In honor of Black History Month, Viewpoint School welcomed Emmy and Gracie Award-winning executive producer Nzinga Christine Blake to campus on Wednesday, February 25. She spoke at two assemblies in the Carlson Family Theater and engaged Middle and Upper School students through storytelling and conversation.

Blake, Special Projects Executive Producer for ABC Owned Television Stations, shared insights from her career and introduced students to ABC On the Red Carpet Storytellers Spotlight, a series she created to highlight underrepresented voices across The Walt Disney Company.

During each assembly, students watched Storytellers Spotlight: Hoops, Hopes & Dreams, which offers a powerful behind-the-scenes look at how basketball became a tool for connection and change, tracing its impact from the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to President Barack Obama through the lens of Emmy-nominated director Glenn Kaino. The episode features producers Jesse Williams and Alexys Feaster alongside Executive Producer Dr. Bernice King in a rare and deeply personal appearance. Together, they reflect on leadership, visibility, and unity while honoring their late producing partner Michael Latt, whose work was inspired by Dr. King’s call to build the Beloved Community and lead with love. 

Following the screening, Blake joined student panelists for a Q&A conversation, discussing the power of storytelling, the importance of representation in media, and how sports can bring people together across communities.

Storytellers Spotlight: Hoops, Hopes & Dreams is now streaming on Hulu.

Viewpoint’s annual World Ready Week, held February 23-27, brought our Middle School and Upper School together for three assemblies and two days of student centered and student-led workshops focused on belonging, leadership, and real-world topics. 

The week began in the Carlson Family Theater with powerful words, messages, and acronyms to remember and inspire, as offered by Los Angeles Rams Head Coach and Superbowl LVI Champion, Sean McVay. He shared insights from his journey through athletics and coaching, and from lessons that he has learned along the way. Head of School Mark McKee moderated a Q&A with McVay that also included student-athlete panelists. 

Upper School panelists included Tanner Tyminski ’26, Romy Harari ’26, and Aiden McVay ’26. The Middle School panel featured Lexi Jones-Becconsall ’30, Shiva Patel ’30, Jackson Phillips ’30, and Josh Brown ’30. During the discussions, McVay encouraged students to think about the people and experiences that shape their growth.

“One of the biggest things to remember is that you become the company you keep,” McVay said. “Surround yourself with people who inspire you and push you to keep moving in the direction you want to go. As you’re figuring out your next steps, start by asking yourself, ‘When am I at my best? What are the things that light me up the most?’ That’s often where you start to find clarity.”

Throughout the week, Upper School students designed and facilitated workshops on a wide range of topics, including cultural foods, arts and traditions, mental health and identity to athletics, and strategies for productively navigating difficult conversations. Workshops included “Creating Balance,” “The Pandora’s Box of Artificial Intelligence,” and “Challah Braiding and Shabbat.” 

Middle School students led sessions focused on communication, mindset and global perspectives, including “Academic Validation and Perfectionism,” “Empathy and Constructive Criticism,” and culture-based workshops that invited students to learn through food, games and discussion.

The week included two additional assemblies, one that highlighted “Storytelling through Written Word and Song.” As a requirement for graduation in the Upper School, each senior writes a speech using the prompt, “This I believe,” reflecting on the values and beliefs that shape their lives. Four seniors shared their heartfelt speeches: Max Brown ’26, Noah DiFanti ’26, Chloe Brendle ’26, and Prianna Pierce ’26. 

In keeping with the themes of the speeches, musical performances were woven throughout the assembly. Members of our Upper School vocal ensemble, Voices Now, sang duets by Jamey Tsugawa ’27 and Racheal Chun ’27, as well as Chloe Brendle ’26 and Jake Roth ’26. Phoebe Donlon ’28, David Wang ’27, and Sadie Kieffer ’26 also performed solos throughout the program. 

The week was brought to a close with Upper School and Middle School assemblies that offered reflection time for all. 

“During World Ready Week 2026 we connected through the joyful pursuit of excellence, our word for the year,’ said Patricia Jackson, Chief Belonging and Community Officer. “Students did an excellent job of preparing and presenting their stories and songs, and sharing from their experiences and strength in nearly 50 breakout sessions. Together, we continue to work toward world readiness while centering the mission, vision, and values of our School during WRW and always." 

If you missed Sean McVay’s keynote address, you can watch the recordings below:

• Upper School Keynote
• Middle School Keynote

McVay’s visit to campus was also featured on NBC Los Angeles.

On Tuesday, February 17, Lunar New Year (also known as Chinese New Year) brought a sense of celebration to campus, as students across all four divisions participated in activities that highlighted culture, community, and tradition.

Primary and Lower School students marked the occasion through a variety of activities, including classroom acknowledgments and special take-home gifts provided by parent volunteers. The Benjamin Franklin Library (BFL) also featured festive displays, including curated literature, traditional materials, and decorative window decals.

Middle and Upper School students celebrated with two Lunar New Year events held in the Paul Family Athletic Center (PFAC). Activities included drawing Chinese characters symbolizing luck and fortune, practicing calligraphy, and trying on traditional attire worn for the New Year. Students also received red envelopes, a tradition in Chinese households around the world, with the chance to win special prizes. They also participated in a dragon dance, taking turns holding the dragon head and guiding the dragon around the space.

The Lunar New Year officially began on Tuesday, February 17, and will culminate with the Lantern Festival on March 3, marking the celebration of the Year of the Fire Horse. The horse symbolizes energy, strength, and independence, often associated with movement and determination. The fire element represents passion, vitality, and transformation, bringing a dynamic and spirited energy to the year.

Xīn Nián Kuài Lè! (Translation: Happy New Year in Mandarin)

In honor of the birthday and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Viewpoint School presented its second production of Healing through Music on January 21, bringing students, faculty and staff, parents and guardians, alumni, and community members together to explore the unifying and restorative power of music.

Held in the Carlson Family Theater, the day featured two student assemblies and an evening community performance, presented by the Office of Community Life in collaboration with Viewpoint’s Music, Theatre, and Dance Departments. Building on its original production, this year’s program introduced new contributions from students, faculty and staff, parents and guardians, and alumni, along with an accompanying art gallery curated by Visual Arts Department Chair Nell Yates.

“Music is transformative,” said Patricia Jackson, Chief Belonging and Community Officer at Viewpoint School. “It can touch our souls, offering healing benefits, making it a powerful tool in the reduction of stress and also, for bringing people together in building community. Dr. King’s oratory was rich with meaning and rhythm. He viewed music as a powerful instrument of change.”

The performance opened with a medley by Voices Now, Viewpoint’s Upper School vocal ensemble, joined by Smooth Mahogany, a group of FAAV moms. Music teacher Marisa McLeod followed with a stirring rendition of “Battle Hymn of the Republic (Glory, Hallelujah)” on violin before introducing her musical interpretation of “This Little Light of Mine,” accompanied on piano by Kyle deTarnowskyon.

Los Angeles-based musician and educator Jason Lee Bruns offered storytelling and led an interactive African drum circle with students and faculty, while composer and arranger Bill Brendle and student Jack Lawson ’29 performed Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag.” Additional highlights included Viewpoint teacher Corey Henderson’s rendition of “Let It Be” and a bilingual performance of “Endless Love” in Mandarin and Korean by students David Wang ’27 and Rachael Chun ’27.

Notable guest artists included Viewpoint alumni Randy White ’16, an R&B singer-songwriter and music therapist, and Jen Hirsh ’04, an R&B singer-songwriter and American Idol semi-finalist. The evening concluded with a powerful rendition of We are A Family, from Dreamgirls, by a nearly 100-member Viewpoint Community Choir.

In his closing remarks, Mark McKee, Viewpoint’s head of school, spoke to the sense of belonging and shared purpose reflected throughout Healing through Music.

“At Viewpoint, family is a value that is enshrined in our vision,” McKee said. “Each of you is part of a family, and family means you love one another and accept one another without condition. That you belong. You are part of the Viewpoint family, united by our traditions and community and purpose. And you are part of the family of humankind, this interconnected web of mutuality. We are stronger together.”

Watch the ABC7 Los Angeles segment featuring Healing through Music here.