Indian Hill students and staff say Experianships program is "transformative" as enrollment hits record 170

During the Jan. 6 board meeting students and staff described the Experianships and entrepreneurship center as a central part of the district's high-school experience and said the program has reached a record enrollment.

"This program has been the most impactful part of my high school career," Charlotte Pikton, a junior, told the board. She recounted job shadows and a weeklong summer placement at a design firm after following up with professionals she met during a career event.

Caroline Ranala, a senior and member of the student advisory board, described a marketing internship with a mental-health nonprofit and work that connected her to regional leadership programs. Jane Hullbrook, a junior, spoke about internships that exposed her to legal work and contract analysis at a national facilities company, and student leader Ja described student-created committees that give pupils a role in school improvements and leadership programming.

Mrs. Richardson, appearing with Mr. Damado, reported that "the program as of last week is the largest that it has ever been in history" with 170 high-school students actively enrolled. She said the district expects to continue pursuing summer internships and to break attendance records at upcoming events, including a "business at breakfast" program and a global-week partnership with parents.

District staff and board members praised the students' poise and emphasized that the program leverages local businesses and nonprofit partners to expand career pathways for students.

Next steps noted at the meeting: continued recruitment of middle- and elementary-school students into mentoring/leadership strands, a push for summer internship placements beginning in February, and ongoing public events to share student work.