Among the many opportunities the Scarsdale A-School offers for its students, the January internship program stands out as an opportunity for students to immerse themselves in real-world jobs while gaining new and valuable first-hand experiences. For Caitlin Jeremiah ’27, that path to the internship was shaped by natural instinct as much as her interest. With a longstanding passion for both sports and teaching, pursuing a placement with a physical education teacher felt like an obvious choice for Jeremiah. Having grown up immersed in athletics, she was drawn not only to the energy of sports but also to the lasting impact strong educators can have on young students’ confidence, teamwork, and love of sportsmanship. 

“Naturally, interning with a PE teacher seemed like a perfect fit,” she said.

Through her A-School internship, Jeremiah worked closely with a middle school physical education teacher, actively organizing classes, setting up equipment, and supporting daily lessons. Her mornings often began early, arriving around 7:30 a.m. to prepare for the first two periods of the day. Between afternoon classes, she rotated equipment, broke down setups, and prepared new activities for incoming students, ensuring each lesson ran smoothly and safely.

“It was very hands-on,” she said. “You’re constantly moving, organizing, and helping make the classes run smoothly.”

The A-School internship program is designed to balance responsibility and reflection alongside hands-on experience. Interns maintain weekly time logs, documenting their hours and daily responsibilities. Each week also includes a reflective journal entry, encouraging students to evaluate their experiences, challenges, and growth. During the first and third weeks of the internship, students meet with their A-School Internship Advisor to review progress and set goals.

The time commitment varies depending on a student’s schedule and credits. For Jeremiah, the experience expanded significantly over time.

“This year I had 29 hours, and last year I had about 4.5 hours,” she explained. “There’s a formula that helps calculate how many hours you need.”

Unlike many students who enter internships unsure of what to fully expect, Jeremiah had previously interned with a PE teacher during her sophomore year, making her experience feel familiar rather than overwhelming. Still, returning allowed her to gain deeper insight into the profession, from classroom management to the behind-the-scenes planning that shapes each lesson.

What surprised her most wasn’t the workload, but rather how quickly the internship became something she didn’t want to leave behind. “The only change I would recommend is that the internship is longer,” Jeremiah said. “I loved mine so much this year that I was sad I had to come back to school.”

For Jeremiah, the true value of A-School internships lies in their ability to provide experience and exposure before graduation.

“The internship allows you to have many different real-life experiences in areas you might want to pursue as a career,” she said. “It helps you figure out what you actually enjoy.”

Her biggest piece of advice for students seeking internships in the program is simple: take initiative.

“Reach out,” she emphasized. “Even if you don’t think you’ll be able to get an internship in something you’re interested in, you never know. It’s always best to try.”

For Caitlin, the internship became the place where her passions for teaching and athletics met, and she encourages future A-School students to find their own balance by reaching out, taking initiative, and pursuing opportunities even when they feel uncertain.