Work-Based Learning
Welcome to the SUHSD, WBL Newsletter, Volume 9
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR:
As the school year comes to a close and graduation season fills the air with excitement, there's a special kind of energy all around us.
Students are proudly wearing t-shirts from the colleges they’ll soon call home, and teachers are making exciting plans for their well-earned summer breaks. In the midst of it all, I want to take a moment to express deep gratitude to the incredible volunteers who made this year so special.
Thanks to your generosity, passion, and time, we were able to provide 4,428 work-based learning experiences to our students—from inspiring guest speakers and engaging symposiums to realistic mock interviews and unforgettable field trips.
Our students are incredibly lucky to have a community like you behind them. We truly couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for being such an important part of their journey!
Cover photo and photo to the left are also from the Menlo-Atherton Computer Academy Graduation.
This is just one of the many events that showcases students, teachers, and community members coming together in new and innovative ways. In this issue, you will see:
- SUHSD WBL by the Numbers
- Mentors
- Student Work
- Field Trips
- Symposiums
- Guest Speakers
SUHSD WBL by the numbers
- 43 CTE classes offered WBL
- 356 Students met regularly with mentors, from 4-7 times throughout the school year, some even weekly
- 472 Additional volunteers met with students one or more times
- 496 Students practiced at least 2 mock interviews with a professional
- 4428 Total WBL experiences
Mentoring!
“The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves.” – Steven Spielberg
Student Work
Please click on the link above and listen to the Woodside High School 1.99 Records: Tiny Desk Concert as you continue to scroll through the newsletter.
Redwood High School's Building and Construction Trades Class built a Greenhouse
Students' custom built all 96 windowpanes.
Carlmont High School Business Students compete in DECA National Finals
DECA, the Distributive Education Clubs of America, a high school and college student organization focused on preparing emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in business-related fields.
Congratulations to Devin Suto ('27) for earning 2nd Place at the National Finals of the DECA Business conference in Orlando for the Principles of Hospitality and Tourism event.
Honorable mention also goes out to:
- Arthur Bernadi and Nathan Paris, 5th Place, Virtual Business Challenge: Entrepreneurship
- Jayden Lee, Ben Kim, and Ian Kim, 8th Place, Virtual Business Challenge: Sports and Entertainment
- Ria Smilovitz, Leah Wong and Chloe Zhao, Top 20 Finalist, Community Awareness Project
28 Carlmont students qualified to compete in the national finals this year by placing in the top 5 in their event at the California DECA State Championships. A new record for CHS!
Woodside High School's Advanced Photography
Sequoia High School's Food & Nutrition Classes
These level 1 students chose a culture, region, or country to study and then found a recipe to cook.
Woodside's Culinary Arts
Foodservice and Hospitality Design - students designed restaurants, created "pitch decks" that could be used to present to a potential investor, wrote menu samples, and prepared a signature dish from their menu. Some board members and superintendent served as the judges.
Field Trips
And sometimes the professionals come to us!
TIDE Academy Symposium
On Wednesday, March 19th, we held the TIDE Academy Symposium.
Kicked off with a keynote by Jim Lamascus, Oracle Sr. Applications Consultant | Analytics, EPM, ERP, HCM & SCM Enterprise Accounts
Followed by career round tables in a wide variety of industries. Thank you to all of our speakers! Those pictured here include:
- Luis Rodriguez-Sandoval, Hardware Engineer Oracle
- Diana Peterson, Sr. Product Manager, Adobe
- Anthony Urbina, Business Representative, District 1, SMART, Sheet Metal Workers’ Local Union No. 104
Bite of Reality
On Wednesday April 30th, Sequoia High School Seniors in the Digital Arts Academy and Health Careers Academy experienced a "Bite of Reality". An interactive view of managing money in the “real world”, hosted by the Silicon Valley Network of Credit Unions.
Guest Speakers
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities
Biotech Symposium Presenters - October 3, 2025
- Who: Professionals will speak in a small group format about their career, and educational background, give a brief job description, and offer the pros & cons of their field. Students will have 25 minutes with each professional and then rotate to the next. Ideally, professionals from a wide variety of biotech careers will be represented. Colleagues are welcome to sign up together and present as a team.
- What: Carlmont High School's Biotech Institute is offering a symposium to sophomores on biotechnology education and experience. We will start the morning at 9:00 am with a keynote speaker and then divide students into small groups to meet with professionals.
- When: Friday, October 3, 2025, 9:30-10:30 am.
- Where: Carlmont High School Student Union, 1400 Alameda de las Pulgas, Belmont, CA 94002
- How: Sign-Up Here for BTI
Mentor for Executive Functioning Support in Woodshop
Shape Young Minds with Precision - Volunteer Your CNC Skills!
For any additional information, contact Faith Velschow, Work Based Learning, SUHSD
- Email: fvelschow@seq.org
- Phone: 650-464-1162
Thank you again; we hope that you have a wonderful summer, and we will reach out again in the fall! --FWV