Page 22 - FIS World October 2018

Year-round Learning
Summer enrichment opportunities extend learning beyond the school year
Summer break is usually a time for students to drop their school bags into a corner and forget about school for a while. After end-of-year assignments and exams it is time to relax, catch up on sleep, travel and meet friends and family who do not live around the corner. But for many students at FIS, the learning does not stop on the last day of school. Instead, the summer months provide time to gain skills and knowledge in different fields, acquire initial work experience, or seek adventures that further expand their horizons. Planning well ahead is key for successful experiences. A glimpse of the types of opportunities available for summer enrichment are featured here as FIS students recount their
recent experiences.
Marcus, Swedish, Grade 12: Internship at Software AG, Germany
“FIS runs an internship program for 50 students in Grade 10 and 11. It works on a first come, first serve basis, and I was lucky to join this group last school year. The program includes three sessions run by consultants from Accenture, in which focus is given to resumé building and interview preparation, how it is to work in a company, and technology applications in companies. I thereafter applied for a two-week internship at Software AG.
My motivation was to get some work experience as a software engineer and gain an understanding of the company’s software development process. My internship started with an intense three-day crash course in Java coding. The daily commute by public transport to Darmstadt was a bit of a challenge, but my project was very interesting.
I worked on the encryption of a company database system, and got to see how an initial concept is developed into a finished product.
I find it quite convenient as well that I now better understand the possibilities and limitations of my mobile phone and laptop, and am developing my own apps. Although I don’t see myself working as a software engineer forever, I am sure this experience will be helpful in my university applications.”
Michael, American, Grade 9: Summer Program ‘That’s Debate!’ at Davidson University, North
Carolina, USA
“I just love to debate with my friends, and, yes, with my parents, too. My family travels back to North Carolina every summer, and I had the opportunity to join Davidson University for one of their summer programs. While exploring options,
I looked at programs covering different areas rather than searching for an extension of the academic program here at FIS.
Debating is a type of sport for me and I felt highly attracted to improving my skills in this field. During the three-week program, our group of
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