Building Career Pathways: Internships, Equity, and a Grow Your Own Teacher Pipeline with Ian Smith

In this episode of GREEN OUR PLANET: GROW Together, host Ciara Byrne sits down with Ian Smith, Director for High School Instruction at Community Unit School District 200 in Illinois. Ian oversees academics across Wheaton North and Wheaton Warrenville South, and he’s helped build some of the most practical, student-centered systems for engagement: real career pathways, real work-based learning, and a standout Introduction to Teaching program that gives students clinical classroom experience before they ever graduate.Ian shares how his own journey into education was shaped by watching his father-in-law change students’ lives—and how that same “full circle” story now shows up in the programs he built for students. If you’re trying to make high school feel meaningful again, expand opportunity beyond the already advantaged, and scale hands-on learning without overwhelming staff, this conversation is packed with real steps and lessons learned.Key Moments04:01 "Mentorship's Transformative Impact"09:03 "Growing Diverse Future Teachers"12:01 Inspiring Future Generations16:11 Determined, Goal-Oriented College Approach17:17 Overcoming Scheduling Challenges21:33 "Student Internships in Various Fields"25:01 "Team Effort for Student Internships"29:48 Building High School Manufacturing ProgramWhy You Will Love This EpisodeA practical, hopeful blueprint for rebuilding high school relevance—showing how career assessments, four-year pathways, dual credit, internships, and a grow-your-own teacher pipeline can increase engagement, improve equity, and give students real clarity before they ever step onto a college campus.Connect with Ian Smith | Director for High School Instruction, Community Unit School District 200Company Website: https://www.cusd200.org/ Follow UsGREEN OUR PLANET: GROW TogetherHost: Ciara ByrneLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ciara-byrne-3548619 Website: https://www.greenourplanet.org/LinkedIn: https://ch.linkedin.com/company/green-our-planetAbout GREEN OUR PLANET: GROW TogetherGREEN OUR PLANET: GROW Together is the podcast where education, sustainability, and innovation meet. Hosted by Green Our Planet CEO Ciara Byrne, each episode spotlights educators, leaders, and partners who are creating hands-on learning experiences that connect students to the planet, build real-world skills, and inspire action in schools and communities.