Over the course of seven decades, the importance of our core mission—to change students’ lives—has grown significantly. When our grandparents (and Peter and Jeff’s parents) 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 73rd summer as a family-run organization, now in its third generation, empowering students to be leaders is more important than ever. Young people live with a set of unprecedented challenges: a warming planet that requires immediate action, social isolation from a recent pandemic, growing division and hostility at home and abroad—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 isolated, programmed, and anxious than ever before.
Summers with Putney help to overcome this reality 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. One parent put it succinctly by saying of her student’s summer, Putney “put the light back in her eyes.”
In an era where educational summer programs increasingly are owned by venture capital firms, we are proud to be family-directed and female-led. As two sisters who have been virtually joined at the hip since birth, Putney has always been a part of us. As young children we worked in the kitchen at our annual leader training, in awe of those many inspiring individuals; as high school students we participated in Putney programs; and later we joined the team as program leaders. Today, we are privileged to lead this dynamic organization and grateful that our dad Peter and uncle Jeff remain deeply involved.
Choosing the right summer program can be overwhelming. Putney and our many collaborators (some of the world’s best organizations and universities) offer the most challenging and respected summer programs that meet the needs of almost every student. Please give us a call so we can help you choose the most impactful program.
We look forward to learning more about your goals and hope you will apply.
Olivia & Becca Shumlin and team
Over the years, Putney students have traveled to hundreds of destinations, immersed themselves in cultures and communities around the globe, and found their lives changed by these experiences. The resulting memories, photographs, and extraordinary pursuits are a testament to Putney’s seven decades of quality summer programs in the U.S. and abroad.
Today, our team includes educators, linguists, world travelers, a former ship captain, a governor, a doula, Fulbright fellows, yoga teachers, photographers, artists, parents, a capuchin monkey researcher, an aerial acrobat, and much more.
When you call to inquire about Putney Student Travel programs, you will speak with one of our colleagues (pictured on the right) at our headquarters in southern Vermont, a former cow barn that was converted to an office in 1999.
We encourage you to give us a call so that we can ensure you find the perfect summer experience for your student. And if you happen to be passing through, feel free to stop by!
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, fostering meaningful connections, and delivering high-quality programming.
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.
Our trained 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.
Students learn and grow most when 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, instilling greater confidence and independence.
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.
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.
We partner with communities around the world through long-term collaborations. Our students benefit from meaningful interactions with local people, with many of our relationships spanning generations. As a result, they learn to value community empowerment, cultural diversity, and environmental sustainability.
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 73rd summer.
Our leaders are chosen from a highly competitive pool of diverse and qualified candidates. We draw leaders with incredible experience in youth engagement, foreign language, international living, and travel. They distinguish themselves in fields ranging from teaching to writing and the arts, science and technology, athletics, journalism, law, medicine, and international development.
Despite the diversity of their experiences, our leaders share a commitment to safety, a passion for exploration, and an enthusiasm for helping students make their own unique discoveries and become more informed
global citizens. They are not only advisors, guides, and mentors, but also good friends.
Our leaders are required to attend an intensive staff training every summer. During training, leaders participate in workshops, discussions, and activities that focus on trip safety, group dynamics, program logistics, leadership, the Putney Student Travel philosophy, and emergency protocols. All leaders are First Aid and CPR certified, while many hold advanced certifications like Wilderness First Responder or EMT.
Adam is a photographer and visual storyteller. After graduating from the College of William & Mary, he began solo bikepacking across the U.S. and documenting his travels, eventually being featured in National Geographic Travel. Since then he has documented stories in Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, and the American West for The New York Times, Insider, Patagonia, and more. Fluent in English, Polish, and Spanish, he has led Putney programs in Peru and Ecuador.
While at Brown University, Aïcha developed her own field of study in Transnational Indigenous Memory, exploring how communities nurture memory. She worked with resettled refugees as an ESL instructor, tutor, and caregiver. Aïcha has also worked with students in her home village in the High Atlas Mountains o f Morocco, in Peru, and in Nepal. She is fluent in Arabic (Darija), proficient in Spanish and Tamazight, and is learning Tamasheq. Aïcha is a Putney alumna and has led our program in Morocco.
Jimena holds a master’s in environmental science from the University of Manchester and conducted her dissertation research in Kruger Na tional Park. Currently she designs and leads outdoor education programs, and collaborates on sustainable tourism projects with rural and Indigenous communities in Central America. Jimena is fluent in Spanish, proficient in French, and has led our programs in the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Italy, and Greece.
Terry is a graduate of The Ohio State University and received his master’s from the University of St. Thomas. He taught English with Teach for America and later in Abu Dhabi. Terry has led educational wilderness programs for disadvantaged students, and helped create a male mentorship organization for young African American males, leading service projects in Central America. He has led our programs in Costa Rica, Hawai’i, Iceland, and Ecuador and the Galápagos.
Zack is a high school English teacher and city council member i n Spokane, Washington. As an undergraduate, he studied abroad in Madrid and was a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Colombia. Zack then received a master’s in public affairs at Princeton, where he studied domestic policy with a f ocus on inequality and anti-poverty programs. Zack is proficient in Spanish and has led Putney programs in Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador, Hawai’i, Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.
“She returned with a deep appreciation and gratitude for what she has at home, as well as insight as to what she may want to do with her future.”
– Kari B., Westport, CT
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. With the added insight of a program Expert, 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 further explore a particular aspect of public health, music and dance, writing, sports management, science, or conservation. Follow novel ideas, gain new perspectives, and return home ready to blaze your own path.
Barcelona: Business of Sports
Belize: Wildlife Conservation
Cuba: Music, Dance, & Arts
Germany & Sweden:
Future of Cars
Ireland: Writing
Italy: Farm to Table
Montana: Ecosystem
Restoration & Climate
Peru: Public Health
Switzerland: CERN & Science
Collaborate on 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. Lend a hand in reforestation, 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
Argentina
Costa Rica
Ecuador & the Galápagos
Fiji
Hawai’i
Morocco
Nepal
Peru
Puerto Rico
Tanzania
Thailand
Vietnam
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Costa Rica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador & the Galápagos
Hawai’i
“Ella came home with amazing stories and experiences and reported being the happiest she has ever been.”
– Misty C., Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
“My French greatly improved —I was able to slide into conversation easily among native speakers and help strangers with directions.”
– Delaney D., Hideout, UT
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.
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 France, or experience daily life with a host sibling.
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.
HIGH SCHOOL
Ecuador & the Galápagos
France
Spain
MIDDLE SCHOOL
France
Spain
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 between Caribbean islands, and more.
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.
Australia, New Zealand, & Fiji
Croatia & Slovenia
Faroe Islands & Iceland
Italy & Greece
Japan
Kilimanjaro
Panama & Colombia
Patagonia: Skiing
Spain, France, & Portugal
Switzerland, Italy, France, & Holland
MIDDLE SCHOOL
France & Holland
Iceland
Italy & Greece
“There was no day we didn’t do something that I couldn’t wait to write about in my journal at night.”
– Mia H., Packer Collegiate Institute, NY
“Zoe learned in two weeks what might take a full semester in a typical college setting—the content was stimulating, the instruction was impassioned, the setting warm and encouraging!”
– Matthew B., Cape Elizabeth, ME
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. Whether anime or international business in Tokyo, architecture or fashion in Barcelona, art history or Italian language in Siena, pursue your seminar in the places these topics matter most.
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.
HIGH SCHOOL
Barcelona
Tokyo
Tuscany
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— Oxford University, University of Siena in Italy, and The American University of Paris.
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.
Architecture, Design, & Sustainability
Art History
Business, Banking, & Markets
Creative Writing
Criminology & Justice
Economics
Engineering
French Language
International Relations
Law & Society
Medicine
Sports Business, Media, & Law
Technology & AI
Theater & Drama
War & World History
& more
High school students tackle the intertwined crises of climate change, equity, and public health during this residential program with 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.
Climate Communications, Press, & Media
Climate Science
Entrepreneurship, Industry, & Technology
Environmental Justice
Global Health, Epidemiology, & Infectious Disease
Medicine & Healthcare
Policy & Advocacy
Developed in collaboration with Putney, The Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains and Columbia Climate Corps programs provide an Ivy League educational experience for high school students passionate about the environment.
The Green Mountains program is a two-week campus-based experience at Vermont State University to mobilize action, drive impact, and effect change in response to our warming planet. The Climate Corps traveling programs offer small-group, place-based experiences to engage with climate change in the field. Each program is uniquely and intently structured on locationspecific themes.
The Science of Climate Change
Climate Impacts
Communication and Advocacy
Alaska: Climate Policy & Conservation
Chile & Peru: Climate Impacts & Risk
Iceland: Carbon Capture & Storage
Colombia: Climate Resilience & Justice
The Smithsonian Institution has teamed up with Putney Student Travel to offer innovative summer travel programs for students completing 8th–12th grades. Drawing on the reach and resources of the Smithsonian and the expertise of Putney—a leader in student travel for more than 70 years—these programs are designed to deepen students’ cultural awareness and knowledge of the world through immersive experiences in captivating destinations ranging from France to Japan and Tanzania to Silicon Valley.
Traveling with a small group of like-minded peers, experienced trip leaders, and knowledgeable Smithsonian Student Travel Experts, students participate in engaging activities that combine education and adventure as they explore the world through the Smithsonian lens. Programs range from two to three weeks and focus on a specific theme, enabling students to gain a deeper understanding of the history, culture, cuisine, language, and environment of their destination.
Australia & New Zealand
Belize
Costa Rica
France & Switzerland
Greece & Italy
Iceland
Japan
Kenya & Tanzania
Morocco
New York & Denmark
Portugal & Spain
Silicon Valley
Thailand & Vietnam
Washington, D.C. & Houston
Get out into the field this summer and engage with the world through the lens of an On Assignment project. Each National Geographic Student Travel program centers on one or two areas of focus, such as photography, climate and geology, technology, and anthropology. With the guidance and insights of trip leaders and a National Geographic Explorer, learn through interactive activities and excursions, deepen your understanding of our world, and return home ready to pursue bold ideas, engage others, and inspire action. National Geographic Society and Putney Student Travel have teamed up to make these unique trips possible for both high school and middle school students.
No matter which program you choose, you’ll explore with a purpose and experience your surroundings through interactive projects such as crafting a photography portfolio or conducting wildlife research with scientists.
Baja & the Gulf of California
Canadian Arctic
Costa Rica
Ecuador & the Galápagos
Engineering & Robotics on the MIT Campus
Iceland
Japan
Namibia
Norway
Thailand
Yellowstone: Photo Workshop
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Iceland
Italy & Greece
“Adventure, independence, and fun. The program absolutely exceeded all of these expectations.”
– Clare T., Piedmont, CA
Students completing 9th through 12th grades are eligible for our high school programs. Students completing 6th through 8th grades are eligible for our middle school programs.
Students who attend two programs save $1,000 ($800 tuition discount + no application fee).
The Putney Open Door Fund, a nonprofit foundation whose purpose is to provide support for young people seeking educational summer experiences, considers scholarship applications from students applying to Putney Student Travel programs. Learn more at goputney.com/podf
Jana Ašenbrennerová
Enjoy Atacama
Kiki Baxter
Zak Bennett
Brenna Casey
Erika Frisk
Lauren Fritz
Evan Frost
Zulmaris Garcia
Madison James
Bridget Lanigan
William Liu
Anna Marandi
Max Miao
Federico Pardo
Adam Pawlikiewicz
Alex Reich
Juan Diego Reyes
Hailey Savage
Rebekah Willey
James Townsend
