By Cary Shuman
They came from multiple professions and places of employment to the Phoenix Charter Academy in Bellingham Square to offer instruction and introduce students to potential careers.
The students at the Phoenix Charter Academy received an amazingly thorough five-day foundation to future educational options and placement in careers during Career Week 2025.
Program leaders set the example
The leaders of Career Week, an immense, five-day career exploration extravaganza, were Dr. Justin Zullo, PCA director of post-secondary success, and Daniel Molina, PCA manager of scholar success with the post-secondary team.
Zullo is a graduate of Brandeis University, University of California San Diego, and Northwestern University, where he received his doctorate, the highest degree a person can receive in a specific field of study.
Zullo said the career presentations during the week ranged from the building trades and HVAC technology to engineering, medicine, airline pilot, aesthetics, video game designing, the legal profession, and other jobs.
Some students visited local businesses including Aloe Natural coffee shop where City Councilor Tanairi Garcia spoke about starting your own business. Students also visited the Chelsea Police station to learn about careers in law enforcement.
The focus in Friday’s finale to Career Week was careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
“The whole school is participating in Career Week,” Dr. Zullo said proudly. “STEM Day is inspired by our three-year ICP (Innovation Career Pathway) program for students interested in life sciences. Students take advance-level science classes in their first two years and participate in an internship in their third year.”
Zullo said although every member of last year’s graduating class opted for the college path, “we want our students to expand their thinking beyond the notion that they need a four-year degree.”
Molina holds a degree from Southern New Hampshire University, a school that has done an excellent job marketing its many offerings through advertising.
“We’re super excited about Career Week and the interest that our students have shown in new careers and paths that they hadn’t been exposed to before,” said Molina.
Students excited about Career Week
PCA student Jowensmey Joseph said he found Career Week to be “a great, productive experience.”
“I learned today a lot about careers as an automobile or airplane mechanic and I’m thinking of becoming one now,” said Joseph, who is originally from Haiti. “I really enjoy this school. The teachers are great.”
PCA student Adriana D’Uniel, a resident of Chelsea, originally from Peru, said she is focused on studying medicine and becoming a physician.
“I know what career I want to I pursue, but it’s been really good to know about other careers as well,” said D’Uniel. “This school has been really helpful to all of its students in preparing us for college and other choices.”
Head of School lauds
Career Week
coordinators
Head of School Stella Dubish called Career Week “a huge success.”
“We’ve been showcasing different careers all week for students, and our goal is that when each student graduates from Phoenix, they already know the career path they’re interested in and already have a foundation in that career,” said Dubish. “Dr. Zullo and Mr. Molina have done an amazing job.
Dubish is in her fourth year as the Head of School. She holds an undergraduate degree from California Baptist University and a degree in Theological Studies from Harvard University in Cambridge.
“I love this Phoenix community, and the students here are amazing,” said Dubish.
“We’re very pleased by the students’ response to Career Week,” said Zullo. “I’ve heard a lot of positive reinforcement. The students are floored by the fact that there is such a diversity of options for their careers. They’ve been inspired by how passionately these professionals have talked about their careers. I’m so excited about our students’ futures. Our students are so brilliant and so motivated.”