The deadline to apply to the Get Involved Internship Program, an organization that provides Palo Alto Unified School District students with meaningful community service opportunities, is approaching on Oct. 9, according to junior Community Service Project Leader Candace Wang.

Newly implemented this year, the program aims to expand student experience in the real world by collaborating with outside organizations and compiling internship opportunities, according to Wang.

“We thought this was the perfect way to integrate not only volunteering, but real life work experience into something enjoyable and beneficial for Paly students,” Wang said. “It’s really important that students have interests outside of the academic world.”

Currently, there are nine internships focuses available for students, including topics ranging from the environment to marketing and tutoring. Certain positions may take more multiple students.

Students will collaborate with the guidance of mentors in the field and will work towards a set goal, such as decreasing plastic litter on school campuses.

Senior Nicole Chen advertises the Get Involved Internship Program. Applications are due Oct. 9. “Students should sign up for these internships because it will provide them with amazing mentors who can be role models,” Chen said. “It also provides students with the experience of working professionally alongside adults and give them a taste of the workforce.“

Currently there are no set time commitments and each internship requires a different amount of work, according to Wang. Hours utilized while working on the internships may be counted towards the 15-hour Living Skills graduation requirement, the President’s Community Service Award or general transcript recognition.

Participating in extracurriculars such as internships are a great experience for students and provide an opportunity for discovering their interests, according to Wang.

To fill out an application, students can obtain application forms from the Get Involved Website and email the completed forms to [email protected]. Different positions have different required forms.

According to the website, students are advised to sign up soon, as there are a limited number of positions.

The program’s core staff is comprised of Palo Alto and Gunn high school students who began working on the structure of the program this summer under the guidance of PAUSD Community Service and Career Adviser Christina Owen.

“We worked hard over the summer contacting different organizations, brainstorming ideas and planning out the program to make this all possible,” committee member and junior Vivian Wu said. “We want to provide students with a source of opportunity and we’re hoping for a good student turnout.”

Visit the Get Involved website and contact Christina Owen at [email protected] for more information.