This summer, Viewpoint School’s CareerPoint Program reached new heights, with more students than ever gaining real-world experience through internships and professional shadow days across diverse industries. Designed to help rising seniors explore career interests—from medicine and technology to law, business, and the arts—CareerPoint prepares students with the career-readiness skills they’ll need for college and beyond.

“In summer 2024, we connected 10 rising seniors with CareerPoint hosts. This past summer, that number nearly tripled to 27 students,” said Chief Innovation Officer Anneke Emerson. “We hope to expand even further next year."

Hands-On Internships in Action

Now-senior Avi Shah ’26 interned with startup executive and CEO Mr. Judelson at First Principles and Common Sense, gaining firsthand experience in entrepreneurship and innovation.

“I learned a lot about startup culture, business etiquette, and other valuable lessons,” Shah said. “At First Principles, I helped create presentations and notes for classes that taught 140 product managers at a large healthcare company about AI foundations. I also worked on a design sprint team that tackled a new challenge each week. It was fun to see how these teams improve designs, efficiency, and user experience.”

Learning from Professionals in the Medical Field

Astrid Folkestad Smithson ’26 spent over a week shadowing at Kaiser Hospital, gaining firsthand insight into the teamwork and care that go into working in the medical field.

“I saw several kidney and liver biopsies, watched nerve blocks being placed in patients, and learned how vascular structures are analyzed,” she said. “It was fascinating to see how doctors collaborated to determine the best course of action for each patient.”

Exploring Engineering and Space Science

Derek Kessler ’26 explored a very different path through his experience at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

“I had the privilege of shadowing Mr. Dyer at JPL to learn what it’s like to work as an engineer,” Kessler said. “We toured several buildings, saw demonstrations of engineering principles in action, and viewed models of past technology sent into space. I especially enjoyed learning how engineers design mechanisms that can withstand the extreme conditions of space.”

Building Career Connections Across the Community

The experiences of students like Avi, Astrid, and Derek highlight how CareerPoint connects classroom learning with real-world discovery. As the program continues to grow, CareerPoint seeks more community partners and mentors to host students.

“If a community member is considering getting involved, I encourage them to learn more about the program and see the difference it can make,” Emerson said.