student work immersion essay

My Expectations In Work Immersion Essay For Students

Work immersion is an essential part of the learning experience, providing students with a unique opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in a real-world context. As I prepare for my upcoming work immersion, I am filled with anticipation and expectations. This essay outlines my personal expectations, which include gaining practical skills, understanding workplace dynamics, enhancing my interpersonal skills, and preparing for future career opportunities.

Table of Contents

Essay On My Expectations In Work Immersion

Acquiring practical skills.

One of my primary expectations during this work immersion is acquiring practical skills. While classroom learning provides a strong foundation, it often lacks the hands-on experience necessary to fully understand the nuances of our chosen field. I hope to perform tasks that allow me to practice and improve the skills I have learned in class. This could range from technical abilities specific to my field of study, to more general skills such as time management or problem-solving.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Understanding Workplace Dynamics

Workplaces have their own unique cultures and dynamics that can greatly differ from the academic environment. During my immersion, I expect to gain a deeper understanding of these dynamics. This includes learning about hierarchies, communication protocols, decision-making processes, and teamwork. By observing and participating in these dynamics, I hope to become better prepared to navigate future professional environments.

Enhancing Interpersonal Skills

Interacting with colleagues, superiors, and clients requires a different set of interpersonal skills than interacting with classmates and teachers. I anticipate that my work immersion will give me the chance to develop these skills. Through collaboration and networking, I aim to improve my communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution abilities. These skills are invaluable in any professional setting, regardless of the specific industry or job role.

Preparing for Future Career Opportunities

Finally, I view my work immersion as an opportunity to prepare for future career opportunities. This involves not only honing my practical and interpersonal skills, but also building professional relationships and gaining industry insights. I expect to meet professionals who can provide guidance, offer career advice, and potentially open doors to future job opportunities. Moreover, by observing the industry first-hand, I can better understand its trends and challenges, which will be beneficial when making my career decisions.

In conclusion, my expectations for my work immersion are centered around learning and growth. I anticipate acquiring practical skills, understanding workplace dynamics, enhancing my interpersonal skills, and preparing for future career opportunities. While I recognize that challenges may arise, I am confident that this experience will equip me with valuable tools and insights as I embark on my career journey. Ultimately, I view this work immersion not merely as a requirement to fulfill, but as a stepping stone towards my professional development and success.

Hello! Welcome to my Blog StudyParagraphs.co. My name is Angelina. I am a college professor. I love reading writing for kids students. This blog is full with valuable knowledge for all class students. Thank you for reading my articles.

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Home » Colleges & Universities » Work Immersion for SHS Students: Sharing my story!

Work Immersion for SHS Students: Sharing my story!

Whether you like it or not, you will need to survive that SHS work immersion. For every student, it can be considered as the much-awaited activity before graduation.

It could be exciting YET frustrating at the same time. At least in my experience, that’s what happened. I’d like to share with you what exactly happened during this phase.

If you want to set your expectations, you’re on the right page!

What is work immersion?

Work Immersion is similar to what college students experience during their On-the-Job Training (OJT). In this experience, you will be hired as an actual employee with different tasks to accomplish.

You will not just discover new skills but most importantly, you will learn new social skills. You have to cooperate with your co-workers and adapt to  the new environment. In short, it will let you experience what a real job feels like.

Furthermore, this is a very crucial requirement for every graduating student of senior high. So, you are expected to experience a tiring and fun chapter of your life.

Explore Articles: Colleges and Universities

How did I start my work immersion?

I must admit that the first step, or finding a vacant position, could be the hardest stage of work immersion.

During the 1st week of March, I spent looking for companies that would accept SHS students. It was a mess! We didn’t know where to start, and HOW we would do it. Our professor came to the rescue and provided us options for the work immersion.

Our school offered us to handle everything for us. From documentation to hiring to finding the right company, they would do it. The second was to teach us independence by coordinating with everything. I wanted to challenge myself so I chose the latter.

So, I did team up with my other classmates who also chose the same option and started applying nonstop. It was very exhausting. We attended several interviews with the hopes of getting tired. Exhausted, hungry, and body fatigue, you name it!

As much as we wanted to continue with our choice, we then asked help for our school to find the best OJT place.

Shared File: Job Interview Course

Which organization accepted me for my work immersion?

My beloved alma mater! 🙂

Fast forward, I was able to enter Philippine School of Social Work (PSSW) and University Community Outreach Program (UNICORP) . The same group handled both departments so we served for the two organizations.

If you’re curious on what I did, here were the tasks:

• Date encoding. Lots of them!
• Sorting files. Get your organization skills keep going.
• Arranging exclusive books.
• Other admin tasks!

Yep! Obviously, your boss will not give your tasks involving technical work. You won’t need to solve problems or attend serious meetings.

Forget about big projects because you need to learn the foundation of working. During your work immersion, your tasks will start from what new hires do.

Here’s what I missed the most during this unforgettable experience…

The big bosses! 

I missed how they took care of us with love and care. During breaktime, they treated us with food. I didn’t feel like someone who just got hired for a short time.

They even advised us and shared a little secret about social work. Don’t you know social work profession really pays well? This is most applicable even when you work abroad. However, I’m not going to tell you how much their salary is.

If you’re a future social worker, you have to discover it yourself!

Unfortunately, the pandemic cut short our experience. It was supposed to be for the whole month, but lockdown happened. You see, I still feel VERY lucky to have experienced it.

I wonder how they do work immersion right now that work from home is prevalent. But, for sure, you will learn so much!

Watch these related videos on YouTube!

10 Tips for Work Immersion! (SHS)

Work Immersion

Melanie Alberto

I love writing articles as well as doing photography. As an aspiring journalist, I have a strong passion for these activities!

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Student’s work immersion: A journey through S&T

• BusinessMirror
• March 11, 2018
• 4 minute read

Work immersion sounds stressful for senior high-school students. Yet, as part of the K to 12 curriculum, we science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem) students were required to gain relevant learning experiences through actual work. We were assigned to specific partner institution, business organization or establishment parallel to our specializations in order to help us reinforce our knowledge from classrooms and enhance our skills.

For us, a group of six students, we were engaged with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

Foremost, we learned that the DOST is the premiere science and technology (S&T) body in the country, in charge with the mandate of providing central direction, leadership and coordination of all scientific and technological activities, and of formulating policies, programs and projects to support national development.

DOST Biliran, officially called Biliran Provincial Science and Technology Center (DOST Biliran-PSTC), is one of the six provincial centers of the DOST-Eastern Visayas located inside the campus of Naval State University.

As we commence the work immersion on February 6, little did we know that an exciting adventure was about to begin. A journey that would make us realize that science is not a mere concept taught inside a classroom and make us gaze in amazement how these scientific concepts are applied in the world.

Initially, we were oriented with the nature and mandate of the institution, as well as the staff who would function as our advisers and supervisors as we initiated our training.

Furthermore, our work environment had become comfortable with the friendly, approachable and cheerful nature of the staff which was essential for us to effectively absorb all the knowledge and acquaint ourselves with the work of DOST personnel.

As we progressed and became acquainted with the work and processes in the DOST, we were assigned to make a variety of reports, such as Technology Needs Assessment (TNA), Yolanda Recovery and Rehabilitation Program (YRRP) Monitoring and even a Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (Setup) Project Proposal.

But the most exciting part of our work immersion was the “travels.”  Going to different towns and barangays around Biliran was a delightful experience for us not just because we saw the beauty of this island dubbed as “Undiscovered Paradise,” but also since we have learned new techniques on how to handle businesses and technologies that are being used to help local enterprises grow.

We were introduced to new experiences and tried new products from DOST -assisted projects.

We have also learned about the concept of Project Deployment of Early Warning System for Disaster-Prone Areas. The project is undertaken in cooperation with the Advanced Science and Technology Institute; the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration; and the DOST regional offices, and its role in mitigating the impacts of disasters in the province.

We visited the different installation of hydro-meteorological devices, such as the automated rain gauge (ARG) in Barangay Talustusan, Naval, Biliran.

ARG is an instrument used by meteorologists to gather and measure the amount of liquid precipitation over a set period of time.

We have also visited the Water Level Monitoring System (WLMS) installed at Pitogohan Bridge in Almeria. The instrument is essential in monitoring the rate of change of water level of the river where it is installed.

Moreover, we have also visited the early warning device installed in Barangay Santo Niño in Naval, which functions as a receiver of data from the WLMS on Caraycaray Bridge. It issues a particular warning level to alert all nearby areas in cases of an impending flood.

In Barangay Villaconsuelo in Naval, we were introduced to a YRRP Project, the Coconut Sugar Processing Facility.

The primary raw material of making this coconut sugar is the collected coconut sap, which is heated and stirred continuously until it solidifies and powdered. This is considered a healthy sugar because it has low glycemic index and is preferable for persons with diabetes.

One of our most challenging travel was when we held a TNA of the Eces Compunix Center in Biliran town.

We were assigned to interview the supervisor of the business and gather the information to accomplish the specific task assigned to us: to contribute in formulating a Setup project proposal.  Setup is DOST’s program that helps micro, small and medium enterprises to adopt technology innovations to improve their business.

Another travel engagement brought us to Culaba town to visit another YRRP Project, the Fish Processing Facility.

We have found out that the area designated for the installation of the fish dryer that is part of the facility to be established must be cleared as soon as possible because the project is among those YRRP projects scheduled for assessment by the National Economic Development Authority regional inspection group.

Though the travels are sometimes exhausting, we really enjoyed them along with DOST personnel.

We have learned how technological and scientific concepts are applied in the real world—all for the convenience of humankind. As the quote says: “Experience is the best teacher”, and nothing compares to the knowledge that it gave us.

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Benefits Of Work Immersion To Students

Work immersion is an integral part of the educational system that provides students with hands-on experience and practical knowledge in their chosen field. It is a program where students are given the opportunity to work in a real workplace environment, allowing them to apply the theories and concepts they have learned in the classroom. The benefits of work immersion to students are numerous, ranging from personal growth and development to improved employability and future career prospects.

1. Hands-on Learning

One of the key benefits of work immersion to students is the opportunity to engage in hands-on learning. In a traditional classroom setting, students often learn through lectures, textbooks, and exams. However, work immersion allows students to apply what they have learned in a real-world setting, giving them a deeper and more practical understanding of their chosen field.

2. Real-World Experience

Work immersion provides students with real-world experience that cannot be replicated in a classroom. By working in an actual workplace, students get a firsthand look at the day-to-day operations and challenges of their chosen profession. This experience helps them develop practical skills, gain industry insights, and understand the expectations and demands of the working world.

3. Career Exploration

Work immersion also provides students with the opportunity to explore different career paths and industries. By working in various companies and organizations, students can gain exposure to different job roles and responsibilities. This allows them to make more informed decisions about their future career path and identify areas of interest they may not have considered before.

4. Networking Opportunities

During work immersion, students have the chance to network with professionals in their chosen field. This networking can lead to valuable connections and future job opportunities. Building a strong professional network is essential for career growth, and work immersion provides students with a platform to start developing these connections early on.

5. Enhanced Employability

Work immersion programs often include opportunities for students to develop essential employability skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and professionalism. These skills are highly valued by employers and can give students a competitive edge in the job market. By participating in work immersion, students can enhance their employability and increase their chances of securing desirable job positions.

6. Personal Growth and Development

Work immersion is not just about preparing students for their future careers; it also promotes personal growth and development. By stepping outside of their comfort zones and facing new challenges, students learn important life skills such as adaptability, resilience, and self-confidence. These experiences help shape their character and contribute to their overall personal development.

7. Building Confidence

Work immersion provides students with experiences that enable them to develop skills and abilities, such as problem-solving, decision-making, and adapting to new situations. These experiences contribute to their overall confidence, enabling them to face challenges head-on and believe in their abilities. This newfound confidence can positively impact their academic performance and future career endeavors.

8. Academic Application

The practical experiences gained during work immersion can significantly enhance a student’s understanding and application of academic concepts. By seeing firsthand how theories and principles are applied in a real workplace, students can bridge the gap between theory and practice. This deeper understanding can lead to improved academic performance and a broader perspective on their chosen field of study.

9. Improved Decision Making

Work immersion exposes students to various situations and challenges that require quick thinking and decision-making. By navigating through these experiences, students develop strong decision-making skills and learn to analyze situations critically. These skills are transferable to all aspects of life and can lead to better decision-making in academic, personal, and professional contexts.

10. Future Career Prospects

Participating in work immersion can significantly enhance students’ future career prospects. In addition to gaining practical skills and industry knowledge, students also build a network of professionals who can serve as mentors or provide references. This network, combined with the experience gained through work immersion, can open doors to internships, job opportunities, and promotions in the future.

In conclusion, work immersion offers a multitude of benefits to students. It provides hands-on learning, real-world experience, career exploration, networking opportunities, enhanced employability, personal growth, and development. Additionally, work immersion builds confidence, enables academic application, improves decision-making, and enhances future career prospects. As the world continues to evolve, work immersion programs become increasingly valuable in preparing students for the challenges and opportunities of their chosen careers. The benefits of work immersion to students are vast and should not be underestimated as they play a crucial role in shaping successful and well-rounded individuals.

Ten Things I Learned From Starting an Immersion School

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Editor’s Note: Immersion schools around the country are invariably oversubscribed, with long waiting lists. There is a need for courageous people like Camilla Modesitt, co-founder and development director of Denver Language School , to open more of them. She shares lessons she has learned in the hopes they will inspire others to follow in her footsteps.

2017 marked the 10-year anniversary of the founding of the Denver Language School, the only full-language immersion K-8 charter school offering Mandarin Chinese or Spanish in Colorado. As an original founder and current development director of the school, I have amassed some knowledge in what to do—and not do—when starting a school from the ground up. Through the years, I have had the opportunity to speak with numerous people who are interested in starting a language immersion school in their community. Following are some of my thoughts on the matter.

1. Be patient.

Like a fine wine, or writing a good book, anything worthwhile takes time. There are no overnight success stories. People will tell you “no;" people will be uninterested; people will send you on wild goose chases. If you believe in the school and what you are doing (as you should), don’t be deterred. Every person who has ever achieved anything of value has been told “no” and nevertheless, they persisted. Keep at it, even when it seems impossible!

2. Define your mission and vision—and stick to it.

Define a mission that you believe in strongly, that is backed by research, and that will serve your population. And then stick with it. Know that the fact that people will disagree with you does not mean you are wrong. Be willing to adapt, but don’t change your mission with every challenge you face. As the only full-language immersion K-8 public charter school in Colorado, we endured significant pushback from people who wanted us to be a 50/50 model or who wanted us only to be K-5. But, based on the research, we knew that full immersion K-8 would yield greater academic and intercultural benefits, so we stuck with it. Put together a great proposal and know it inside and out.

3. Believe, believe, believe.

There will be days that you are so discouraged, you will want to throw in the towel and walk away. When we were starting the school, we had people say things to us like, “I have my degree in second-language acquisition, and I am telling you, this school will never work,” and “This sounds great, but no one is going to support this.” Persistence will pay off. More importantly, because of the research, we knew that language immersion was an incredible model that gave students incomparable opportunity. This knowledge alone was enough to keep us going.

4. Surround yourself with people smarter than you.

Don’t try to have all the answers. In fact, it’s better when you don’t. Consult people, work with experts, reach out to those who have gone before you. Don’t reinvent the wheel. There is a ton of research available on immersion schools and best practices through the Center for Applied Research in Language Acquisition (CARLA), Asia Society , and Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL). Go to conferences and recruit those in the know. Put people on your team who round out the picture.

5. Do the next best thing.

When faced with difficult decisions, our one guiding principal was “do the next best thing.” This way we could stay focused on the immediate tasks at hand and not become panicked or overwhelmed.

6. Speed kills.

Give yourself time to prove your educational model. It will work. The resources and expertise you commit to curriculum, teacher hiring and professional development, and assessment tools will yield desirable results, but you have to go slow in order to go fast. If you start pushing replication before you have a decent pool of data, you’re building a house of cards without a solid foundation. Results take time. Look back at #1—Be Patient.

7. Fight the good fight.

Language immersion is not considered a priority by most lawmakers—at the local, state, or national level. It’s okay, we’ll get there. And you can help! Find local education advocacy organizations who fight for funding—or better yet, write or visit your lawmakers to ask them to prioritize language education. Go to your state capitol and testify (or have students testify) on behalf of language funding.

8. Education is a science.

Like all other sciences, best practices in education are constantly changing. One hundred years ago, doctors didn’t believe they could operate on a baby in utero. Seventy years ago, the idea of putting a man on the moon was inconceivable. Now we have done both. Change is good. The way this generation is educated will—and should—look very different from the way we were educated.

9. The hidden shoals.

When you are starting a language immersion school, it’s easy to overlook many of the non-language related, but just as important, issues. How will you provide support to students in language immersion programs? Will you offer gifted and talented services? What about your facility? Is it practical? Will you have to provide transportation to students and, if yes, how? The list of questions for non-related language concerns are long, exhausting, and critical. The more you can vet those questions ahead of time, the better off you will be.

10. The benefits of language immersion are real and tangible.

The benefits of language immersion are vast. Research shows that students who learn a second language from a young age perform better academically than their non-language-learning peers. In addition, they have higher executive functioning skills (critical thinking, problem-solving, listening), and have greater compassion and empathy. And, as I like to point out, they are comfortable being uncomfortable. This past June, Denver Language School graduated its first class of 8 th graders. A number of them sat for the AP Chinese or AP Spanish exam in May, and across the board we have high test scores. Moreover, these 8 th grade graduates are compassionate students who really understand, as part of the fabric of who they are, what it means to be a global citizen.

The country needs more language immersion programs. With blurred geographic boundaries and advancements of technology, our children aren’t just US citizens, they are citizens of the world as well. Language immersion prepares them for future in a meaningful way, giving them practical and applicable skills. If you are thinking about starting a school in your area, I hope this list helps as you begin this arduous, but oh-so-rewarding, journey.

Connect with Camilla and Heather on Twitter.

Photo credits: Merritt Design Photo

The opinions expressed in Global Learning are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

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ACROSS THE COUNTRY

A Frozen Pond and a New Way to Experience an Ancient Jewish Ritual in Maine

Students from Colby College helped harvest ice from a pond for a new mikvah, or ritual bath, at a synagogue in Waterville.

WHY WE’RE HERE

We’re exploring how America defines itself one place at a time. When a synagogue in Maine needed water for a ceremonial Jewish bath, it drew on a fitting natural source, with the help of some friends.

By Jenna Russell

Photographs by Tristan Spinski

Reporting from Waterville and Strong, Maine

Standing on a frozen pond in western Maine one Sunday morning last month, wearing L.L. Bean boots and a hooded sweatshirt, Rabbi Rachel Isaacs paused to consecrate the ice beneath her feet before she commandeered it for a higher purpose.

“Blessed are you, God, who has brought us to this moment!” the rabbi belted out. Austin Thorndike, a member of her congregation at Beth Israel Synagogue in Waterville, stood beside her. When the prayer was over, he fired up his chain saw and bent to dip it into the hard surface of the pond, deftly making four quick cuts to free a slick, white, cartoon-perfect block of ice.

The ice was destined for a highly unusual end. As the blocks multiplied, a crew of Colby College student athletes sprang into action, pulling them from the pond, pushing them to shore and swiftly loading them into waiting trucks. Next, the frozen cargo would be driven 40 miles to the synagogue, where the students would carry it to the basement. There, they would wipe each block clean with a cloth, stack it in the congregation’s brand-new mikvah, and leave it to melt.

The mikvah — a traditional Jewish bath used in rites of renewal and purification for thousands of years — would elevate this small synagogue in Waterville, a city of 16,000, to a destination for people from across Maine seeking a symbolic fresh start. But its creation, in accordance with ancient Jewish law, was not as simple as turning on a tap. To be kosher, a new mikvah must be initiated with “living water,” taken straight from nature.

Harvesting ice from a pond was not the easiest approach. (Collecting rainwater is more common.) But the woodsy, wintry plan felt right for Maine, participants said. So did the involvement of Colby students, some of them Jewish and some not.

In a rural state where a small Jewish population often needs grit, ingenuity and strong relationships to achieve its goals, the small liberal arts college and the small Waterville synagogue have long been closely tied. Friday night dinners at Beth Israel, hosted by Colby Hillel, the Jewish organization on campus, reliably serve 30 to 40 students, a mix of practicing Jews, their non-Jewish friends and others drawn to the cozy routine.

It was natural, then, for Rabbi Isaacs to seek ice-hauling help from students at Colby, where she is an assistant professor of Jewish studies and director of the college’s Center for Small Town Jewish Life.

Andrew Postal, a sophomore from Andover, Mass., brought fellow rugby players to the frozen pond, while Caitlin Kincaid, a senior from Colorado Springs, Colo., enlisted 10 members of the Colby Woodsmen Team, skilled in sawing wood and swinging axes.

“Upper body strength is something we have in abundance at Colby,” Rabbi Isaacs said.

At many synagogues, particularly Orthodox ones, the mikvah is reserved for strictly traditional uses, including conversion to Judaism and symbolic cleansing by women after menstruation. The new Waterville mikvah will be one of a few dozen across the country, and the only one in Maine, that is instead “open” — part of a 20-year-old movement by some more liberal congregations to make the tradition more inclusive, by using it to observe a more diverse array of milestones, like a college graduation or a gender transition .

Students recruited by the rabbi were eager to pitch in, even if they did not know what a mikvah was before she explained it.

“Everyone was like, ‘Yeah! The synagogue needs ice!’” said Will Whitman, 22, a senior rugby player who had quickly signed on to help. “Then we were like, ‘Wait — why does the synagogue need ice?’”

Stepping out onto the pond, their boots fortified with strap-on ice cleats, the students and other volunteers took turns gripping the heavy, freshly cut blocks with a pair of oversized log tongs and pulling them from the water. “It’s like the claw game,” said Alex Kimmel, 31, a member of a Jewish congregation in Augusta , as a block slipped out of her grasp and splashed back into the pond.

Others stood back and marveled at the scene — the small, spring-fed pond ringed by birch and pine; the fine mist rising from the melting snow; the students scooting ice blocks onto a plastic sled, which they dragged up a steep ridge of snow to the waiting trucks. More than one onlooker was reminded of the opening scene of “Frozen,” the Disney film set in frosty Arendelle.

To plan the operation, Rabbi Isaacs, 41, had leaned on the expertise of Mr. Thorndike, 35, an arborist and native Mainer who had offered the ice from a pond on his family’s land. (“I’m from the Jersey Shore,” Rabbi Isaacs said. “I trust the Maine-ness of my congregation.”)

Mr. Thorndike’s own conversion to Judaism, in 2020, helped spur the plan to build an in-house mikvah at Beth Israel. An immersion in living water is needed to complete the conversion process, but the nearest mikvah, about 60 miles away in Bangor, was closed at the time because of the pandemic.

Eager to seal the deal, Mr. Thorndike had agreed to immerse himself in a Maine lake instead — in October.

“To be kosher, it has to be three full submersions, and you can’t be touching anything, so I was treading water,” he said. “It was like Navy SEAL training.”

Watching him suffer, the rabbi resolved to engineer a less painful option.

“His teeth were chattering so much he could barely say the blessing,” she recalled.

Conversions have occurred with increasing frequency since Rabbi Isaacs arrived to lead Beth Israel. The congregation, founded in 1902, had dwindled to fewer than 20 families by the time she became rabbi in 2011. It has since rebounded to 70.

Tell Us About Where You Live

More than 20 percent of its current members are “Jews by choice” who were not raised in the religion — growth that Rabbi Isaacs sees as critical to her synagogue’s future, “and to the future of small-town Jewish life” across America.

The synagogue enlisted other Jewish congregations in Maine, which will also use the mikvah, to help pay for its ongoing maintenance.

“You might expect to see this in Boston or New York, but to have it here, in a small college town, is extraordinary,” said Julie Childers, director of the Mayyim Hayyim mikvah in Newton, Mass. “Sometimes it’s small towns where things like this can happen.”

Ms. Childers, who traveled to Maine for the ice harvest, oversees a national network of “open” mikv’ot (the plural of mikvah), providing guidance on construction, training sessions and text for ceremonies, among other services.

Rabbi Isaacs — who said she thinks of herself as “Waterville’s rabbi,” not just Beth Israel’s — will welcome non-Jews into the mikvah too, in keeping with the synagogue’s diverse relationships.

“It’s a venue for deepening one’s relationship with spirituality, for beginning again,” she said. “There aren’t many venues for that kind of renewal.”

With the Colby students keeping a brisk pace, shedding layers of clothing as they worked, the ice was cut and ready for transport in under an hour. Whisked through the woods and villages of western Maine — Rabbi Isaacs drove 10 of the 60 blocks herself in her pickup truck — the ice arrived at the synagogue just after noon.

It melted rapidly in the 60-degree room, dripping audibly into the deep basin and slowly filling it in the days that followed. After some water evaporated, Mr. Thorndike had to deliver a few more blocks, to ensure the mikvah contained the ton of living water required by Jewish law. But by the middle of March, the mikvah was ready.

On a Sunday afternoon two weeks after the ice harvest, Lucia Greene, 18, a Colby student, became the first to complete her conversion to Judaism in the mikvah, descending its seven steps — representing the seven days of creation described in the Torah — and immersing herself within its filtered, heated waters.

The milestone felt surreal, she said — and also “too soon,” even after nearly two years of preparation.

“But I’d been feeling Jewish for a while,” she said. “And when that’s how you feel, it’s time to go into the mikvah.”

Jenna Russell is the lead reporter covering New England for The Times. She is based near Boston. More about Jenna Russell

Across the Country

We’re exploring how america defines itself one place at a time..

Maine: In a rural area where a small Jewish population often needs grit, ingenuity and strong relationships to achieve its goals, a liberal arts college and a synagogue have long been closely tied .

Beaufort, N.C.: The Bodacious Belles, a locally famous group of rambunctious retirees, shows the difference a network of support can make in an aging America .

Minnesota: Saunas in the state, part of a tradition with roots in the 1800s, have been especially popular  since the pandemic as more people seek a communal experience.

Metairie, La.: A tire shop parking lot has become a popular destination for those craving a king cake, a Mardi Gras delicacy. The only problem: Which variety to choose ?

New England: Across New England, 700 towns once handed out ceremonial canes to their oldest residents. In some places, the honor endures  — for those willing to accept it, that is.

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WORK IMMERSION FOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT RIZAL COLLEGE OF TAAL

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This talks about the culture, society and language of the Batangueno.

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This study primarily aimed at assessing the OJT Program of La Consolacion College Tanauan, the objective of which is to develop an OJT Manual for its students and Practicum Coordinators. It involved 44 students under the School of Business and Accountancy, School of International Hotel and Restaurant Management and Tourism Management, School of Education, and School of Information Technology who were enrolled in their practicum course for school year 2011-2012 at La Consolacion College Tanauan. The descriptive method of research was utilized as the research design while the data gathering instruments were the survey questionnaire, unstructured interviews and focus group discussion. Statistical tools used were frequency, percentage and weighted mean. Significant findings revealed that the OJT Program of La Consolacion College Tanauan is well described and meets CHED minimum standards in terms of qualifications of students, industry linkages, number of hours, monitoring and evaluation and OJT requirements. Majority of the respondents are BSHRM and BSBA students. Most of them are with the service industry, in Housekeeping and General Administration Department, doing clerical works. The host establishments assessed the performance of the practicumers in terms of competencies, skills, attitude, and personality development as excellent. In line with this, the practicumers did not encounter any problem in their OJT in terms of training, work environment and school support. On the other hand, Practicum Coordinators encountered minimal problems concerning the training of practicumers. There are no significant differences on the performance of practicumers when grouped according to their profile variables because the practicumers were assessed as excellent in all variables. As such, an OJT Training Manual for the practicumers and the Practicum Coordinators is proposed.

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The origin of the name Taal is not actually positively known. An anecdote talks of a native Taaleño, who asked what the town was called, thought the question has reference to what he was hiding and he replied, ta-ad which is the Batangueños word for sugarcane points. From ta-ad, according to same storytellers, came TAAL. Places in the Philippines usually get their names from the plants or trees that grow in profusion near or around it. Tal-an trees have always been identified with Taal settlers and livelihood of the people. This makes the appellation tal-an (where the tal an trees grew) much more relevant than taad. Perhaps it was Datu Puti who coined the name shortly following their landing amidst the Ta-an trees at the mouth of the Pansipit River but time and the people have a way of corrupting words, hence Tal-an became Taal.

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