What’s your sustainability superpower? This is one of the questions we ask as part of our admissions process (along with what’s your kryptonite). It’s a fun question that helps us understand what motivates someone to “act sustainably,” which is a useful barometer to gauge a student’s interest in and readiness for our program. So, we… Read More
Caption: The author lounging outside our residence hall at Dartmouth during one of the few quiet moments of the summer. One of my earliest permaculture instructors, Javier Carrera, thought relaxing in a hammock was the epitome of luxury. I have spent a great deal of time over the past four months rebuilding the Sustainable Summer… Read More
A “global citizen” is someone who identifies with being part of an emerging world community, and whose actions contribute to building global values and practices. Frugality, integrity, humility, and cultural awareness guide our mission in creating the next generation of environmental leaders and responsible global citizens. You may know Sustainable Summer for bringing together… Read More
The pre-college field is about three decades old. It has matured, more or less, alongside other services that developed largely as a consequence of the growing competitiveness of college admissions. There was a time, not too long ago, when applying to college was a pretty straightforward process. Taking the SAT was something you simply showed… Read More
In a companion post, I reviewed the college admissions process from the perspective of a sustainability-themed applicant. I broke down the five different components of a college application in the context of admissions, both broadly speaking and for those emphasizing an environmental focus in their application. In this article, I will take a detailed look… Read More
This post is a companion article to another I’ve written on the topic of college admissions for the environmentally-themed application. The first step in the college process is, of course, choosing where to apply. Beginning your late-sophomore year and definitely by your junior year, you should definitely have a working college list. There are many… Read More
Breaking Down the College Application High schools have perfected the knack of ingraining the word college into your brain, from the moment you step in as a freshman in high school up until graduation day. College, more specifically the process to apply to college has become a major stress factor for most high schoolers alike…. Read More
How to Choose a Summer Abroad Program There are a lot of summer abroad programs for high school students. Teens have never had as many options for a summer abroad experience. From one-week service-oriented programs to months-long cultural immersion experiences, there are literally thousands of different possibilities. Just for teens. In the summer. Abroad. So,… Read More
WAITING FOR THE POLITICIANS TO SAVE US FROM OURSELVES For years we’ve asked our students to read Michael Pollan’s Why Bother. First published 10 years ago, it is approaching canonical status in the environmental studies field. Many of our students have read it before, but it bears re-reading. I do it annually, at least. Why?… Read More
Last month, I participated in a Leave No Trace Master Educator course on behalf of Sustainable Summer. Over the five days, four of which were spent paddling and portaging canoes in Adirondack Park, I joined eight other leaders in the outdoor industry to discuss techniques for teaching Leave No Trace principles within our respective organizations…. Read More
