The Career Playground is where genius is cultivated and developed. We support young people with career exploration, purpose investigation, and network development.
Our Approach
Career Exposure & Transferable Skill Development
Initial Exposure:
Career Days
Participants start with interactive video interviews of professionals to learn more about their journeys. Then they engage in brief projects to explore a few careers across different industries.
Deeper Exposure:
Studio Projects
After exploring a range of careers through bite-sized experiences, participants engage in work based learning projects. Partner organizations offer challenges and opportunities they're grappling with for participants to tackle. Participants may work independently or in teams of young people from across the country depending on the nature of the project.
Even Deeper Exposure:
Summer Camps
Join the immersive three- week summer camp program where students will explore six careers in-depth. Students can select from two program options where careers will be focused on the Arts and Literature or Math & Science. Students will explore and complete modules, hear from industry leaders and have daily one-one coaching.
High Quality Feedback & Coaching
Formative Feedback, Credentialing, Badging
As participants complete studio projects and deeper exposure opportunities, they receive high quality feedback from their peers, coaches, industry partners, and their facilitators (teachers). High quality work and completion lead to credentials and badging opportunities as relevant.
1:1 & Group Coaching Along the Way
Supports deep self reflection: work with a coach to grapple with questions like - who I am, how do I navigate challenge, how do I relate to others, how do I want to contribute to the world. Supports post secondary planning: work with a coach to explore questions like - what career paths am Iw curious about, what skills/education/training do they require, how does that connect to my current course-load etc). Supports mental health & well-being: provides a safe space to discuss mental health challenges and core beliefs that impact day to day experiences
National High Leverage Network & Partnerships that Power Genius Cultivation
There are a number of organizations that offer workforce development opportunities (e.g., projects, internships) in pockets across the country. We hope to build a network that brings a number of these organizations into a community that fuels youth skill development, inner genius cultivation, and social capital development across the country.
Our hope is this community will strengthen organizational practices, streamline access to opportunities, and ultimately support more young people in building their readiness for college and career.
Will you join us in an effort to ensure that every young person has the support and opportunity to cultivate their brilliance?
Partner with Us
Post-Secondary Support Orgs
Would you like to include an aspect of the Career Playground in your work?
Young People & Families
Do you want your children to spend the summer having a unique experience?
High Schools
Would you like to bring the Career Playground to your learning environment?
Industry Partners
Do you want to be a part of a national network providing project learning and internship opportunities to young people?
Funders
Are you ready to support genius cultivation in every young person?
Meet our Founders
Lavada Berger, LMHC
"Seeing others' genius is one of Lavada's superpowers." - Previous teammate
Lavada founded the Career Playground in 2022. She founded the Career Playground after nearly two decades of personal and professional experience supporting young people and adults to connect their day to day lives with their zones of genius, build expertise and knowledge, and live according to their core values. She is bringing experience as a school designer, executive and performance coach, deep listener, and older sister to this work.
Lavada is a founding team member and Senior Advisor at Transcend, a non-profit school design and research organization and a licensed mental health counselor. Her professional journey has been a career playground in many regards. Her previous roles range from teacher to management consultant. She has her bachelor's degree from Harvard and her master's degree from UPENN. When she's not traveling to work with partners, she is spending time with her family in her home state of New Jersey.
Camara Epps, LAC
"Camara has the ability to execute vision to functioning reality" - Previous teammate
Camara joined Lavada at the Career Playground in 2023. For nearly twenty years, Camara has worked with children, adolescents and adults guiding them through academic, professional, and personal growth challenges. Camara believes in helping people develop resiliency and living a life of purpose. She brings her marketing expertise in both the corporate and higher education sectors, her passion and empathic nature for helping others, and her understanding of the power of opportunity and exposure amongst the youth.
Camara is a Marketing professional at Rutgers University where she enhances the student experience through innovative means of connection. Prior to Rutgers, Camara worked at HBO where she initiated marketing initiatives to promote programming worldwide. Similarly, to Lavada, Camara’s career has been a playground in many regards. Camara has an extensive background in marketing but is also a Licensed Associate Counselor and works with all populations. Camara has her bachelor’s degree from Spelman College and two master’s degrees from NYU. Camara lives in New Jersey, where she was born and raised, and enjoys spending time with her partner, their daughter and dog.