2022 Putney Student Travel

P L U S C O L L A B O R AT I O N S & S P E C I A L P R O G R A M S

HARVARD CHAN C-CHANGE YOUTH SUMMITS

summer 2022

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WHAT’S INSIDE?

2 Why Putney?

4 Career Programs

7 Service Programs

8 Language Programs

11 Exploration Programs

12 Pre-College Programs

15 Oxford Academia

16 Harvard Youth Summits

19 Smithsonian Student Travel

20 Columbia Climate School

20 Safety & Leadership

Learn more at goputney.com or call 802.387.5000

BE ON THE LOOKOUT!

Scan the QR codes throughout to learn more about our programs, find dates, and read itineraries.

@putneystudenttravel

goputney.com | 802.387.5000

Welcome to Putney’s 71st season!

Over the course of seven decades, we feel the importance of our core mission—to change students’ lives—has grown significantly, especially during these last two years of the pandemic.

When our parents (and Olivia and Becca’s grandparents) led that first group of 18 high school students by ship to Europe, in a world still reeling from the aftershock of World War II, they sought to usher them out of their comfort zones and teach them to embrace what is new and different. They strived to develop thoughtful and well-rounded young leaders through experiential, intellectual, emotional, and cultural engagement, while keeping them safe.

As we prepare for our 71st summer as a family-run organization, empowering students to be leaders is more important than ever. Young people live with a set of unprecedented challenges: social isolation from the pandemic, growing inequity, division, and a warming planet, not to mention the stresses brought on by social media and the high-stakes pressure of getting into a big-name college. The result is a generation of lovable kids who are more stressed and anxious than ever before.

Summers with Putney help to overcome these pressures by inviting participants to embrace new friends, cultures, and experiences through innovative programs that foster maturity, self-confidence, intellectual stimulation, and personal discovery. We help empower students to take charge of their futures by inspiring them to lead in today’s world. Our alumni and parents repeatedly describe their Putney experiences as priceless and life-changing. After this challenging year, one parent said of her student’s 2021 summer, Putney “put the light back in her eyes.”

That outcome is the best part of the work we do with our creative colleagues here at headquarters in the Putney Barn in Vermont. Ultimately it is that learning, growth, and light that all parents seek for their kids before they head off to blaze impressive paths for themselves in college and beyond. It’s what we at Putney work year after year to create and deliver.

In an era where educational summer programs increasingly are owned by venture capital firms, we are proud to be in our third generation of family leadership. It’s exciting to have our founders’ granddaughters deeply engaged in our important work, with a great-grandson on the way. We encourage you to call us so we can help you find the perfect program for your student.

We hope you will choose to apply!

Jeff, Peter, Olivia, & Becca Shumlin

Becca, Peter, Kitty, Jeff, Olivia

why putney?

71 Years of Experience

Innovative Programs

We’re not new at this. Our exceptional safety record gives parents comfort and reflects decades of institutional knowledge and expertise in risk management, supporting young travelers, and delivering high-quality programming.

We continually develop and improve our programming in response to world issues. Our students benefit from a global network of friends and partner organizations that has been built over seven decades.

Lasting Benefits

Student Ownership

Our programs instill confidence, maturity, and passion for cultures and ideas that are new to students—benefits that extend far beyond summer. These experiences often serve as springboards for students to develop lifelong interests.

Students learn and grow the most when they are given clear expectations and a chance to take ownership of their experience. While our leaders supervise and direct each program, students actively lead important daily tasks, activities, and discussions.

Excellent Group Dynamics Our leaders facilitate a positive group dynamic and build a community where everyone is included, celebrated, and invited to participate. Putney students return home with increased maturity, lasting friendships, and broadened perspectives.

Global Stewardship We partner with communities around the world through long-term collaborations.

Our students benefit from authentic interactions with local people. As a result, they learn to value community empowerment, cultural diversity, and environmental sustainability.

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Learn more at goputney.com or call 802.387.5000

High Expectations We have clearly communicated expectations of behavior that are designed to keep students safe and bring out the best in them. Our simple rules—no smoking, drinking, or drugs, as well as a few more—promote safety and build trust within the group.

It’s Fun! While our programs have ambitious educational goals, our founders believed that you learn best when you’re having fun. Putney has always made learning fun and we can guarantee that’s not going to change in our 71st summer.

“My Putney trip showed me the person I want to be. I gained a different perspective on friendships, social media, and my connection to the world.”

– Sydney B., Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic High School, Dover, NH

Learn more at goputney.com or call 802.387.5000

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career Hands-On Experiences to Inspire Your Future

Pursue your passion as you work alongside practicing professionals in a variety of fields. Get hands-on experience and gain insight into possible career paths and opportunities that await you.

Travel to where your interests come alive and get inspired by the people you meet. Dig into food and culture in Italy, the business of sports in Barcelona, the future of cars in Germany and Sweden, and more.

Produce an independent project to explore an aspect of public health, writing, sports management, farming, or conservation of particular interest to you.

Follow new ideas, gain new perspectives, and return home ready to blaze your own path.

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Learn more at goputney.com or call 802.387.5000

HIGH SCHOOL Baja: Marine Conservation Barcelona: Business of Sports Belize: Wildlife Conservation Canadian Arctic: Conservation & Photography Ecuador & the Galápagos: Conservation & Photography Germany & Sweden: Future of Cars Iceland: Climate & Photography Ireland: Writing Italy: Farm to Table Namibia: Photography & Big Cat Conservation Peru: Public Health Switzerland: CERN & Science Yellowstone: Photography

“I met some truly inspiring people and learned a lot about myself and what I am passionate about.”

– Emme J., The Sharon Academy, South Strafford, VT

Learn more at goputney.com or call 802.387.5000

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“She gained a greater appreciation of the world at large and what it means to serve.”

– Lisa & Brad Saunders, Blue Bell, PA

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Learn more at goputney.com or call 802.387.5000

service Community Engagement & Global Awareness

Collaborate on service projects and connect meaningfully with people of different cultures. Deepen your understanding and awareness of issues affecting communities around the world.

Contribute to important initiatives planned in partnership with these communities and trusted contacts. Pour cement to replace dirt floors, restore a water storage and irrigation system, or lay a foundation for a community kitchen—in Costa Rica, Ecuador, Morocco, Vietnam, and more.

Design your own independent project to engage in local life, immerse yourself in your host community, and learn how service work can be fun and educational. Receive a certificate for the number of service hours you complete.

HIGH SCHOOL Costa Rica Ecuador & the Galápagos Fiji Morocco Peru Tanzania Thailand Vietnam

MIDDLE SCHOOL Costa Rica Ecuador & the Galápagos

Learn more at goputney.com or call 802.387.5000

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language Active Immersion in Language & Culture

Immerse yourself in a language abroad to accelerate the pace of learning. Challenge yourself outside of the classroom with active language lessons, cultural immersion, and real-world use of your Spanish or French skills.

HIGH SCHOOL

Improve your confidence speaking through daily interactions with native speakers. Cook alongside your host parent in an Ecuadorian village. Interview locals in Madrid’s Retiro Park.

Spend a week with a homestay family in Alsace, France, or experience daily life with a host sibling.

France Spain

Sign a pledge to speak in the target language throughout your experience. This commitment, combined with an adventurous spirit, is the principal tool for making progress and improving fluency in a foreign language.

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Learn more at goputney.com or call 802.387.5000

Ecuador & the Galápagos France Spain

MIDDLE SCHOOL

“I am so happy and proud of myself that I can now truly speak in French with confidence.”

– Josh H., Walt Whitman High School, Bethesda, MD Learn more at goputney.com or call 802.387.5000

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“Seeing the views really put into perspective how far we were from home, and how far we had come.”

– Lexi H., Manchester Essex Regional High School, Manchester, MA

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Learn more at goputney.com or call 802.387.5000

exploration Adventure Travel & Cultural Immersion

Trek off the beaten path and experience the world as a traveler, not a tourist. Immerse yourself in the landscapes and cultures of a place, adventuring and building authentic connections along the way.

Discover what makes a land and its cultures unique.

Ski the rugged backcountry of Patagonia, meet a sheep-farming family in the Faroe Islands, summit Kilimanjaro, sample Croatia’s culinary heritage, sail in Australia’s Whitsunday Islands, and more.

HIGH SCHOOL Alaska Azores Belize Croatia Faroe Islands & Iceland Fiji, New Zealand, & Australia Italy & Greece Japan Kilimanjaro Norway Patagonia: Skiing Switzerland, Italy, France, & Holland

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Delve deeper into place and culture through student-initiated independent projects. Build on your talents, learn new skills and perspectives, engage with local people, and return home with a better understanding of our diverse planet.

Alaska Canadian Arctic France & Holland Hawai’i Iceland

Learn more at goputney.com or call 802.387.5000

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pre-college Learning Beyond the Classroom

Develop the skill set necessary to thrive in college as you explore your interests through field-based seminars, activities, meetings with local experts, and excursions that delve into a local culture.

Choose a seminar and dive deep into a subject that inspires you.

Establish a foundation in the classroom, then take your ideas to the streets and studios, the markets and museums—these are your classrooms. Study anime in Tokyo, economics and trade at UCLA, architecture in Barcelona, and more.

Create a final project based on your seminar experiences and share your creation with your peers and instructors. Return home prepared intellectually and socially for the next step into college.

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Learn more at goprecollege.com or call 802.387.5000

HIGH SCHOOL Barcelona Tokyo UCLA Vermont

“She gained a sense of confidence and a wider understanding of the seminar topics she enrolled in.”

– Renu & Sandeep Kulkarni, Chicago, IL

Learn more at goputney.com or call 802.387.5000

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Learn more at goputney.com or call 802.387.5000

Oxford, Siena, & Paris

Oxford Academia programs invite intellectually driven high school students to learn from the finest teachers, scholars, and industry professionals at some of the world’s most esteemed universities. Our cornerstone program takes place at Oxford, and for summer 2022 we are excited to collaborate with the American University of Paris and the University of Siena.

Our educators are Oxford, Rhodes, Marshall, and Gates scholars, tenured faculty, industry experts, and thought leaders. On each program, students choose an academic major and minor, pursue subjects in the company of motivated peers, and engage with course material under the guidance of distinguished academics.

SEMINARS Archaeology & Anthropology Architecture & Sustainability Business, Banking, & Markets Creative Writing Criminology & Justice Engineering Evolutionary Biology International Relations Journalism Law & Society Medicine Molecular Medicine Psychology & Artificial Intelligence Shakespeare War & World History

Learn more at oxfordacademia.com or call 802.387.5000

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harvard chan c-change youth summits

A Putney Pre-College Collaboration With

High school students tackle the intertwined crises of climate change, public health, and equity during these week-long residential programs at the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (Harvard Chan C-CHANGE).

Join a community of young changemakers to learn from leading scientists, doctors, public health experts, advocates, and policymakers who are eager to share their knowledge, experiences, and perspectives. Then, take what you have learned and transform your ideas into a Community Action Plan, and return home ready to address these issues in your own community.

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Learn more at goprecollege.com/youthsummits or call 802.387.5000

ACTION FOCUSES Climate Communications, Press, & Media Climate Science Entrepreneurship, Industry, & Technology Environmental Justice Global Health, Epidemiology, & Infectious Disease Medicine & Healthcare Policy & Advocacy

Learn more at goputney.com or call 802.387.5000

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Learn more at goputney.com or call 802.387.5000

​​ The Smithsonian Institution and Putney have collaborated to create Smithsonian Student Travel, innovative summer opportunities that draw on the reach and resources of the Smithsonian and the expertise of Putney Student Travel.

Our programs are open to students completing 8th–12th grades and are designed to deepen knowledge and cultural awareness of the world through immersive summer travel experiences in destinations ranging from Washington, D.C., to other domestic and international locations.

JOURNEYS Alaska Costa Rica Ecuador & the Galápagos Greece & Italy Hawai’i Iceland New York & Denmark Panama Washington, D.C. & Alabama Washington, D.C. & Houston

Alongside like-minded peers, experienced trip leaders, and knowledgeable Smithsonian Student Travel Experts, students participate in engaging, educational, and adventurous activities as they explore the world through the Smithsonian lens. Ranging from 14 to 24 days, each program focuses on a specific theme, enabling students to gain a deeper understanding of the history, culture, cuisine, language, and environment of their destination.

Learn more at smithsonianstudenttravel.org or call 802.387.5000

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Developed in collaboration with Putney, the Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains seeks to mobilize action on the climate crisis, drive impact, and effect change in response to our warming planet. All programming is taught by renowned Columbia University faculty, researchers, and practitioners. Through seminars, field-based lessons, and final projects, high school students engage with topics such as climate science, environmental justice, community impact, and science communication and advocacy.

Learn more: columbiaingreenmountains@columbia.edu

more reasons to choose putney Health & Safety A commitment to safety is the bedrock of our program operations. We only offer programs in stable locations with the infrastructure to handle urgent situations that might realistically arise.

Our vetting process includes making site visits, monitoring locations, reviewing safety records, and more. Our students abroad are covered for emergencies by one of the world’s leading medical evacuation plans. While programs are underway, we can be reached 24/7.

Experienced Leadership

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accomplished professionals, graduates of the nation’s top colleges and universities, and veterans of prestigious organizations like the Peace Corps, Teach for America, and the Fulbright Program, our leaders bring to each program a depth of experience in teaching, foreign language, international living, and world travel, as well as a passion for exploration and an enthusiasm for facilitating positive group dynamics.

An Inclusive Environment We celebrate diversity on our programs and expect the same of our students. We do not tolerate

We select Putney leaders from a highly competitive

bullying and act decisively to safeguard the

pool of diverse and qualified candidates. As

physical and emotional safety of our students.

Learn more at goputney.com or call 802.387.5000

“I wouldn’t change a thing. This was the best summer of my life.”

– Minnie R., NSU University School, Weston, FL

APPLY TODAY

LEARN MORE!

Join us for a webinar and learn how our history sets us apart!

Scan or visit goputney.com/RSVP. b

Learn more at goputney.com or call 802.387.5000

Visit goputney.com or call 802.387.5000