le nub, I was really freaking stoked about this potential intern until the transition coordinator flaked on me about confirming our appointment, and I looked up the school. The plan was to get this kid, who wasn't ready for college but was interested in learning about public horticulture, train him up, set him loose as an independent agent, someone to be relied on while still giving him valuable education.
Like I said, if we got him for just one day a week with constant supervision and guidance, I could get a better feel for him, and maybe we could up his days. But I don't know if the school he's a part of can accomodate that. It's a year-round program, and, honestly, his transition coordinator seems quite flaky. And I'd love to give this guy a chance. There were moments when he seemed quite sharp, noticing our signature tree and being quite taken with the sculptures on the grounds. I suppose a probationary period wouldn't be untoward.
He's got college plans, community first, but he's interested in art and architecture. I'd love to be the one to give him a leg up, but I'm afraid he'll be a burden on our small staff.
We'll see how references go (he does teach snowboarding to kids) and if his school is willing to accomodate a limited schedule. But the reality is, altruism aside, we need peeps who can be trained once, maybe twice, and kicked out of the nest. Everyone will get the handholding for every new task, but it needs to be that they can then continue independently after that.