Lilian Valentine, a senior at Wawasee High School, participates in the professional careers internship program. Through the PCI program, she works about 20 hours a week at the NAPA Store in North Webster.
She said the program has helped her in a variety of ways by being more prepared for cosmetology school and working after graduation. Photo by Lauren Zeugner.

By Lauren Zeugner
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE  — Lilian Valentine, a senior at Wawasee High School, said participating in the school’s professional career internship program has helped her decide her future. She is currently in her second year of the PCI program working at the NAPA store in North Webster.

“I do everything,” she said explaining her responsibilities at the store. “I work around the counter. I do a few deliveries. I check in parts, and I put them away” Her favorite task is decorating the store for Christmas.

Admitting she is not a fan of school, Valentine said she was inspired to do a PCI at NAPA because her sister did one there.

“I gained a lot of communication skills,” she said of her experience. “I was terrible at communicating. Working with customers and answering the phones, that helped me a lot,” she said.

Before starting her job at NAPA, Valentine said most of her communication was done through texting.

The job has also helped her address her fear of public speaking. She said it was so bad, if she had to give a class presentation, she’d end up running out of the room in tears. Now, she’s the first to volunteer.

The job has also taught her time management, how to be present when on the job, to be on time and organized. Through her job, she’s “learned to calm my brain down to organize the tasks I need to do,” she said.

Valentine plans to graduate in December and start cosmetology school in Fort Wayne in January.

“They offer it (cosmetology) at the high school, but I decided too late,” she explained.

Her future goals include owning her own salon one day. She said she wants to do women’s hair and help clients feel more confident in themselves.

She sees her improved communication skills to be a big help when it comes to working with clients.

She said the PCI program helps students with employability. Many of the students in the PCI program come into it having acquired a job already, and Valentine did just that. Her uncle owns the NAPA store she works at.

Her typical schedule is to be in classes at the high school in the morning and then working at the store in the afternoons. She works about 20 hours a week at NAPA.

She has had classmates ask if the program is worth it and she feels it has.

“If I started my job right out of high school there’s more of an expectation you would have these skills,” she said “(With the PCI program) You have room to mess up. Most bosses know you’re young and this is your first job.”

She encourages her classmates to participate in the program.