The City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, has taken a proactive step towards nurturing the seeds of tomorrow's public safety leaders by hosting a mini-internship for high school students, who got the chance to walk in the boots of first responders. The St. Louis Park Fire Department, Police Department, and Hennepin EMS teamed up to deliver a hands-on experience for students from Benilde-St. Margaret's, as noted in their recent social media post.
During this hands-on educational experience, students moved beyond observation to active participation, working through scenarios such as a DWI investigation, treating an injured victim, and accessing a crashed vehicle, as detailed by the City of St. Louis Park. The program emphasized interagency collaboration, demonstrating how different divisions unite during critical incidents. Its goal was not just to inform, but to engage—giving students a real sense of the challenges and rewards of first responder careers. Prior to these mock emergencies, participants trained at Hennepin County Medical Center and with local fire and police departments, gaining insight into the lives they may one day lead.
The First Responders mini-internship is part of Benilde-St. Margaret’s EPIC program, which allows students to explore a wide range of career fields—including business, engineering, architecture, psychology, marketing, videography, aviation, medicine, entrepreneurship, and more. EPIC aims to spark students’ curiosity about their future and help them discover areas they’re passionate about pursuing. "Thank you to everyone who made this event possible!" the City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota stated.
