Pinewood Scholars Program 2024-25 Q1 Newsletter

Shaping Future Leaders

The Pinewood Scholars Program in Social Entrepreneurship is a transformative initiative for students, equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and mindset to tackle pressing global challenges. This program fosters a strong commitment to social innovation, sustainability, and community impact, empowering students to drive meaningful change through entrepreneurial projects and initiatives.

2024-25 Pinewood Scholars

Junior Class: Dhruv Gupta, Avery Hall, Ian Hsiao, Braxton Kimura, Riya Kolappa, Aretha Liu, Kyle Ma, Harper Moss, Alan Skelley, Mailey Wang, Caitlin Yamaguchi, Harry Yang

Senior Class: Lacey Armistead, Jamie Burton, Annabelle Eaton, Zach Galbraith, Katherine Garr, Ruby Hannelly, Alakh Kapadia, Arnav Karandikar, Leo Shang, Michael Shtrom, Christina Tanase, Koh Taradash, Kathleen Xie,

Summer Institute

PSP 1 students kicked off the school year with a transformative four-day summer experience, immersing themselves in hands-on learning with our new PSP family. The week was filled with inspiration and impact, starting with a visit to the Tenderloin on Monday. There, students met with organizations dedicated to serving the community, such as Code Tenderloin. This immersive experience was designed to introduce students to the diverse and powerful ways they can drive change in the world. By engaging directly with these communities, students deepened their understanding of social challenges, explored creative solutions, and were encouraged to think critically about how they can contribute to meaningful change.

Tenderloin Immersive

One of the highlights of our journey was meeting Del Seymour, Founder of Code Tenderloin, along with employees from Urban Alchemy. Urban Alchemy plays a vital role as a bridge between the unhoused population and law enforcement, fostering understanding and compassion. Together, Code Tenderloin and Urban Alchemy took us on an insightful tour of organizations working to serve the Tenderloin’s most vulnerable residents. At St. Anthony's, we learned about their comprehensive support services, followed by a visit to a free street farmer's market offering fresh produce to those in need. We also met with Faithful Fools, an organization rooted in social justice and community building. The day wrapped up with a visit to the Tenderloin Community Benefit District, where Director of Community Organizing Esan Looper inspired students with ideas for actionable projects to help the neighborhood. Finally, we met with a representative from the Tenderloin Police Department, gaining a well-rounded perspective on homelessness and how law enforcement is responding to recent Supreme Court rulings on housing encampments.

Santa Cruz County Discovery

On Tuesday, our exploration led us to Santa Cruz County, where we discovered several initiatives making a tangible impact. At Housing Matters, students learned about their comprehensive approach to tackling homelessness, focusing on providing stable housing and crucial support. Our next stop was the Homeless Garden Project, where we saw how job training and organic farming empower individuals. Swanton Berry Farm offered a rich history lesson on labor rights and a glimpse into their dedication to fair farming practices, inspired by Cesar Chavez’s legacy. Students also enjoyed a picnic while gaining valuable insights into the farm’s operations. We concluded the day at the Family and Women's Center, where students learned about the center’s critical work supporting survivors of domestic violence.

A glimpse into our day of discovery in Santa Cruz County

Camping and Bonding

On Wednesday and Thursday, we shifted our focus inward with Caitlin from Mountain Soul Adventures and Maya from Mycopsychology: Embodied Remediation. Together, we guided the students in reconnecting with nature and themselves, fostering a deeper sense of personal growth and reflection.

Moments from our camping and bonding trip

Parent Brainstorming Night

Parents of PSP 1 students gathered at the home of Mengzhe and Janet, Kyle Ma's parents, for an evening focused on exploring the two-year social entrepreneurship program their children are enrolled in and brainstorming ideas for their projects. The event showcased inspiring past projects to spark creativity and involvement. Since the program emphasizes strong parent engagement, the night provided an opportunity to better understand their role and how they can support their students' work.

Field Trips

St Francis Center in Redwood City

Our recent visit to the St. Francis Center in Redwood City allowed us to explore this organization’s incredible services, such as affordable housing support, food distribution, and educational programs for local families. We gained insight into how the center operates and discover hidden needs in the community that could inspire creative ideas for students' social mission projects. By understanding the challenges faced by underserved populations, students could brainstorm innovative ways to make a positive, lasting impact through their projects.

Bee Sanctuary in Campbell

PSP 1 visited a bee sanctuary, where they explored critical issues like honey laundering and colony collapse. During the visit, they met an inspiring woman who runs a unique ASPCA for bees, dedicated to finding new homes for displaced bee colonies. The students also had the chance to taste fresh, authentic honey and experience holding a tray of honeycomb, deepening their appreciation for bees and their vital role in the ecosystem.

Guest Speakers

PSP 2

Amy Reichanadter ’87

Chief People Officer at Databricks

Alumni Speaker Inspires PSP Students with Career Insights — PSP students recently had the privilege of hearing from a Pinewood alumna, Amy Reichanadter ’87, who returned to share her journey from earning a PhD in psychology to building a successful career in human resources. She provided valuable advice on developing one's personal brand, building a strong network, perfecting an elevator pitch, and seeking feedback from colleagues. Her talk emphasized the importance of connections in securing internships and jobs, reinforcing lessons our students have been practicing in class. Students left with a deeper understanding of how to navigate their career paths and the essential role of networking.

After her presentation, Amy reconnected with Mrs. Eickmeier, her former English teacher, and reflected on how the writing skills she gained at Pinewood continue to influence her today. She also credited Pinewood’s debate class for helping her develop the confidence to speak up, a skill that has been key to her success. This moment served as a powerful reminder for the students of how the lessons they’re learning now will shape their future endeavors.

PSP 2

Rafael Pelayo

Stanford Professor & Advocate for Sleep

Rafael Pelayo, a Stanford Professor and advocate for sleep, recently spoke to PSP 2 students about his experience testifying before Congress on the importance of delaying school start times to promote student well-being. In addition to sharing his personal journey, he entertained students with his humor, making the complex subject of sleep science both engaging and relatable. His career path, filled with unexpected twists, highlighted the value of embracing diverse opportunities, a message that resonated with students as they consider their own futures and college decisions.

PSP 1

Lee Wang

President of Regent Holding Company

Lee Wang recently visited the PSP 1 class to share insights from his experience running one of the leading global wholesale platforms for home decor and fragrance products, marketed through brands like Creative Co-Op, Bloomingville, ILLUME, and Good Chemistry. He spoke candidly about the challenges of managing a business that serves a highly diversified customer base, including over 20,000 independent, e-commerce, specialty, and mass retailers. His presentation resonated deeply with students, as it aligned perfectly with key topics they’ve been studying in class, such as value proposition and target addressable market.

One of the most fascinating parts of his talk was his introduction to Good Chemistry, a groundbreaking fragrance line that stands out for its commitment to transparency. Good Chemistry is the first fragrance brand to list all of its ingredients on the packaging, allowing consumers to see exactly what they’re purchasing. Wang explained the significance of this bold move, highlighting how it reflects the growing demand for transparency and ethical business practices—an idea closely tied to social entrepreneurship. Students were captivated by how this strategy aligns with modern consumer values, offering a unique competitive edge. Mr. Wang’s visit provided invaluable real-world context to the course, and the class was grateful for his time and insights.

Project Update

The PSP 1 students have just begun brainstorming their projects as part of our Passion Discovery unit. After spending the first part of the year learning about various social entrepreneurs and global issues, it’s now their turn to identify a cause they are passionate about and devise solutions. To uncover the hidden needs within their community, students will engage in activities such as listening to podcasts, reading articles, watching documentaries with their family members, volunteering at local nonprofits, and interviewing influential individuals. These experiences will guide them in selecting and developing impactful projects. Stay tuned!

PSP 1 Curriculum Update

Design Thinking Unit

The PSP class kicked off the year with an identity unit, where students explored their values and passions. From there, we've delved into foundational social entrepreneurship and business concepts, equipping them with a clearer understanding of the world they will navigate as they embark on their mission-driven ventures. In the PSP 1 unit on design thinking, students explore the connection between design thinking and social entrepreneurship by learning how empathy, rapid ideation, and creative problem-solving can lead to innovative solutions that address social challenges. A key activity in this unit involves building a tall structure using only marshmallows and pasta. This fun, hands-on challenge encourages students to think quickly, test ideas, and iterate—mirroring the process entrepreneurs use to develop and refine social impact initiatives. By engaging in rapid ideation, students experience firsthand how design thinking fosters creativity and adaptability in tackling real-world issues.

PSP 2 Curriculum Update

Systems Thinking Unit

The PSP 2 students have spent time reflecting on their junior year projects, examining the biases they may have brought to their mission-driven work. Through this reflection, they’ve gained valuable insights about themselves and the world around them, uncovering key lessons from their experiences. They are now considering how their projects fit into a larger context using systems thinking and exploring ways to articulate these learning moments in future interviews, demonstrating growth, awareness, and a deeper understanding of the social impact they’ve made.

Testing Our Social Entrepreneurship Knowledge

Both PSP classes had a blast solving a challenging escape room filled with riddles and locks, where they had to apply their newly acquired knowledge of social entrepreneurship terms to crack the codes. It was a fun, hands-on experience that not only kept them engaged but also reinforced key concepts in a creative and interactive way.

Bringing it to the Real World

LinkedIn Profile Creation

PSP 1 students are gearing up for their journey into engaging with the community by creating personal LinkedIn profiles and photos. These steps are helping them present themselves confidently as they prepare to connect with organizations and individuals for their mission-driven projects, building their networks and professional identities.

Want to Know More?

Explore our past newsletters to get a feel for program experiences, speakers, and projects • Follow our latest adventures on Instagram!

Questions about the program? Have a fabulous speaker to recommend, or an impactful organization that our class should visit? Please contact Michelle Gannon at mgannon@pinewood.edu.