagues. I led the marketing aspect of the research and was the lead speaker of the presentation we gave to several school principals and superintendents.”

Tajwar ’20  believes that the experience helped him gain a better understanding of the important role of nonprofit organizations, and the impact they can have on local communities. Tajwar’s internship came with the additional benefit of a paycheck, allowing him to learn how to manage money, and making him more financially literate.

Volunteering and giving back to the community can be an impactful way to spend your summer vacation. Raymond Zhou ’20 spent this summer volunteering as a Teaching Assistant at ABC Math Academy. He says, “During my time at ABCMath, I applied communication skills and learned to work as I was able to improve my speaking skills. I highly encourage students to find a job or volunteer during the summer and school year. In my opinion, it does not have to be at a big company; simply working will be a valuable experience.”

Much can be learned, both directly and indirectly, from partaking in internships, jobs, and volunteer activities during the summer and school year. From earning extra money to gaining new technical skills and even giving our resumes a little boost, there are so many advantages to finding productive ways to spend our time. Living in New York City, one of the most commercialized cities in the world, opportunities are at our fingertips. Now all that is required is a little initiative from our end.