The Three Lakes Association (TLA) summer internship program has two key components, all aimed at one overarching mission: preserving the lakes we love.
First, the program equips students with the resources to understand potential threats to our watershed and lakes. Under the guidance of experienced scientific mentors, students identify variables that may impact water quality, formulate critical questions, and help in the design of a scientific study to address these concerns.
Second, the program offers hands-on experience in applying scientific methods. Students develop hypotheses, design studies, create protocols, and conduct field research to gather data. They then learn how to analyze and visualize this data through graphs and tables, ultimately compiling it into a presentation or report. Students also gain valuable experience presenting their findings to the TLA board and school boards.
This internship provides an excellent opportunity for high school students to acquire skills applicable to careers in environmental science and beyond.
Summer Intern Reports
While the methods and results produced are of high quality, the reports and presentations are not formal peer-reviewed, scientific papers. Instead, the program offers a valuable learning experience while addressing important water quality issues.