Last summer, 10 McKinney ISD students participated in a paid internship program with the city of McKinney. Now, four months before summer, city and MISD staff are discussing offering the program for a second year.

While an official recommendation has not been made to McKinney City Council about the program, city staff plans to bring the program before council during a March 5 work session, Assistant to the City Manager Trevor Minyard said during a Feb. 11 meeting.

City staff will also recommend council open the 2019 internship program to students outside MISD. This is in response to feedback gathered from the pilot program in summer 2018, Minyard said.

Nancy Cowlishaw, Partners in Education coordinator for MISD, said she and Minyard already have companies contacting them wanting to participate in the program this summer.

The pilot program was approved by council in February 2018. Interns worked no more than 20 hours per week and earned at least $8 an hour.

The students who participated in the program last year worked with city government for six to eight weeks. Students worked in a variety of fields, including parks and recreation, library services, public works, information technology, the McKinney Performing Arts Center and more.