Peyton Goto-Lynch ’29 has been horseback riding for nearly as long as she can remember. She first rode ponies at Griffith Park when she was just two years old and began taking lessons a few years later. 

“There wasn’t a specific spark for equestrian sports; it was just a part of my everyday life,” Peyton said. “I started seriously competing when I was 11 years old, and it wasn’t until then that the possibilities of going far in the sport felt real.”

Today, Peyton trains five to six times a week at Mark Watring Stables in Thousand Oaks, working with accomplished international equestrian and Olympian Mark Watring.

A major turning point in Peyton’s competitive journey came in November 2025, when Watring helped her find her horse, Erne Mountain Dew, known as “Dew.”

“With Dew, I started to improve my riding and jump higher,” Peyton said. “We were getting top ribbons as my show season went on.”

During the 2025-26 season, Peyton and Dew earned multiple first-place finishes, including Division Championships at Desert International Horse Park and the Flintridge Horse Show. Peyton also represented Viewpoint in IEL competition, finishing the season as the IEL Varsity League Reserve Champion in Jumpers.

Balancing school with training and competitions requires careful planning, and Peyton credits her teachers with helping her stay on track when traveling for shows.

“I’m thankful to all my teachers for being willing to help me while I continue to pursue my equestrian goals,” she said.

Looking ahead, Peyton hopes to qualify for Nationals in Las Vegas this November and continue advancing to higher levels with Dew. We look forward to cheering her on throughout the season!

The Upper School campus was buzzing August 18-20 as nearly the entire Class of 2027 dedicated three days of their summer for Viewpoint’s College Counseling Summer Institute (CCSI). With college application deadlines quickly approaching, our College Counseling Office does everything possible to guide seniors, support them, and get them ready to be confident, thoughtful, and successful college applicants. 

Our stated goals for CCSI:

• Develop and revise a personal essay draft  
• Explore majors and additional supplemental essay questions
• Complete the Common Application 
• Introduce the UC Application
• Discuss essay drafts with a college admission rep  

On the first day of CCSI, seniors heard from college admission experts Jamie Black, Senior Regional Manager of Admissions at the University of Wisconsin, and Kathryn Pierce, Regional Assistant Director of Admissions at Washington University in St. Louis, during a panel titled “Wisdom from the Other Side of the Desk.” Our guests shared their advice and best practices for how to approach writing the college essay and our seniors benefited from their insight and partnership with our office. 

The three day CCSI program also included a review of important dates in senior year, college application procedures, completing their application with our office’s Guide to the Common Application, organization strategies, and one-on-one meetings with their college counselor to receive specific feedback on their personal college essay. Our team also presented in the Carlson Family Theater (CFT) on tips to write and research the many additional supplemental essays they will encounter. Seniors also greeted Mike Emborsky, the new Head of Upper School, and heard from Head of School and President Mark McKee. 

The CCSI experience culminated with each senior having an individual 20-minute Zoom meeting with a college representative to present their essay draft and hear valuable feedback. The colleges represented were:   

Boston University

Brown University

Colgate University

Hampden-Sydney College

Lafayette College

Lehigh University

Muhlenberg College

Northwestern University

Pepperdine University

Tulane University

New York University

University of Colorado, Boulder

George Washington University

University of Iowa

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

University of Miami

University of San Diego

University of San Francisco

University of Southern California 

Whittier College

Willamette University

Worcester Polytechnic Institute 

What a highlight! We are grateful for our partnerships with these colleges and their support of our students. 

Viewpoint seniors are starting the year off in excellent shape. They are ready for the next step, assigned a to-do list, and have their next meetings with us on the books! We can’t wait to continue this momentum in the fall and guide them through this exciting time. 

On May 29, Film IV students premiered their original films, Toothfairy Inc. and Troubled Glory, during Viewpoint's annual Film IV Symposium in the Carlson Family Theater. The evening included red carpet arrivals, screenings of the original student films, and a post-screening Q&A with the filmmakers.

The Film IV Honors class operates as a full-fledged production company, where students collaborate throughout the year to create an original film. With Monica Hoenig serving as executive producer, students take on every aspect of the filmmaking process, from scriptwriting and editing to casting and production design, while working within a $1,500 budget.

“Film IV is a testament to the senior students' hard work where they hone not only their technical and creative skills, but also soft skills such as communication and leadership,” said Hoenig. “It is a very important aspect of preparing the students for the real world, no matter what field they end up working in.”

Written and directed by Jack Whigham ’26, a future Chapman University film student, Troubled Glory follows an up-and-coming boxer who discovers his girlfriend has been cheating on him with his own brother. Forced to face one another in the ring, the brothers turn a championship fight into a battle fueled by jealousy, betrayal, and broken trust.

“I've always had a special place in my heart for movies that were based around boxing and wanted to capture the pure drive of a fighter while telling the story through a real-world scenario,” said Whigham.

Written and directed by Max Zou ’26, Toothfairy Inc. tells the story of a burned-out insurance salesman who stumbles into a hidden network of real-world tooth fairies, where lost fragments of childhood are quietly collected and returned. As he takes on the job, he begins to rediscover wonder and what it means to be a father.

“As we approached adulthood and graduation, I wanted to write a piece that captures the childhood wonder and magic that can sometimes be forgotten,” said Zou. “I hope this film brings back memories and feelings from childhood.”

Congratulations to all of the students involved in bringing these original films to life.

Troubled Glory Crew

Writer & Director: Jack Whigham ’26
Producer: Luca Karapetian ’26
Executive Producer: Monica Hoenig
Director of Photography: Derek Kessler ’26
Production Design & Costume: Noah De Fanti ’26
Editor: Mac Ladin ’26
Lighting Design: Asher Oden ’26
Sound Design: Collin Steelberg ’26

Toothfairy Inc. Crew

Writer & Director: Max Zou ’26
Producer: Daphne Huffman ’26
Executive Producer: Monica Hoenig
Director of Photography: Grant Coelen ’26
Production Design & Costume: Luna Kuhn ’26 and Rachel Huang ’26
Main Editor: Wolfie Bikel ’26
Editing Assistant: Mac Ladin ’26
Sound Design: Hudson Stone ’26

On Saturday, June 6, 117 members of the Viewpoint Class of 2026 crossed the stage on Ring Family Field, celebrating years of academic achievement, personal growth, and meaningful connections. Surrounded by proud families, friends, faculty, and staff, graduates reflected on their time in the canyon while looking ahead to the opportunities that await them.

Head of School Mark McKee opened the ceremony by reflecting on the Class of 2026's Upper School journey and encouraging graduates to embrace a life of service. Noting that each year of high school is centered around one of Viewpoint's core values, McKee shared that the Class of 2026's senior year was devoted to excellence, reminding graduates that "true excellence is service."

"To live in service to an idea greater than oneself will always fulfill you," McKee said.

Following McKee's remarks, Salutatorian Avi Shah '26 reflected on the relationships, chance encounters, and shared experiences that shaped the Class of 2026's journey. Drawing on a story about his grandfather's life-changing decision to remain in the United States after a chance conversation in a college dining hall, Shah explored the idea of the butterfly effect and the lasting impact people can have on one another's lives.

"So many things had to go exactly right for us to end up on this stage as the people we are, so be grateful for it," Shah shared.

The ceremony also featured several musical performances, including "Blue Mambo" by the Upper School Wind Ensemble, "Glorious" performed by the Upper School Concert Choir, and "Moon River" performed by Twelfth Grade String Students.

Continuing Viewpoint's tradition of welcoming distinguished members of the community to address graduates, the School welcomed alumnus Brenden Rodriquez '16, a Lieutenant Junior Grade and Naval Flight Officer in the United States Navy, as the commencement speaker.

Introduced by Anniston Aragon '26, Rodriquez returned to campus ten years after graduating from Viewpoint to reflect on the lessons that have guided his journey since leaving the canyon. Drawing from his experiences in military service, he encouraged graduates to seek opportunities to serve others, remain adaptable in the face of unexpected challenges, and appreciate the small moments that make each stage of life meaningful.

"Find something you love, find something you're good at, and something that helps those around you, and put it to use to serve the greater good," Rodriquez said.

Later in the ceremony, Valedictorian Joseph Abdou '26 reflected on the importance of the everyday choices that shape life's larger journey.

"It is not the way that you begin that writes your story's conclusion. Instead, it is written by the 35,000 decisions that you'll make today, tomorrow, and the day after that," Abdou said.

The ceremony concluded with the presentation of diplomas and the recognition of several outstanding members of the graduating class. Andrew Neville '26 received the Arthur B. O'Leary Award, Viewpoint's highest honor for a senior. Established in 1986 by the Board of Trustees, the award recognizes the student who best exemplifies the qualities Viewpoint strives to develop in its graduates, including service to others, academic accomplishment, positive spirit, and good character.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026! As they depart Viewpoint and begin new journeys across the country and around the world, we wish them continued success and fulfillment in the years ahead. The recording of the ceremony is now available for viewing here.