Win and Win: What Interns Get and What You Get

High school interns are one of the best assets a local campaign can have. They’re enthusiastic, smart, quick to learn, and often bring their friends along for the ride.

What they get:

• Real-world experience in politics and grassroots campaigning
• A chance to explore political science, government, media, and organizing
• Volunteer hours or resume-building experience
• Mentorship from adults who believe in democracy

What you get:

• Support with flyers, door hangers, and social media
• Help running events, knocking doors, or even cutting turf in MiniVAN
• A direct line into a younger voter base
• A new set of hands when everyone else is juggling ten tasks

If you're running a Democratic campaign around a kitchen table, bringing on a high school intern is one of the easiest ways to expand your reach and impact.

Project Ideas for Interns

Not sure what to give them? Try any of these:

• Flyer Distribution: Interns can hang flyers downtown and at local businesses that allow them.
• Social Media Support: Let them help you schedule posts, design graphics in Canva, or brainstorm captions. They know what’s trending.
• Event Help: From setup to cleanup, interns are often thrilled to help out and they’ll learn a ton in the process.
• Voter Outreach: Interns can help with text banking, prepping VBM materials, or organizing lawn sign logistics.
• Platform Feedback: Ask them what issues matter to them and their peers. You might be surprised how thoughtful they are.

Pro tip: Interns love doing real tasks. Let them try. Let them fail. Teach them how to do it right. That’s the gig.

Where to Find High School Interns

• Ask teachers directly: Social studies, government, or English teachers often know which students might be interested.
• Reach out to student clubs: Key Club, Debate, Model UN, Environmental Club, or Student Council.
• Post in local Facebook groups: Parents will tag their kids. Works every time.
• Ask your volunteers: Someone probably has a kid who’d love to help out.
• Talk to the guidance office: Many students need service hours to graduate.

You don’t need dozens. Just one or two interns can make a meaningful difference.

Application and Interview Process

Keep it simple. A short Google Form is all you need to collect:

• Name and contact info (yes, phone number because they text, not email)
• School and grade
• Why they’re interested
• Any experience or special skills (social media, Canva, writing, etc.)
• Availability

Then set up a short, 10-minute video chat to:

• Get a sense of their communication skills
• Share expectations and what they'll learn
• Make sure it's a good fit for both sides

Best Practices for Working With Interns

• Hold a weekly intern check-in: Even 30 minutes on Zoom helps keep them connected and accountable.
• Teach them something every week: What is GOTV? How does canvassing work? What’s the difference between a candidate and campaign manager?
• Give them ownership: Let them lead a flyer campaign or take over the Instagram for a week.
• Text them, don’t email: If you email an intern, you might as well mail it by pigeon.
• Recognize their work: Shout them out on social, write them a college rec later, thank them in your eblast.

Want to build the next generation of Democratic leaders?
Start with a Google Form and a Zoom link.
Bring them in.
Train them.
Let them see what democracy looks like right here in your town.