3 Questions about the Sustainability Leadership Academy
Want to make friends, get a taste for college life, and, I don’t know, learn skills that could help you change the world for good? If you’re a rising 10th, 11th, or 12th grader who’s passionate about sustainability and social justice, The Sustainability Leadership Academy is the place for you! We chat with Sustainability Leadership Academy Director Kelly Henderson on what SLA is all about, and what students take away from the experience. Read on for more info, but if you’re already intrigued, you can register for the July 24th - August 1 Sustainability Leadership Academy NOW until July 20th, and apply for scholarship aid until July 16.
1. So, what is the Sustainability Leadership Academy (SLA)?
The Sustainability Leadership Academy is a 9-day residential summer camp for high schoolers. The program introduces participants to topics and careers in the field of sustainability, while providing time for participants to come up with a project they’d like to tackle when they get back to their home community. We also spend time exploring how social and environmental issues are connected, and the ways participants’ identities can inform the ways they choose to engage as a leader in their communities. I’m the program’s Director, which means I train and hire the counselors, create the schedule, and generally make sure everything goes smoothly during the Academy. I also teach the version of the program that’s offered for college credit, a course called “Leadership in Sustainability,” as faculty. As the original creator of the Academy, I’ve absolutely designed the program I wish I had when I was in high school… including a lot of information it took me 30 years to learn.
2. Can you describe a typical day during the SLA?
In past years, there hasn’t been a typical day for the SLA. This year, we know everyone has had to deal with a lot of stress all year, so we’ve got more of a routine schedule with ample relaxation and socialization time built in. Most mornings, participants will have their choice of a different experiential activity with Chatham faculty and grad students. These activities range from “Ecofeminism and Creative Writing” and “Agroecology in Action” in the agroecology garden to “Tree Climbing and Tree Care” and water and air quality testing in “Environmental Chemistry.” In the early afternoon, there’s free time for structured activities (like yoga, outdoor recreation or art) or unstructured personal time. After that, there’s a two hour period for facilitated dialogue about participants’ identities and social justice as well as project planning time. Most days, there’s also one panel of community and faculty speakers on topics including “Leadership and Community Development,” “Food Systems,” “Pollution, Ecology, Health and Climate Change” and “Governance and Policy.” In the evenings, the activity changes each day: teambuilding on Eden Hall’s challenge course, a community bake in the bread oven, a campfire, game night, movie night and more are all on the schedule!
3. What do you hope every student takes away from the program?
We hope every participant comes away from this program with a greater sense of self, some lifelong new friends, and a clearer idea of what it takes to be a true change agent in the field of sustainability. Past students have described the program as life-changing, inspirational, and “one of the best weeks of my life.” I’ll let more of the past student participants speak for themselves:
“I loved this week and I think this is such an amazing and inspiring university and I feel so close to everyone. Please keep doing this, it changes lives!”
“I learned about a lot of social issues that I never knew existed. It really opened my eyes to problems that affected and affect other identities.”
“All of the dialogue circles were an amazing opportunity to learn about other people’s opinions and engage in meaningful conversations. It was definitely the part of the SLA I learned the most from.”
“The people I met. Friends for life. I will remember this week for the rest of my life.”
“My definition of sustainability absolutely changed from before this program. I didn’t really know about the triple bottom line or the social equity aspect of sustainability, so that part of the camp took me by surprise, but I was super happy we got to learn about it!”
“This has helped me fully open up and embrace who I am.”
If you’d like to experience the inspirational and exciting Sustainability Leadership Academy, registration for the July 24 - August 1 2021 SLA is open until July 20. The scholarship application deadline was been extended to July 16th. We hope to see you there!
