For a lot of companies, intern season is approaching. At the Town Crier, it’s always intern season.
We are fortunate enough to have an army of interns year-round, thanks largely to the scores of students in this area interested in journalism. It’s also due to strong support from Town Crier ownership and staff, which have embraced the program at a time when many newspapers are taking fewer interns because of downsizing.
In recent years, our internship program has grown significantly in numbers and in reach. It has come a long way since the days when we had only a few high school interns during the school year and maybe two college interns in the summer. We currently have more than a dozen high school interns and expect to welcome at least five college students for the summer. No matter the season, we usually have far more candidates than we do openings.
There was a time when almost all of our interns came from local high schools, such as Los Altos, Mountain View and Pinewood; now we also get students from as far as Menlo Park to the north and San Jose to the south. Our current roster of interns includes several Los Altos and Pinewood students, as well as those from Homestead, Fremont, Castilleja, Cupertino, Prospect, Santa Clara and Nueva high schools.
Our goal is to help keep journalism alive by giving these students an opportunity to gain experience – whether it be as a reporter, photographer, illustrator or graphic designer – that may lead them to consider a career in this vital profession.
Some of the students who have interned with us have returned to the Town Crier as staff writers, others are reporters at regional or even national media outlets and a few are working in broadcast news. Several others have chosen another path, such as law school, medical school and, of course, tech.
For those interested in interning with us – or might know someone who would be – read the following for answers to the most common questions we are asked about our program.
What do you look for in an intern?
We prioritize students who have experience on their school papers or have at least taken a journalism class. We prefer self-starters with a passion for journalism, good people skills, great attitudes and a keen ability to meet deadlines. High school interns must make time to be in the office one afternoon a week and college interns twice weekly.
What is the time commitment?
Approximately four hours per week for high school students and at least double that for college students. Most of these hours will be in the office, but there will also be a few hours of remote work weekly. While our college students are usually here for just a few months, most of our high school students stick around for a few years.
What are the duties of an intern?
After a few weeks of training, interns are often ready to take on their first assignment. Reporting interns, for example, are assigned a story to write after receiving guidance that includes potential sources to interview, an approximate word length and a deadline for submitting a draft. Interns
receive feedback on all their work.
How do you apply?
Send an email to [email protected] that includes your name, school, journalism experience and a few samples of your writing. Qualified candidates will be asked to come to the office for an interview.
Are interns paid?
No. However, starting this year, the nonprofit Los Altos Journalism Foundation is offering college scholarships to four high school seniors who have been standout interns.
Are there any summer internship openings?
No; all candidates for the summer have been interviewed and will be selected this week.
What about the fall?
Yes, there are still a few spots available.
For more information on the Town Crier’s internship program, contact Intern Supervisor Pete Borello at [email protected]. For more information on the Los Altos Journalism Foundation, visit losaltosjournalismfoundation.org.
