Kirsten Ryon, a senior at Superior Central High School in Eben Junction, poses with one of the resident cats at Bayshore Veterinary Hospital in Harvey. Ryon is interning at Bayshore this school year as part of a program with the Michigan-Alger Educational Service Agency. (Journal photo by Christie Bleck)

HARVEY — A typical student’s day usually doesn’t involve seeing a dog that swallowed a dozen rocks.

However, that’s been part of Kirsten Ryon’s school year. Ryon, a senior at Superior Central High School in Eben Junction, has been part of an internship program with the Marquette-Alger Regional Educational Service Agency.

In that program, high school seniors are placed in an everyday work setting to experience first-hand the skills and knowledge they will need in the real world, be it a veterinary clinic, municipal office or hospital.

“It is a win-win situation where both the students and the business can benefit,” said Rayme Martineau, educational consultant with MARESA, based in Marquette. “Students learn about what a career entails and what employers will be expecting from them in the future. The business has the potential to lower future recruitment and training and it promotes positive community public relations.”

Students from Superior Central, Marquette Senior, Ishpeming and Munising high schools are placed with the city of Marquette Fire Department, the city of Marquette, Northern Michigan University public television, the Marquette Downtown Development Authority, the Marquette Regional History Center, the Ishpeming City Manager’s Office, Bayshore Veterinary Hospital, Neenah Paper and Munising Memorial Hospital.

Ryon wants to be a veterinary technician, so it stands to reason she was placed at Bayshore, located along U.S. 41 in Harvey.

“I chose to do a veterinary tech, and they place you where they think it’s best for you,” Ryon said. “I was very happy to get this one.”

In fact, she takes her German shorthaired pointer, Sally, to Bayshore where she will take part in her internship from 8 to 10 a.m. daily during her senior year.

Her duties, like the full-time vets and vet techs, are varied.

“I can handle dogs, handle cats,” Ryon said. “I run blood tests and clean cages, get dogs out of cages, all of that kind of stuff.”

Those are the kinds of things she would have to perform as a fully employed vet tech.

However, she has to earn a degree in that field first,

“The best place to go is probably Michigan State,” Ryon said. “It’s like their big thing, is vet tech school. So, that’s where I’m planning on going.”

According to the MSU Veterinary Technology website, vet technicians and technologists are “compassionate, highly motivated paraprofessionals” dedicated to animal health care. They have diverse medical responsibilities that include animal nursing care, laboratory specimen analysis, surgical assistance, anesthesia, radiographic imaging, nutritional management, dental prophylaxis, physical therapy and client education.

The American Veterinary Medical Association recognizes two levels of training for the veterinary paraprofessional: veterinary technician and veterinary technologist. The certificate of completion at Michigan State University prepares veterinary technicians and the bachelor of science degree prepares veterinary technologists.

Ryon plans to enter the two-year program.

Of course, she loves animals. If she didn’t, an internship in a vet’s office might be a bad match.

In this case, it’s a good match.

“They make me happy,” Ryon said. “I love being around them all the time.”

She’s been interning at Bayshore the entire school year, so she’s gotten some idea of what the field is like.

That includes dealing with an uncooperative, possibly frightened animal.

“The most challenging has probably been learning what to do and what not to do and learning all the signs of an aggressive dog or an aggressive cat,” Ryon said.

Another challenging part has been running blood tests and learning the purpose of those tests, but seeing the animals’ health improve also has been rewarding, she said.

“And I enjoy working with everybody here a lot,” Ryon said.

Seeing all those animals through her internship has brought up at least one unusual case.

“A chow dog came in, and they took out 12 rocks — out of his stomach,” Ryon said. “And they were pretty big for what size that dog is.”

She called Dr. Tim Hunt and Dr. Tracy Nyberg “super friendly.”

Nyberg said it’s neat to see how much Ryon is learning, noting the high-schooler observes surgeries and helps the techs in their work.

The internship also doesn’t cost Bayshore a dime.

“It’s a really neat program,” Nyberg said.

Ryon’s presence also supports the vet hospital.

“She’s definitely an asset,” Nyberg said. “I can see her confidence blooming.”

Christie Bleck can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250.

• A Marquette-Alger Regional Educational Service Agency program places high school seniors in an everyday work setting to experience first-hand the skills and knowledge they will need in the real world, be it a veterinary clinic, municipal office or hospital.

• Students from Superior Central, Marquette Senior, Ishpeming and Munising high schools are placed with the city of Marquette Fire Department, the city of Marquette, Northern Michigan University public television, the Marquette Downtown Development Authority, the Marquette Regional History Center, the Ishpeming City Manager’s Office, Bayshore Veterinary Hospital, Neenah Paper and Munising Memorial Hospital.