Student Internships
The Friends of Issaquah Salmon Hatchery (FISH) is proud to support the Learning Through Interest internship programs at two local high schools: Gibson Ek in Issaquah and Big Picture in Bellevue. Much like salmon, our needs change with the seasons! Below are the opportunities we have based on the time of year. Please note that while we work closely with hatchery staff, our organization’s focus is education and outreach, rather than scientific research.
Fall (5-6 Interns)
- Educational Tours: Lead school groups visiting on field trips. We generally run 3 tours per day for students K-12 in groups of 10.
- Outreach Booth: Engage the general public on current hatchery happenings.
- Hatchery Operations: Help with salmon spawning and egg picking.
- Events: Participate in our Salmon on Sunset and Salmon Days celebrations.
- Administration: Miscellaneous duties that support our operations (organizing materials and data entry).
- Individual Projects: Pursued based on interest and needs of the hatchery, such as technology upgrades, social media management, administrative organization, and art exploration.
Winter & Spring (3-4 Interns)
- Science Fairs: Engage families and students in an after school setting (often evenings).
- Classroom Presentations: Assist education coordinator with school outreach events.
- Individual Projects: Pursued based on interest and needs of the hatchery, such as technology upgrades, social media management, administrative organization, and art exploration.
Reflections from Past Interns
“The mutual respect and shared experiences among interns were monumental in creating a supportive and conducive learning environment, ultimately being a game changer to our internship and learning.”
Lars (2024)
“Teaching about salmon, life cycles, nature, and sustainability felt great; I felt like I was doing something to help make a change through educating others.”
Maddie (2024)
“It wasn’t just about showing people around; it taught me important skills like communicating well, thinking on my feet, and keeping people interested … that pushed me to be quick and adaptable.”
El (2024)
