Mr. Michael House: No, his job is not getting coffee.

Meenakshi Sathish and Ashton Baysden​
Features Editor and A & E Editor

         There is a connotation that comes along with the title “intern”. It is presented by a jittery millennial who rushes down the halls with two trays of coffee in his hands trying to keep his internship. However, Mr. House is far from the intern we have laughed at on films and sitcoms.

           The Administrative Intern from Scotland Neck, North Carolina (which is a small town so small that they don’t have a stoplight) is currently studying at UNC Chapel Hill’s graduate school and is far from a bumbling intern. He graduated East Carolina University with an English Education major. Having taught both elementary school kids and high school students for three years, he realized that he connects better with older students and has much more in common with them. Being a grad student calls for talking about his experiences as an intern in an educational environment with his peers and professors. While he admits his undergraduate schooling was a lot more fun, he appreciates both schools as they represents different points of his life. 
           His time in Apex High School started with him working and bonding along with Dr. Dianne Kearney, Mr. David Zies, and Ms. Jeannette Hill late last year and throughout the summer. His time with the administration solidified his desire to work at Apex High School. The respectful students and great staff have provided for a welcoming first year for Mr. House.  The diversity is also a plus point that he acknowledges. 
          Reflecting on his time as a student, he laughs and mentions how, while he fared well academically, he tried to get away with a lot of things behaviorally. Since he went to a small private school, with his graduating class of twenty other students, his family got to know the school’s principal very well. Looking back, he appreciates his time at a smaller school, but he does wish that he had gone to a larger public school since there are more opportunities for students at bigger public schools, and it is more representative of the real world.
         House strives to take his “legacy” to a global level. As he is learning French, he would like to utilize the skill and maybe teach English as a second language or be an administrator in France. Although France is his goal, House is a true patriot with his favorite novels consisting of The Great Gatsby and To Kill a Mockingbird. 
         Acknowledging that seniors are nervous to entering the “real world”, he advises students to not forget their origins. He emphasizes how throughout the years, it is important to remember the people who helped you get where you are now. It is always heartwarming when students contact him on Facebook after they graduate to express their gratitude for what he did for them. He recalls the time when he and his friend were talking and wondering why kids are in such a rush to be adults “because it’s not that fun.” 
         “Just enjoy it and explore all the options that you can. Don’t pigeonhole yourself into one specific major or career; just take some time to really think about it. This is an exciting time in your life,” House encourages. 
            For his final note, House would like to add that he has never fetched coffee for Dr. Kearney, but he does know that she likes her tea half-sweet-half-unsweetened.