Cambridge Coaching’s Index of Top Summer Programs Summer is the time to put your skills and interests to work, and of course, have fun! By intelligently using your time away from school, you can help strengthen your resumé, as well as broaden your own life experience. Find an internship, study abroad, volunteer for community service, learn an entirely new skill, or use the time to get ahead on test prep. By committing real time to something you’re passionate about, you won’t just be able to tell an admissions committee that you’re a motivated, engaged, ambitious student—you’ll be able to prove it to them. In order to help you figure out how to design a fun, productive summer, this guide includes information on different summer programs and opportunities in a variety of categories, including community service, cultural exploration & language immersion, the arts, writing, academics, health & science, and outdoor adventure. Once you’ve looked over this list, the next step is to talk to a parent, teacher or admissions coach to help you figure out which kinds of programs are right for you. Table of Contents I. International Community Service Page 2 II. Cultural Exploration & Language Immersion Page 7 III. The Arts Page 11 IV. Writing Page 14 V. Academic Page 16 VI. Health & Science Page 20 VII. Outdoor Adventure Page 22 1 I) International Community Service Programs • Amigos de las Américas • Global Leadership Adventures • Global Routes • Global Works: Summer Service Adventures • Habitat for Humanity: Global Village • Putney Student Travel • Visions Service Adventures A Note on International High School Service Programs: At Cambridge Coaching, we take an ambivalent attitude toward these programs. They are undeniably fun, educational, and inspiring, and can be wonderfully broadening for globally minded high schoolers—we wish we could go on them! Yet they are often mistakenly treated as keystones of a strong college application, or replacements for serious service work at home, when they are neither. In fact, these programs have become so popular and common in recent years that their application-enhancing power is so diluted as to be negligible. While we absolutely support our students in any effort to expand their own worldviews and gain vital exposure to foreign cultures, we discourage them from writing their application essays about their experiences on these service programs. Amigos de las Américas (Cambridge Coaching Recommendation!) • Mission Statement: “Amigos de las Américas inspires and builds young leaders through collaborative community development and immersion in cross-cultural experiences.” • Website: http://www.amigoslink.org/summer-program • Topics: International community service • Location: Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panamá, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Paraguay • Length: Varies, four to nine weeks • Dates: Offered June and August • Costs: Ranges from $5500 to $6400 (includes international airfare); fundraising infrastructure available to participants. • Additional Info: The three major components of the program are cultural exchange, community service, and youth engagement. As opposed to many other programs, which are based around groups, students are installed in a remote village with 1-2 other students, and no supervisor. • Tutor Testimonial: “I have a daughter who did Amigos last year. It is the best thing she has ever done.” 2 Who Should Do It?: You are looking for the most challenging, independent service program available (Amigos is commonly referred to as the “Junior Peace Corps,” and carries similar difficulties and rewards). You have a demonstrated interest not only in community service, but also in Latin America. You are functional in Spanish and want to improve. You are considering a career in development, or some other industry, which will involve fieldwork. You have plans to return if you enjoy it, since returning Amigos can be hired as Project Staff, and earn useful leadership experience. Global Leadership Adventures (GLA) • Mission Statement: “GLA’s goal is to provide life-changing experiences that will cultivate a global perspective and open-mindedness in students that will ultimately inspire them to become great leaders and global thinkers and seek positive change in their own communities.” • Website: http://www.experiencegla.com/ • Topics: Children’s issues, environment & ecology, sports, poverty alleviation, public health, traditional culture, animals & wildlife, language learning, leadership activities • Location: Bali, China, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Galapagos Islands, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Peru, Tanzania, Thailand • Length: Varies, one to six weeks • Dates: Offered June to August • Costs: Ranges from, $2199 to $8499 • Additional Info: Trips include service, workshops, and excursions, and the program emphasizes leadership activities and experiences in developing countries within authentic, non-tourist communities. Who Should Do It?: You are clearly a globally-minded person, with demonstrated interest in foreign countries and cultures (clubs, classes, etc). You are particularly interested in one specific country or region, and want to expand your knowledge of that place in college through immersion. You have a record of volunteering that either begins or will continue at home. Global Routes • Mission Statement: “Global Routes offers teen summer community service travel programs for high school students. Global Routes deepens these roots of our shared community as we foster personal and international development. Undertaking voluntary work overseas allows North American youth the opportunity to push past stereotypes and misconceptions to build strong relationships and self-understanding, as well as buildings.” • Website: http://www.globalroutes.org • Topics: Service, adventure, farming, leadership 3 • Location: Belize, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, the Grenadines, India, Nepal, Peru, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand/Cambodia • Length: Varies, two to five weeks • Dates: Offered June 28 to August 5 • Costs: Ranges from $3275 to $6475 • Additional Info: Community service travel programs including cross cultural immersion, community service, homestays, and travel adventures Who Should Do It?: You have clear interest in the developing world, but you would like to spend more time traveling the country, and less time immersed in a single community doing volunteer work. Global Works: Summer Service Adventures • Mission Statement: “Students who travel on Global Works summer community service trips are adventurous, curious, open-minded, and inspired young adults— comprised of a diverse group of students from across the United States and abroad. A common trait in our enrollees includes a desire to learn more about other people and cultures and an adventurous spirit!” • Website: http://www.globalworkstravel.com/ssa/ • Topics: Community service & adventure activities, with added options for: cultural exchange, language immersion (Spanish, French, Mandarin), or focus programs (soccer, surfing/ocean conservation, pre-med/public health, pre-business) • Location: Argentina, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Fiji, France, Panama, Peru/Ecuador, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Spain, Zambia/Botswana/South Africa • Length: Varies, two to four weeks • Dates: Offered June 30 to August 3 • Costs: Ranges from $3795 to $6295 (does not include international airfare) • Additional Info: During the trips, students will visit between three and five diverse communities, with up to 70 hours of community service. Who Should Do It?: You want to combine diverse tourism with service, as well as low-impact language training. Since GW is similar Global Routes; families should compare specific programs, to see which fits the student best. Of interest are the pre-med and pre-business programs. 4 Habitat for Humanity: Global Village • Mission Statement: “Volunteer internationally to build decent, affordable shelter alongside members of the community. Learn about poverty housing, development challenges and Habitat’s ministry and mission to help eradicate them.” • Website: http://www.habitat.org/gv • Topics: Domestic and international volunteer program • Location: Varies, including Armenia, Bolivia, China, Hungary, India, Mongolia, Philippines, Poland, Vietnam • Length: Varies, typically one to two weeks • Dates: Offered year-round, with summer trips in June, July, and August • Costs: Ranges from $1800 to 2200 (does not include airfare; includes an unspecified donation to HfH) and varies depending on the trip details. • Additional Info: Habitat for Humanity is a Christian organization; Groups can create a specific individualized trip with at least six months advance notice. Who Should Do It? You are interested in a shorter-term experience that involves engagement with small rural communities and physical labor. You are a very service-oriented person, so you aren’t interested in a tourist component or packaged tour. You want to work with all ages. Putney Student Travel • Mission Statement: “For 63 years, Putney Student Travel has offered high school and middle school students the opportunity and insight to shape their world through travel, unique cultural engagement, friendship, and fun. Our summer programs for high school and middle school students include community service, language immersion, adventure travel, pre-college enrichment, and global awareness.” • Website: http://goputney.com/ • Topics: Community service, cultural exploration, global awareness in action, language