Helping Students Find Their Purpose: Why It Matters More Than Ever
At Da Vinci Schools, we believe education is about more than academics—it’s a journey about self-discovery. From TK through high school, students explore who they are, what matters to them, and how they hope to contribute to the world. Along the way, they discover their interests, shape their values, and build a strong foundation for the important decisions ahead. This journey is powered by real-world learning experiences such as projects, Exhibition Nights, Presentations of Learning, Advisory, and more. In a world that’s changing rapidly and full of new possibilities, helping students find their purpose isn’t just valuable—it’s essential.
To advance this mission, Da Vinci began searching for a tool or software that could help students discover their strengths and passions, especially as they think about what they want to do after graduation. And to lead the way, we turned to the people who know the student experience best—our students.
Earlier this month, eight students from across our schools completed a 15-week “micro-internship” in partnership with Google, helping to identify the best purpose-finding tools that align with Da Vinci’s goals and mission. The students’ contributions are not only helping to shape new curricula at Da Vinci, but also giving them a meaningful voice in how future students explore their own sense of purpose—all while gaining real-world practical experience working alongside a professional partner from Google.
“Being able to play a key role in this recommendation made me ecstatic. It became clear to me that the Da Vinci leadership truly cares about their students. This experience taught me that my voice matters and can contribute to positive change,” said DeAnna Videau, a 9th grade student intern from Da Vinci Connect High.
What is Purpose, and Why Does It Matter?
Purpose is more than a goal or ambition. It’s a deeper sense of meaning that connects a person’s strengths, interests, passions, and values to something larger than themselves. For students, this might look like exploring careers that help others, creating art that sparks conversation, advocating for social justice, or simply learning how to turn curiosity into impact.
Research shows that students with a sense of purpose are more motivated, more engaged in school, and more resilient in the face of challenges. They’re not just asking "What do I want to be?"—they’re asking "Why does this matter?" and "How can I make a difference?"
Michelle Rainey, Da Vinci’s Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction, explained: “In the K-12 context, purpose-finding involves guiding students to explore their identities, strengths, and values, and to understand how these elements can contribute to their future roles in society and personal fulfillment. This aligns with Da Vinci Schools' mission to improve students' quality of life by cultivating a caring culture, building future-ready skills, and developing meaningful partnerships within our community. By embedding purpose-finding into students’ experiences, Da Vinci aims to support students in developing agency so they are self-aware, motivated, and prepared for real-world challenges.”
Da Vinci x Google Micro-Internship & Summary of Findings
The idea for the 15-week micro-internship began as a conversation between Dr. Matt Wunder, Da Vinci’s CEO/Superintendent, and Alisa Sommer, the Global Head of EdTech Partnerships at Google who serves on the Da Vinci Schools Fund (DVSF) Board. This partnership provided students with an opportunity to lead a real-world project – researching purpose- and strength-finding tools while gaining valuable experience and contributing to Da Vinci’s curriculum development efforts. Each intern received $500—paid by DVSF—for their work.
The micro-internship drew strong interest from students across four of Da Vinci’s five high schools. More than 30 students initially expressed interest; 13 completed a two-day bootcamp focused on data analysis and problem-solving, and 8 were ultimately selected. The internship ran for 12 Thursdays at the Ed Lab at Belkin headquarters in El Segundo.
“One of the key takeaways from my internship was the chance to work as part of a professional team. I served as the project manager, which required me to effectively manage my team and understand when to use encouragement or accountability to achieve desired outcomes,” said Videau.
Under the mentorship of Google’s Alisa Sommer and Da Vinci’s facilitator Kat Kouot, students conducted a 660-point landscape analysis of 15+ purpose-finding tools. They developed evaluation criteria, conducted peer surveys, assessments, and made data-driven recommendations. Sommer regularly met with students, both in person and virtually, and leveraged her professional network to bring in guest speakers who deepened students’ understanding of the EdTech landscape. These experts shared insights into key industry practices such as competitor research, landscape analysis, user research, and more.
“Working with Alisa Sommer significantly influenced our approach to selecting the right purpose-finding tool. She ensured that our analysis was mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive, leading us to consider whether we should recommend just one tool. Additionally, Alisa taught us how to deliver effective and outstanding presentations—we interns jokingly say she gave us a ‘presentation on presentations.’ This session was incredibly helpful: she taught us how to tell a story through our presentation, how to structure it logically, and offered practical tips for presenters,” Videau continued.
The student team ultimately recommended TruMotivate and WillowEd – tools that align motivation, interests, and strengths with potential careers and educational pathways. They also made implementation suggestions for integrating these tools into the high school journey.
On May 5, students delivered a highly professional final presentation to Da Vinci leadership that many described as “more like a doctoral defense than a high school project.”
“Our student interns demonstrated strong, work-ready skills and truly put themselves to the test,” said Kat Kouot, the internship facilitator. “I’m most impressed by their commitment and resilience during this rigorous and technical project. They made thoughtful recommendations for integrating these tools to better support purpose discovery at Da Vinci.”
Looking Ahead: A Purpose-Driven Future
As Da Vinci expands college, career, and community learning opportunities, purpose-finding will remain central to how students prepare for life after high school. These efforts will not only support academic and career readiness, but also help students build lives filled with meaning and personal agency.
While decisions about specific tools and timing are still being considered, the student-led research and recommendations are being taken seriously. Cost and licensing will factor into the implementation process, but the commitment to student-driven learning and purpose development remains strong.
By centering student voice and ensuring real-world relevance, Da Vinci continues to reimagine education—equipping students not just with knowledge, but with purpose.
