First Time Here?
Senator Schatz’s high school internship program provides a hands-on learning opportunity about the U.S. Senate and encourages students to be leaders and advocates in their schools and communities. Previous classes have conducted peer surveys, attended community meetings, tracked how federal legislation impacts their communities, organized a student town hall, and learned how to propose the office take action on issues that are important to them.
This is a virtual internship and students should miss little or no class time performing the tasks or assignments related to the program. The program uses online tools and communication methods, including weekly video conferences, so students from all islands are encouraged to apply. The internship runs from late September - April, and interns must commit for the full term.
Private, public, charter, and homeschool seniors in the state of Hawaii may apply. Students must have a GPA of 2.5 or better and personal access to email throughout the internship.
Note: If you are selected for our internship program, you could be prohibited from participating in some activities due to the potential for conflict. These could include working for other elected officials (including volunteering), direct lobbying of legislators, and publication of articles or commentary in your name. It would likely not prohibit you from participating in groups that advocate for policy changes provided you are not the spokesperson for these efforts and have a behind the scenes role. If you have any questions about this policy, please contact highschool_internship@schatz.senate.gov.
Application
Completed applications must be submitted before 12:00pm HT on Wednesday, August 28. Both the questionnaire and checklist must be submitted for an application to be considered complete.
The system will not allow you to submit a late application, so please do not wait until the last minute. If you experience any issues or have any questions, please contact us at (808) 523-2061