Sixteen-year-old Callie Post spends her summer mornings cruising the Indian River Lagoon aboard a pontoon boat, helping younger students explore mangroves and seagrass beds. It’s not your average teenage summer job, it’s a hands-on marine science internship at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute.
Post is one of 51 high school juniors and seniors participating in a new, paid summer internship program for St. Lucie Public Schools students. The initiative is organized by the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County (EDC) through its nonprofit arm, the Treasure Coast Center for Economic & Educational Development (TCCEED), in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County and the school district.
“This is the holy grail,” said Roderick Natta, Executive Director of Federal and Special Programs at St. Lucie County Schools. “It helps kids see the connection between what's been taught in classrooms and the practical applications of that knowledge that they've gained.”
Post’s journey began when she called Harbor Branch’s public line asking to volunteer, a move that impressed Jennifer Cutter, the assistant director of education and outreach and now Post’s mentor.
“She took the initiative,” Cutter said. “She’s super flexible and willing to do any project we throw at her.”
From assisting with lagoon field trips to collecting feedback and capturing moments for social media, Post has become an integral part of Harbor Branch’s summer programming.
“I really enjoyed it,” said Post, who lives near the facility and plans to study marine veterinary science. “It was cool being able to teach younger people, or even older people, about the Indian River Lagoon.”
The county-wide internship program places students with 25 local employers across a range of industries. Funded through a private grant to the Boys & Girls Clubs, the interns earn $15 an hour while gaining real-world experience and soft skills training.
Anita Fischer, executive director of TCCEED, said the inspiration for the program began last year when Alouna Alincy, a local high school student, expressed interest in interning at the EDC.
“We had never hosted a high school student before,” Fischer said. “So we decided, why not do it for the rest of the community?”
Fischer emphasized the program’s potential to strengthen the local workforce.
“We are keeping our workforce local here, right in our backyard,” she said.
At Harbor Branch, Cutter said hosting a high school student like Post is a first. Normally, internships there are limited to undergraduates and graduate students.
“It’s really cool to see that in a young person, she’s just going out there and chasing her dreams,” Cutter said.
For Post, the experience has been both affirming and inspiring.
“Everything was just super easy to understand,” she said. “It just made it a really fun experience.”
Her advice to future interns? “Don’t be scared of the work. If you’re really interested, go into it being excited. It might be something you’ll want to do long-term.”
The program runs through the summer and includes participants like 18-year-old Emanuel Petitfrere, who is interning with TMx Aero at Treasure Coast International Airport. Together, these students are proving that early exposure to careers, whether in science, aviation, or business, can set the course for future success.