I can’t believe how much I have gained from this experience as an intern at The Center for Education Reform (CER). I originally came into the internship with the expectation of getting informed about the charter school movement, among other things, and I had no idea that this internship would go way beyond that expectation. Not only do I fully understand the discussion surrounding charter schools, but also I can speak of experiences hearing from CEO’s and founders of charter school networks,and I can recognize the names of charter school authorizers across the country. Beyond charter schools, I have learned about, tax-credits, school choice, STEM education, the “summer slide”, online learning, and teacher evaluation.
One of my favorite aspects about this internship was that I had the opportunity to read about the current issues surrounding education reform, and then hear from and speak with the leaders in the movement. After reading about the changes in education policy, I had the opportunity, along with my fellow interns, to actually meet with Katherine Haley, the policy advisor to the Speaker of the House. She spoke with us about her experiences on Capitol Hill, and the successes she has had over the years.
Interning at The Center for Education Reform got me talking to everyone about education. Throughout the summer I have found myself mentioning studies about education, or sharing links to articles that I read. After my internship, I have even been successful in signing-up my friends and family for CER’s weekly Newswire.
I am excited about how much I have learned over the past ten weeks and seeing where it will bring me in the future. I have enjoyed the support from each staff member and working alongside the other interns. I am very thankful to have had such a great summer here at CER.
Mandy Leiter, CER Intern