By Anthony Rifilato
It was Fashion Week, and Clark said she was transfixed. Having worked on some of the designs adorning the models, Clark said she sat amid flashing cameras, pulsating music and celebrities and writers clamoring to check out the haute couture.
As a senior at Baldwin High School, Clark has been working as an intern for Jackie Rogers, a famous fashion designer, and said that the experience has reinforced her decision to become a fashion designer after she graduates. It's not often that students like her get to go to high-profile fashion shows, and the experience, she said, was amazing.
"When I was asked to go to the fashion show, it was one of the best moments of my life," said Clark. "Seeing the dress I worked on worn on the runway was exciting. It really came to life."
Clark is one of many seniors at Baldwin High taking advantage of its senior internship program, in which students gain real-world experience in an array of careers ranging from medicine to business at well-known companies and institutions like Northrop Grumman, South Nassau Communities Hospital, Bloomingdales and the New York Islanders, among others. The program was launched eight years ago, and accepts 72 students per year who apply as juniors. School officials said the internship has become one of the most popular -- and coveted -- programs at the school.
"I've seen students do their internships and go on to get jobs there," said Gregg Kelley, who teaches the senior internship class. "Originally it was only one class, with 20 students, and now we're up to 72. Prior to placing them in an internship we develop resumes and cover letters and teach them interview skills."
The internships require that the students complete 80 hours of work outside the classroom, and it's that experience that students say is an asset as they gear up for life after high school. In Clark's class, on Thursdays, students also learn about the college application process and hear from guest speakers about potential careers.
"It all depends on the kids' interests," said Kelley. "Students have the opportunity to leave the building and get the experience outside of school. In some cases students find that they don't want to pursue that particular career. On the other hand, some companies have hired our students as employees because they've impressed their mentors so much. You really see students grow."
Lorenzo Arbasto, a senior who plans to attend medical school, is interning at South Nassau Communities Hospital's neurology unit. Arbasto learned about the internship program in his career planning class as a junior, and said he immediately approached his teacher about participating.
He often runs errands for doctors and patients, but he also sees up close the day-to-day hum of the hospital, he said. "I'm majoring in biology and I want to be a doctor in the emergency room one day," said Arbasto, who hopes to attend Drexel or Hofstra and has already been accepted at St. John's. "I'm seeing a lot of procedures, how patients are admitted, and if I have a question about anything, people are there to let me know. They told me that if I was going into medicine, I should get experience before and during my schooling. I already have a better understanding than I did before."
For Clark, interning for a fashion designer was the goal from the beginning. When she was in middle school, her parents bought her a sewing machine, and designing clothes quickly became a dream of hers. "I wanted to do fashion ever since I was in seventh grade, and I taught myself how to sew," said Clark. "I kind of view myself as more of an artist than a trend-seeker. It's usually my own style when I design stuff."
As a junior, Clark heard about the internship program from seniors who were taking part in it. She approached Kelley, and following an application process and interviews with members of the school's business department, she was accepted.
"At the time I was iffy -- should [fashion] be my hobby or career?" she said. "The senior internship program showed me that it could be my career."
Clark landed the internship with Jackie Rogers last November, after putting together a resume and honing her interview skills with Kelley. She commutes into the city twice a week. "My best friend, Caitlyn, interns at a communications firm, and we travel into the city together," said Clark. "I started out doing paperwork, and then they moved me to actual sewing because I knew how to sew, and they asked me to do certain designs for a dress for their fall fashion show."
Clark quickly became a part of the fashion world, going to shows during Fashion Week and brushing shoulders with designers, fashion journalists and celebrities. "I was taken backstage and a production assistant showed me how it really was," said Clark, who hopes to attend Parsons or FIT after graduation. "Another great part about the fashion show was that I brought my little brother, and the people I work with came up to me and asked about my life -- they took a real interest. I don't find my internship like another tedious thing to do because I look forward to it, and I hope to experience more of it before I step out into the fashion world."
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