Every student and teacher at Saint Stephen’s knows the technology department, located on the second floor of the Holmes building, because we’ve all needed them at one time or another. Whether you need to connect your iPad to the wifi or fix a broken projector, the tech department is there to help. Walking into tech’s new, beautiful Inspiration Center, designed and painted by seniors Amelia Sabo and Dagny Van Aken, you’ll see that every staff member working there has a smiling face, ready to help and assist you in all your tech needs. 

But what makes this particular department special to me is the technology internship program that I’ve been participating in this year.

So what do I do as a technology intern? One of my roles is to help the technology staff assist the school community by setting up iPads, computers, TVs and other day to day work that the job entails. In this role, I do the behind-the-scenes work that allows the staff to focus on more significant projects and tasks such as integrating technology into the classrooms, setting up assemblies, chapels and even outdoor events.

The technology department allows interns to explore their interests and expand their knowledge in the field of technology. I am currently working on learning how to pilot drones and programming Raspberry Pi (a mini-computer the size of a credit card). These Raspberry Pi’s are little, basic computers that allow simple functions to be done such as running scripts and programs.

Being a tech intern requires a love of technology and a desire for innovation.

Senior Noah McCray is also an intern in the program. McCray said, “I kinda found a love of technology with the after-school coding programs at Saint Stephen’s. And after I finished all of the AP Computer Science courses, I wanted to do something else with technology, which led me to this tech internship.”

When it came time for last year’s juniors to pick their internships, intern Alyson Folkens, explains why she chose this role.  She “thought about the people in the technology room and how they always helped. So [she] wanted to go around the school and help the teachers with their tech issues.” 

Folkens added that the tech department has “been so helpful to me, and they’ve always been so understanding. But it’s also fascinating because they have people for all different types of technology, so I can focus on what I am interested in.”

The head of the department and internship program, Ms. Angelica DeGrasse, with her bright smile and a love of helping people, expressed how ecstatic she is about having interns. “We wanted to find what our tech interns’ interests are.”

DeGrasse expressed how interns are essential in discovering and developing technology at Saint Stephen’s. 

Working alongside Ms. DeGrasse and the rest of the Technology Department makes the experience feel very welcoming. The skills I have learned and the friendships I have made truly make the experience amazing.

The technology internship is one of the most creative and intriguing programs that Saint Stephens has to offer. With its wide variety of challenges, the class is intriguing and entertaining. This internship is a wonderful place to learn everything about technology and information, and I highly recommend this experience to any rising seniors who are excited to participate in internship programs.