Heading off to Webb Institute in New York this fall, Renee Tremblay plans to study naval architecture and marine engineering. While her four years at Mt. Hope High School fostered her interest

in engineering, it wasn’t until Renee participated in a pilot program, gaining hands-on experience in the field, that she fully understood her chosen career field.

“I wouldn’t have been ready to study engineering without knowing how machines work,” she said.

Renee was one of seven Mt. Hope students who were chosen to participate in a pilot internship program this spring, assembled by the East Bay Chamber of Commerce, local business owners and the Bristol-Warren Regional School District. The students gave a presentation on their progress to program participants on Wednesday, June 1, at the high school.

“Things went really well. I felt like year one was a solid year,” said Wayne Lima, head of the STEM Department at Mt. Hope. “Our big picture goal is to not be just a small sampling of the population, but to grow to as many students.”

Planning for the program took about a year, said Superintendent Mario Andrade. Many meetings were held between the school administration and the business owners, and between the administration and the students, to fully form a mutually beneficial internship program, he said.

Businesses that participated included Tri-Mack Plastics, Jade Engineered Plastics, East Bay Manufacturing, and WaterRower.

The students started their internships this past February in areas like engineering machining and marketing. Time spent at each site varied, averaging about four hours each week after school.

“I can remember back when I was in school that at an internship you were filing papers, or sweeping the floors,” Dr. Andrade said. “We wanted this to be much than that.”

“This (program) takes the theory they learn in school and makes it understandable in practical applications,” said Don Rebello, Mt. Hope High School principal.

That rang true for senior Nick Silva, who went to work for Jade Engineered Plastics. As he told the audience, his course schedule shifted “unexpectedly” and he found himself taking an advanced graphing course at the high school.