Internship Program
Launch Your Career — While You’re Still in High School
Get real-world work experience, learn valuable hands-on skills, and earn high school credit (and possibly get paid) through the Taos Academy Internship Program.
Taos Academy Internship Program
Program Overview
The Taos Academy Internship Program connects classroom learning with practical, real-world experience. Our goal is simple: help students build marketable skills, give back to the Taos community, and explore career interests that inform their plans after high school. By putting learning into practice, an internship opens the door to possibilities students may not have considered for their future.
How it works:
- Hour requirement: Students complete a minimum of 100 hours of internship experience.
- Flexible placement: Hours don't need to happen in one place — students can split their 100+ hours across multiple host sites or complete them all with one organization, whichever fits best.
- Paid or unpaid: Internships may be paid or unpaid, as arranged directly between the student and the host business.
- Earn elective credit:
- 100 hours = 0.5 high school elective credit
- 200 hours = 1.0 high school elective credit
What to Expect as a Student Intern
As a Taos Academy intern, you're representing our school out in the community — so professionalism matters. Interns are expected to:
- Show up ready: Arrive on time, prepared to work, and give your supervisor and internship coordinator advance notice of any missed hours or schedule changes.
- Dress and act the part: Follow your host site's dress code, use appropriate language, and keep phones and personal devices put away unless your supervisor says otherwise.
- Communicate with integrity: Speak honestly and respectfully, keep client and business information confidential, and follow all workplace safety guidelines.
- Stay on top of paperwork: Log your hours regularly and submit signed progress reports at the end of each semester to receive credit.
Full details, including the complete Student Handbook expectations, are in the Internship Program Packet below.
Getting Started
Students: Talk with your advisor about internship options and complete an Internship Application (assigned through Google Classroom) to share your career interests, site preferences, and goals for the experience. Your Internship Coordinator will help match you with a placement.
Businesses & organizations: Contact our Internship Coordinator to learn more about becoming a host site or to RSVP for our Annual Internship Meet & Greet, held each August at Taos Academy.
Partner With Us: Host a Taos Academy Intern
Local businesses and organizations make this program possible. Hosting a Taos Academy intern is a chance to mentor local youth, build a pipeline of future employees, and bring fresh energy to your team — all while giving back to the community that supports your business.
What hosting looks like:
- You set the terms. Offer a paid position or an unpaid learning experience — whichever fits your organization.
- You’re covered. Unpaid interns are covered under the school district’s insurance; paid interns are covered under your organization’s Workers’ Compensation policy.
- You stay in control. As the host, you set schedules, assign tasks, and retain full authority to adjust or end the internship if conduct or performance isn’t meeting expectations.
- You’re supported, not alone. Our Internship Coordinator checks in throughout the internship and is your first call if any issues come up.
Supervisors are asked to orient their intern to the organization’s mission, structure, and expectations early on, and to complete a brief progress evaluation at the midpoint and end of the internship. A full orientation guide for host supervisors is included in the packet below.
Interested in hosting an intern or attending our Annual Internship Meet & Greet? Reach out to our Internship Coordinator — details below.
Questions?
Abbey Farnsworth, Internship Coordinator & School Counselor
📞 575-751-3109
✉️ afarnsworth@taosacademy.org
📍 Taos Academy, 110 Paseo Del Canon West, Taos, NM 87571
Required Forms & Downloads
- High School Internship Program Packet (PDF) — the complete guide for students, families, and host organizations, including program details, expectations, and all forms below
- Internship Agreement — signed by student and parent/guardian
- Internship Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) — the three-way agreement between student, school, and host site
- Internship Time Log — used to track and verify hours worked
- Internship Progress Report – Fall Semester
- Internship Progress Report – Spring Semester