Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Ironwood Chamber of Commerce director Michael Meyer, left, looks on as interns Amelia Green, middle, and Adriana Lorendo sort mailings Thursday for the upcoming Jack Frost Festival.
By KIM E. STROM
Ironwood - Being an intern at the Ironwood Chamber of Commerce has been a learning experience, not only for the interns, but for the director as well. "It's enjoyable, actually," said Amelia Green, who along with fellow Ironwood high school student Adriana Lorendo is interning at the chamber. "We learned a lot more than we thought."
Recently, chamber director Michael Meyer brought the girls to the Land O'Lakes Area Art's art center to learn how such a place can be the cultural center of a community.
"It's amazing how a small town, smaller than Ironwood, has something so creative," said Green. "It brings the community together."
The art center, nicknamed LOLA, also hosts a reader's theatre. "It's like a play without props," said Lorendo. "There were about 100 people in the audience."
Meyer emphasized how important cultural activities are to the economy of a small community. Referencing an upcoming concert at the Historic Ironwood Theatre, he said. "There's a tremendous impact on Ironwood. People buy food, gas, and shop. Places like LOLA play a vital role in economic growth."
Besides sorting mail, the girls have done a lot of observing. "Once someone came in who had a strong political opinion. We learned we had to be unbiased," said Lorendo.
"We never thought about that," said Green.
The girls in turn are helping Meyer set up an Instagram account which allows users to upload photos and videos. "We're trying to move with the times," he said. "That's the neat thing about having interns." Meyer said he's learned a lot from them as well.
There are approximately 12 Luther L. Wright High School students placed in various sites according to their career interests, according to Dan Martinson, dean of students. Green and Lorendo chose business as their area of interest, he said.
"It's a great program for kids to get a feel for it and learn about the career field," said Martinson. It's also a testament to the businesses that agree to host these students, he said. The prospects go through OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) training, but the business owners still must watch out for their safety, he said.
The students take two class periods to practice at their sites and they get high school credit for the experience, said Martinson. "It's a great experience overall and a good opportunity to get out into the working world."
