Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES

Emily Long, a senior in the Early Childhood Education program at Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES, is considering a career as a speech therapist thanks to a rewarding internship. Through the BOCES Work-Based Learning program, she is currently interning with Taylor Major, a Speech-Language Pathologist at Seward Elementary School in Auburn, NY.

Long says her internship has helped her become more patient and confident in working with children. She always wanted to be a teacher and now plans to study speech therapy in college.

“I've gotten to learn how to track progress in kids, how to be patient with kids, and what it takes to be able to be an elementary speech therapist,” she said. “Mrs. Major is doing an amazing job of letting me engage with the kids as much as possible.”

Major has hosted interns for the past two years through the Work-Based Learning program. Long joins her during morning sessions to observe, participate, and interact with children receiving speech therapy services.

“Whether it's kids who are non-verbal, or kids who have small impediments, you get to see all of it,” Long said.

According to Early Childhood Education teacher Casey Stephens, these experiences provide opportunities to practice the skills they learn in the classroom. “Students learn which techniques work (and don’t work) in authentic situations. Their communication skills improve, they interact more effectively and thoughtfully with children and adults, and become more self-aware and reflective in their learning.”

Major has been impressed with Long’s professionalism, upbeat personality, and work ethic. She hosts interns to share her career passion and to help students explore opportunities and find what inspires them.

“Speech language therapy is such a rewarding field in high demand,” Major said. “The opportunity to have student interns brings more awareness to a field that continues to grow. The more businesses or agencies that offer internships, the more opportunities there are for students to find their passions.”

While Long looks forward to studying speech therapy in college, she noted that the skills she’s learning at her internship will serve her in the real world. “You get a real sense of what it’s like going into the field.”

To learn more about the Work-Based Learning program at Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES, please contact Kayla Hurley at khurley@cayboces.org or at (315) 255-7642.