Indian Hill student leaders expand career exploration at the middle school

IHEXP Student Advisory Board members help younger Braves discover interests and prepare for future opportunities

It’s a uniquely Indian Hill story of Braves mentoring Braves.

Indian Hill Experienceships (IHEXP) Student Advisory Board leaders Jane Holbrook, Eli Castenson, and Aarya Davit are helping Indian Hill Middle School (IHMS) students explore career possibilities before entering high school.

As the board’s IHMS Connections team, the students take ownership of the monthly eighth-grade career series, managing professional outreach, marketing, and coordination with middle school administrators. They began by surveying eighth graders to identify career interests and produced an advisory video to help students make the most of each session.

“It is one thing to hold a leadership title; it is another to lead through meaningful action. This IHMS outreach team on our IHEXP Student Advisory Board has hit the ground running, intentionally designing career exploration opportunities for our eighth graders. They are self-starters, creative problem-solvers, and exceptional communicators. When our Braves leave Indian Hill, I want them to recognize not only the opportunities created for them, but the doors that opened for their peers because of them,” said IHEXP Coordinator Lauren Richardson.

The team also partners with Indian Hill Middle School teacher Kim Gordon to connect her students with industry professionals for career exploration and direct interviews.

“The IHEXP MS Connections team has meant so much to my eighth-grade students and to me. Their willingness to give their time, share their experiences, and pour into our middle schoolers goes beyond simply being helpful. They’ve connected us with professionals and created opportunities for students to learn directly from successful community members who are willing to invest in them. What moves me most is that they genuinely want to give back and see younger students succeed. Watching those connections grow fills me with gratitude and pride to be a small part of a district where people show up for one another in such meaningful ways,” said Gordon.

The IHEXP Student Advisory Board includes four teams: Partner Outreach, IHMS Connections, Events, and Recruitment & Retention. Each team works toward individual goals that contribute to the program’s collective impact. Through that work, student leaders gain experience developing programming, communicating with professionals, and managing logistics – skills that apply across professions.

“Reaching IHMS students is important because it provides students with a unique opportunity to explore different careers before they get to high school,” said student Aarya Davit. “Through our Experienceships work at the middle school, we are connecting with middle school students, helping them discover their interests, and introducing them to career opportunities they can pursue in high school and beyond.”

The IHMS Connections team’s work includes upcoming Lunch & Learns, classroom guest speakers, and plans to help eighth graders prepare for high school.

“One of my favorite parts of serving on the IHEXP Advisory Board is knowing that we’re helping students explore future career paths before they even enter high school!” said student Jane Holbrook. “In just the past month, our IHMS Connections team has organized three upcoming Lunch & Learns with local professionals, introduced eighth graders to Experienceships through a promotional video and career interest survey, and partnered with Mrs. Gordon to bring guest speakers into her Discovery/Launch classroom. We’re also planning a High School Readiness presentation and a Future Braves event to help students learn more about the program. It’s incredibly rewarding to know we’re helping students discover new career interests and giving them a head start on pursuing those passions through Experienceships at IHHS.”