NAF Internship Preparation Modules

Internship Preparation Lessons Educator Guide

Internship Preparation Lessons are designed intentionally to provide the most impactful internship readiness experience. Learn more about how to implement them in your classroom.

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I was seeing the improvement with the emails that they wrote before and after. That's the important part: the application of the skills in the real world.

NAF Educator

It was easy to make adjustments [to modules], I like the number of activities and the way that they were chunked.

NAF Educator

I learned a lot from these modules and think other students will, too.

NAF Student

Preparing For Your First Internship


My Story, My Strengths, My Goals Students identify their strengths and how they can use them to start figuring out their professional identity and what they want to get out of their internships experience.
My First Day Students explore what a first day might look like and how they can best prepare themselves while maintaining self-authenticity.
On The Job (Verbal) Students navigate the intricacies of verbal and non-verbal communication, including active listening, within the context of a workplace environment.
On The Job (Written) Students explore the intricacies of written communication and make communication style decisions.
What Could Possibly Go Wrong? Students are equipped with a growth mindset to help them embody adaptability and problem-solving for unexpected obstacles they may face in the workplace.

Getting Ready for the Day-to-Day


Monday Meetings Students understand how they can best utilize and get the most out of gatherings like a Monday Meeting.
Let's Get Lunch Students practice navigating a more relaxed environment, a business lunch, practicing how to be casual while still maintaining overall professionalism.
Busy Project Week Students practice being helpful during a busy work week while still being mindful of their own work boundaries and having others respect those boundaries.
Supervisor's Vacation Students figure our how to problem-solve situations that may arise if their supervisor is away.
Farewell, but not Goodbye Students see the importance of networking, including peer-to-peer networking, and places emphasis on being polite, memorable, and proving their potential.

We would like to extend our special thanks to the DC Public Schools Tenacity team for sharing the great lessons they have created. We have used many of Tenacity’s open source activities in our Internship Prep lessons and have been inspired by the concepts throughout their curriculum. Any time we used Tenacity’s materials for inspiration, we have noted that in our materials and linked to this page.

To learn more about Tenacity, we encourage you to check out the full semester-long Tenacity curriculum as well as this Welcome to Tenacity video from the DCPS team.

~ The NAF Curriculum Development Team

About Tenacity

Increasing research in the marketplace shows that employers are seeking more than know-how or technical ability—they seek candidates with soft skills. Also known as job readiness or employability skills, they basically mean the same thing—personal attributes that enable one to maintain effective and harmonious relationships.

The Tenacity Professional Character Skills Curriculum introduces students to real-life workplace expectations and centers on the development of three character strengths: poise, initiative, and tenacity. Character strengths are more meaningful than any particular lesson about a professional skill, such as resume writing, organization, or time management. The argument that a student’s ability to craft a resume is the make-or-break moment for their career is disingenuous. Although a necessary skill, alone it is insufficient for success after high school. Acquiring communication, leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving abilities provide students an advantage not only to secure employment but also to excel in their careers and in life. The objective is to train students to apply professional skills beyond technical know-how and adopt them as their own personal mindsets and work habits.