Students at Ayala High School often complain about the anxieties of their future careers. Some students heard about this issue and decided to find a remedy for this school-wide stress. This year, a club called Career Compass was formed, where each meeting creates a safe space for meeting new people and the experimental process of trial and error that comes with experiencing new things.
This club is run by President Estelle Ignacio (10), Vice President Sophy Zheng (10), Secretary Rachel Zou (10), Treasurer Alexa Corpuz (10), UCC Representative Vivian Pham (10), and event coordinator Ivy Luan (10). Mr. Isaac Cabase, Ayala’s Robotics teacher, is the club’s advisor.
This club was formed on the consensus that almost everyone, including the officers, had yet to figure out what they wanted to do in the future. With this issue on hand, Career Compass’s goal is to take every student’s future-related worries and sculpt them into success by letting students experiment with different career paths. Even if this goal is not reached, the officers of Career Compass are satisfied with the fact that they inspired their peers to explore something new.
“I hope to help someone find their career, and second of all, try to create a community where it’s free for everyone,” said Ignacio (10). “It’s not derogatory, or it’s not just centered towards one thing, but it’s open to anyone who wants to bond.”
Career Compass meetings are held every second and fourth Thursday of each month in Mr. Cabase’s room, D101. Each meeting is meticulously planned to keep every attending club member productive and focused on the career that was picked for the day. With unique activities that involve critical thinking, students are able to truly get a taste of their potential futures.
“At our last meeting, students had to participate in a stimulated activity like Shark Tank,” said Zou (10). “But every meeting, we’re going to plan to do something like that, but for different types of careers, so that students can receive a first perspective on experience on the job.”
Career Compass held its first meeting on Thursday, September 25. Around 10 students attended, creating a small yet strong community of people united with the same goal in mind. At these meetings, students can collaborate and help each other reach success.
“I hope I can gain stronger critical-thinking skills that will help me outside of school and also learn about different careers that can help me decide what I want to major in when I’m older,” said club member Cadi Tonthat (10).
Career Compass not only provides new experiences and career advice, but also an inviting space where students are able to enjoy themselves. Career Compass can be seen almost like a warm hug for those at Ayala, providing support and community for each student. Even as a new club, Career Compass’s first meeting garnered a lot of positive feedback from the attendees.
“The atmosphere was so welcoming, and the activities we did were really helpful, yet fun at the same time,” said club member Emma Egbalic (10).
As a brand-new club emerging in the 2025 to 2026 school year, Career Compass hopes to create a real change on campus. If this club proves to be successful, students can anticipate an even stronger experience, including field trips, guest speakers, and fundraisers. Attending a Career Compass meeting could be the first domino that pushes a student towards an incredible future.
“I feel like reviewing over most of the careers in such a small school year could be like it could be a small step towards something wonderful,” said Ignacio (10).
