The Pinewood Scholars Program (PSP) is our school's signature initiative for juniors and seniors. By inviting our students to engage in design thinking, project-based learning, and community partnerships, PSP empowers students to become changemakers in their world.
2023-24 Pinewood Scholars
Lacey Armistead, Jamie Burton, Jane Butler, Annabelle Eaton, Zach Galbraith, Katherine Garr, Ruby Hannely, Alakh Kapadia, Arnav Karandikar, Violet Negrette, Leo Shang, Michael Shtrom, Christina Tanase, Koh Taradash, Avery Wilson, Kathleen Xie
PSP Summer Institute
The PSP Summer Institute is an immersive and transformative four-day program designed to provide students with a unique and in-depth learning experience centered around social entrepreneurship. Set against the diverse backdrop of the Bay Area, this program aims to inspire, educate, and empower the next generation of changemakers and innovators.
Monday, August 14
Urban Plunge • San Francisco
While the Tenderloin certainly has its share of challenges, it was inspirational to learn how people are trying to change this system during the PSP trip to this part of San Francisco. The journey began at Code Tenderloin, where students met with Del Seymour, renowned founder of this organization and Tenderloin Tours. Code Tenderloin provides coding and job skills to the unhoused. Del shared his story of addiction and recovery with the students before they headed out onto the streets to hand out socks (thank you for the donations, parents!) and learn more about this vibrant community. Then, the PSP students returned to Code Tenderloin to hand out pizza and flyers to engage with potential clients. While nervous at first, the students did a fantastic job selling the neighbors on the mission of Code Tenderloin.
After their time at Code Tenderloin, the PSP class ventured to La Cocina, where they met with “Boom” Wattanadumrong, Interim Marketplace General Manager, and Naomi Maisel, Community Program + Policy Manager, to learn about how this organization cultivates low-income food entrepreneurs as they formalize and grow their businesses. They also met with a member of the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation to discover how they bring services and support to the community.
Tuesday-Wednesday, August 15-16
Brainstorming & Bonding at The Nest in Felton
Once the PSP family made it up the twisted path into the Santa Cruz Mountains, classmates helped bring all the camping gear to the private sleeping spot. After the students and leaders set up camp, Sarai Shapiro of Sarai Coaching and Caitlin Wild from Mountain Soul organized activities, hikes, discussions, and games to guide the students’ connections to each other, their project ideas, and the earth. The group also spent a lot of time under a huge walnut tree brainstorming and sharing some of their budding PSP project ideas. After dinner, the group sang songs, played games, and created a magnificent fire together.
Thursday, August 17
Santa Cruz County Discovery
The PSP Summer Institute culminated with the Santa Cruz County Discovery component. The adventure began at Housing Matters, where PSP students met with Marsa Greenspan, Volunteer Program Manager, and Don Lane, Vice President of the Board of Directors. Students learned about how this non-profit partners with individuals and families to create pathways out of homelessness and into permanent housing.
The class then boarded the bus to meet with Omar Guzman, the Volunteer Coordinator, at the Homeless Garden Project, who toured the PSP family around the farm. We discover how this non-profit gives the unhoused a leg up in building their resumes for their futures. HGP provides job training, transitional employment, and support services to individuals in Santa Cruz who are experiencing homelessness. After the tour, students grabbed pitchforks to clear out weeds for a new fall crop.
Popping right next door, PSP explored Hard Core Compost. This worker-owned and operated residential compost collection service uses cargo bicycles to haul food scraps from local kitchens to local composting sites in Santa Cruz. They believe that transforming food waste into fertile compost is one small way they can collectively nurture the land amid the global environmental crisis. Students met with Zav (a co-owner), who gave students a highly informative discussion about the importance of composting, the nuts and bolts of running a worker-owned business, and a bit of the science of turning food scraps into soil.
With tummies rumbling, the class stopped in for some treats, old-fashioned games, and lunch at Swanton Berry Farm, where we explored how this organic farm offers fair practices and profit-sharing to all of its employees including the farm pickers. Swanton Berry Farm was the first certified organic strawberry farm in California (CCOF). This company formalized its commitment to the human side of the farming equation by becoming the first organic farm in America to sign a contract with the United Farm Workers, AFL-CIO.
And last, PSP made a quick stop at Pie Ranch to meet with Sammie Riedman, the Youth and Public Programs Coordinator, to study this organization’s commitment to sharing the land with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band and enjoy some farmstand pie. Yum!
Enjoy the PSP Summer Institute recap video!
PSP Class of 2023
Our Pinewood Scholars from the Class of 2023 are off to college empowered with marketing, project management, and public speaking skills developed in PSP! We can't wait to see the many ways they will bring change to the world.
At the end of last year, our PSP seniors celebrated their accomplishments with a casual dinner at Mrs. Gannon’s home in Saratoga. Surrounded by friends, laughter, and cherished memories, the PSP seniors reminisced about their journey together throughout the year. Seeing a double rainbow at the end of the dinner felt like a symbol of our unity and the promise of a brighter future ahead. We couldn't have asked for a perfect way to conclude our celebration dinner and the entire year. It was as if the universe itself joined in our jubilation!
Did you catch these PSP features in The Perennial this Spring?
How PSP Has Impacted Seniors, by Mailey Wang
PSP Seniors Conclude Their Full-Year Social Impact Projects, Reflect Upon Their Experiences by Vishesh Ranganathan, Current PSP Senior
Award-Winners
These three members of the Class of 2023 won the PSP Distinguished Honors Prizes. Congratulations!
Oscar Barnes • Grantlada • Grantlada is an independent freelance grant-writing organization dedicated to financially supporting underserved nonprofits.
Peyton Meinhardt • Ginger Roots • Ginger Roots is an organization helping people make the most out of the unusual food they receive at food pantries.
Rathi Kolappa • Pics for Pets • Pics for Pets is an organization that professionally photographs adoptable animals in hopes of helping them find their forever homes.
The Junior Year Experience
We are thrilled to share the fantastic achievements of last year's junior PSP students – our current seniors! Junior year is an essential introductory stage of exploration, self-discovery, and community engagement. Our students displayed exceptional dedication, creativity, and compassion in their mission-driven projects, significantly impacting the world around them.
Cole Chatterjee and Elena Magliaro’s Inspirational Videos for the Humane Society
Cole and Elena collaborated to create heartwarming and inspirational videos for the local Humane Society. These videos showcased the unique stories of challenging dogs looking for their forever homes. Their efforts helped raise awareness about pet adoption and encouraged potential adopters to consider these animals. Their creativity and video production skills truly shone, positively impacting the animals and their future adopters.
Jake Kleiman, Anika Nambisan, and Vishesh Ranganathan’s DME4all
Inspired by an unhoused man’s challenge to get necessary medical equipment, Jake created the registered non-profit, Charlie's Health Supply, now called DME4all. The organization’s mission is to collect and donate used medical equipment (DME) to individuals in need. Anika and Vishesh joined his initiative for the junior year PSP component, and they have undoubtedly improved the quality of life for many people who couldn't access such crucial resources otherwise.
What Happens in PSP Class?
What do we do in class!? Do we spend every block working on our projects? Not at all! While the final projects are an essential component of PSP, the PROCESS is much more important!
So... what's our process?
Learning from Industry Leaders
Students meet and learn from accomplished business leaders, design-thinking experts, and inspiring social entrepreneurs. Students also learn from case studies and articles about social entrepreneurship.
Building Vital Skills
Students also receive extensive public speaking, marketing, and project management training. These skills empower them to effectively communicate their ideas and lead projects that make a meaningful impact.
Developing Projects
While projects are the heart of the Pinewood Scholars Program, we believe in a balanced approach to learning. Students don't exclusively focus on their projects throughout the year. Instead, they spend a few months researching, brainstorming, meeting with impact leaders, and developing action plans. This period of intense preparation allows them to refine their ideas and ensures the projects are well-thought-out before implementation.
Engaging with Guest Speakers
As part of the regular guest speaker sessions in the Pinewood Scholars Program, Rob Meinhardt enlightened our students with insights from his Start Me Up: Lessons From The Frontline series. During a notable session, "Creating Apple-like Customer References and Advocates," he delved into the emotional drivers behind strong brand advocacy, using Apple and his own venture, KACE, as examples. Our students were deeply engaged, discussing brand identity's influence on their choices. In another memorable talk, "Lessons Learned: The School of Hard Knocks," Mr. Meinhardt emphasized the significance of adaptability, presenting real-life scenarios our students might face in college and early careers. A big thank you to Mr. Meinhardt for his invaluable insights!
Venturing Out
Going into the community for short field trips is a significant component of the PSP program. Students gain inspiration for their senior year PSP projects by meeting changemakers in our local neighborhood. Experiences outside the classroom help our students understand first-hand how local mission-driven organizations approach community issues.
Here's a look back at field trip highlights from last year...
Founder Meeting at the Magical Bridge Playground
On April 18th, Mr. Lemmon and Mrs. Gannon took the PSP juniors and seniors to the Magical Bridge Playground to meet with the founder, Olenka Steciw Villarreal. This field trip aimed to learn about the fundraising, story, and design elements that went into creating this inspiring space.
The Magical Bridge Playground is a unique and inclusive playground that allows children of all abilities to play together. The founder shared her passion for creating thoughtfully designed multigenerational spaces to ensure guests of all ages and abilities experience the magic of play, community connections, and belonging. Olenka also discussed her challenges designing the playground and the importance of community involvement in creating such a magical place.
Junior PSP Buzz: A Trip to the Bee Sanctuary!
As part of our commitment to fostering environmental awareness and a deeper understanding of crucial ecological issues, the PSP juniors of 2022-23 enjoyed a field trip to Purr-fect Honey, a local bee sanctuary. The trip aimed to educate our students about colony collapse, pollination issues, and the importance of bee health in our ecosystem. The bee sanctuary trip began PSP's then-junior's environmental exploration. Throughout last year, we continued integrating these vital lessons into our curriculum, nurturing a generation of environmentally conscious individuals ready to safeguard our planet's future.
Interested in Joining PSP?
The Pinewood Scholars Program (PSP) is our school's signature initiative for juniors and seniors. By inviting our students to engage in design thinking, project-based learning, and community partnerships, PSP empowers students to become changemakers in their world.
Junior Year
Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship 1: Students learn about social entrepreneurship and its significance in addressing social and environmental issues. They explore successful social enterprises and learn about these organizations’ positive impact on communities. Students can interact with local social entrepreneurs and gain insights into their ventures. Students are introduced to design thinking methodologies, enabling them to develop innovative and sustainable solutions for the identified social issues they want to address. Students will walk away from the class with a unique solution that makes the world a better place.
Senior Year
Social Entrepreneurship 2 (first semester): Students delve deeper into complex social entrepreneurship topics, such as discussing ethical considerations, understanding social justice, and fostering inclusive business practices. Building on their junior year experiences, students learn how to articulate their impact with their social entrepreneurship projects. Students develop their communication skills and learn to share their experiences and ideas as social entrepreneurs effectively.
When and How do I Apply?
Students apply for the program in the early spring of sophomore year. Stay tuned for more information in January.
Want to Know More?
Explore our past newsletters • Follow our adventures on Instagram
Reach Out
Questions about the program? Have a fabulous speaker or an impact organization that our class should visit? Please contact Michelle Gannon, PSP Director, at mgannon@pinewood.edu.