Beyond the Classroom: Real-World Learning in Action
The start of the spring semester at Da Vinci Schools has been nothing short of inspiring. With hands-on career exploration and creative collaborations, our students are immersing themselves in valuable real-world experiences. Here’s a glimpse into some of the amazing opportunities they’ve recently had.
RISE Students Learn from Grammy-Nominated Producers at Academix BEAT Lab
In February, students from Da Vinci RISE had the incredible opportunity to visit Academix BEAT Lab, where they heard from Grammy-nominated producers, DJs, and entrepreneurs. The speakers shared wisdom and life lessons that resonated deeply with our students, including a music producer who shared, "The moment my life changed was the moment I changed my mind about who I was and who I could become."
Students enjoyed learning about music production fundamentals and mixing beats. This powerful experience is just the beginning of RISE’s collaboration with Academix BEAT and the Music to the Ears Foundation.
Empowering Students to Find Their Purpose
With so many career opportunities available, it can be difficult for young people to identify their strengths, purpose, and motivation. To support students in this exploration, we launched a micro-internship experience that brings together students from across our schools to evaluate and choose a career assessment tool to benefit their peers. Guided by Alisa Sommer, Global Head of EdTech Business Development & Partnerships at Google, this project teaches students how to conduct a landscape analysis, develop evaluation criteria, assess different technologies, and present their findings to Da Vinci Schools’ leadership.
Our Da Vinci Schools CEO & Superintendent, Matthew Wunder shares, “We are excited about this experience as it equips students with valuable skills in research, analysis, and decision-making while ensuring that Da Vinci students have outstanding resources to explore their purpose, strengths, and career paths.”
Da Vinci Science Students Get an Inside Look at CSULB’s Construction Project
Students in Da Vinci Science’s Civil Engineering Pathway recently had the opportunity to visit California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) to learn firsthand about the University Student Union (USU) construction project. The USU is the heart of the CSULB campus, serving as a vibrant hub for students, faculty, alumni, and visitors. During the visit, Da Vinci Science students explored the $302 million renovation project and gained insight into the collaborative design-build process led by Penta Builders and Gensler Architects.
“My biggest takeaway was learning how other people who are not engineers, including people who work in finance, urban planning, and management, also played very important roles in this construction project.,” shared Nicholas Salazar, a senior at Da Vinci Science.
By engaging with engineers, interior designers, and project leaders, students gained real-world insight into large-scale infrastructure development, and how people across industries can come together in service of university students to build inclusive, welcoming, and vibrant community spaces.
Honoring Dr. King’s Legacy Through Art at Otis College
In January, students from Da Vinci Design’s Art for Service Club spent a day at Otis College of Art and Design for the MLK Day of Service. Faculty, staff, alumni, and students from Otis led engaging workshops that blended art, education, and community engagement, all in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision.
Students explored themes of unity, diversity, and social justice through mixed media projects, including mural creation, creative storytelling, and poster design for social change.
Tatiana Nunez, a student in Da Vinci Design’s Fine Arts Pathway and leader of the Art for Service Club commented, “I enjoyed this trip because it allowed me to connect with students from other schools. Being at the Otis College campus gave me perspective on what art school can offer, which was both eye-opening and exciting. I participated in the mural project where we were prompted to visually demonstrate how we would support the things we believe in through peaceful protest.”
The day was filled with inspiration, culminating in a powerful keynote speech and campus tours. We appreciate Otis College for inviting our students to this engaging event!
