Alexsandro Arreguin-Nava, Prairie View High senior on United Airlines catwalk at Denver International Airport
Unveiling conspiracies
Is Denver International Airport (DIA) really home to a colony of Lizard people, and is the Blue Horse really cursed? PVHS senior Alexsandro Arreguin-Nava has gone behind the scenes and discovered something much more important: the growth opportunities that come from meaningful internships.
It’s no conspiracy theory: Alex and the other United Airlines interns from Prairie View High School are learning the ins and outs of the airline industry with the third largest airline in the world, United Airlines, before even graduating from high school.
After being in the High School of Business pathway, a series of Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses, at Prairie View High since his freshman year, Alex landed an internship at United Airlines this fall semester. As a student intern for United, he got to work with the Denver United Airlines Operations Control team, learning how an airline as big as United operates day-to-day at one of the busiest airports in the world–Denver International Airport.
After completing his internship in the fall, Alex met the requirements needed for completing his business CTE certification, but he didn’t want to stop there. He asked Jean Schneider, business teacher and internship coordinator at Prairie View High, and his United internship supervisor, Robert Grandinetti, what other opportunities were available with United.
“I didn’t have a plan coming into this internship, but the more that I came here, the more I wanted to come work at United,” said Alex.
“After high school, it’s the real world and Prairie View and 27J do a great job preparing us for it.”
– Alexsandro Arreguin-Nava, PVHS senior
From United Airlines intern to internship coordinator
Having already worked with Alex the last semester and needing help with the new Prairie View interns coming in, Grandinetti decided to give Alex a managerial role with United for the Spring semester. In this role, Alex would serve as internship coordinator, serving in a mentorship role for his fellow peers.
“He’s learning how to manage and coordinate–he’s naturally taken on the role. I’m very impressed with what he’s doing. Not a lot [of kids] that age get a chance to manage and coordinate with a company this big,” said Grandenitti.
For Alex, this experience is just another stepping stone toward his larger goals. “My dream is to work for the Colorado Rapids as a sales manager, and being a manager for our interns is a start…Coordinating, making their day a little bit better, and helping them gain meaningful knowledge from this experience… I feel like that’s a really good thing for me,” said Alex.
After graduating from high school this May, Alex plans to pursue a degree in sports marketing at Metropolitan State University of Denver while continuing to work with United Airlines in a paid position that Mr. Grandinetti helped him apply for as a reference.
“Some kids don’t really like school because they think it won’t help them in their life, but my business courses have helped me in ways I couldn’t be more thankful for,” said Alex.
Prairie View High intern working with a United Airlines employee
“I’ve learned how to use my good communication skills, I’ve learned how to be a good interviewee, and I feel like a lot of kids really need to learn these fundamental skills. After high school, it’s the real world and Prairie View and 27J do a great job preparing us for it.”
Alex’s experience through our CTE program is yet another example of the direct impact these pathways have on students’ lives post-graduation.
27J is in the midst of a historic investment in post-secondary workforce readiness, thanks to the 2021 Bond and 2022 Mill Levy Override passed by voters, which will expand career opportunities at each of our comprehensive high schools through the new STEM and CTE Centers being constructed and opening in Fall 2023.
The Mill Levy Override will fund three newly created internship coordinator positions, one for each high school. These coordinators will take the lead in expanding internship opportunities for students across all CTE pathways.
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