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PROGRAM

SUMMER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

SLP 2023 Youth Applications are now LIVE!
Apply ASAP!

The Summer Leadership Program (SLP) began in 1995, with SLP 2023 marking our 29th summer. The program provides young people aged 14-19 with an exciting, powerful, and life-changing summer of community building, political education, and leadership development. Young people come to SLP concerned about injustice and ready to learn more and emerge from SLP ready to be part of a broader movement for social change. High-school-age students from Boston's diverse neighborhoods, surrounding communities, and outlying suburbs participate in the Summer Leadership Program. Youth who have participated have come from various Greater Boston- area high schools. Once accepted into SLP, students participate in a retreat exploring identity, power, and privilege, and build community. Then we launch six weeks of intensive learning around racial, economic, gender, queer and disability justice, as well as building skills to organize and take action for justice.

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(Video created in 2010 by Erika Simon, a Hines Fellow from The Center for Documentary Studies at Duke.)

SLP Components

Assembly
Created by the Youth Staff team, which brings the entire community together for fun events like Twin Day and Spirit Day. Afterwards, participants head to their issue-based

Seminars
Seminar classes go deep into topics such as education, immigration, community organizing, housing, food justice, environmental justice, and more. Seminar Teachers are experienced youth workers, and often graduates of our program; they weave together activities, media, and more to give a rich view of the information being covered.

Community Action Projects
Students are working for social justice in Greater Boston. Previous Community Action Projects have included creating a conference for Boston Public School teachers to learn about restorative justice and liberatory education; protesting racial injustice and access to quality education and youth jobs.

Internships
In partnership with community-based organizations, youth engage in issue focused training and workshops. Our internship sites have included: Beantown Society, Roxbury Environmental Empowerment Project, Youth Justice and Power Union, United for a Fair Economy, Center to Support Immigrant Organizing, and many more!

After six and a half weeks of powerful programming, SLP concludes with three events: interactive Youth-Led Workshops; We Rise Up and Graduation, our closing celebration and commencement acknowledging the achievements of each young person's growth throughout the program.

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Summer Leadership Program Videos

Watch videos about the Summer Leadership Program! They were created in 2010 by Erika Simon, a Hines Fellow from The Center for Documentary Studies at Duke.

The City School's Summer Leadership Program Overview
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The City School's Summer Leadership Program Overview

The mission of The City School is to develop and strengthen the power of youth to work toward building a just society. We do this through creative education and critical thinking, leadership development, action and service, and promoting understanding and relationships across difference. The Summer Leadership Program provides sixty diverse teenagers with an exciting, powerful, and fun summer of community building, self rediscovery, leadership skills, action projects, internships at local nonprofits, and challenging seminars to transform themselves into powerful voices for change. Featured in this video: Participants in The Summer Leadership Program 2010, staff, community partners, and alumni. To learn more, visit thecityschool.org
Retreat: Kicking Off the Summer Leadership Program
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Retreat: Kicking Off the Summer Leadership Program

The City School's Summer Leadership Program begins with a 3-day sleepover retreat. After registration, students introduce themselves and hold racism and sexism workshops before taking their suitcases to the dorms. The weekend retreat also includes classism and heterosexism workshops, a talent show, freedom stories, and other activities that foster trust and intimacy for the challenging summer ahead. Featuring: Christian Laura, Aneesia DeCarvalho, Tony James-Daley, Kebrina Cantave, Anwar Luckman, Chris Grace, Colin Smith, Samara Bliss, Jasmine Duncan, Jessica "JJ" Feliciano, Ronique Daley, participants of SLP 2010. For more information, visit thecityschool.org.
Classism Workshop
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Classism Workshop

In addition to racism, sexism, and heterosexism workshops, Summer Leadership Program participants learn about classism at the opening retreat. Featuring: Hector Negron, Janna Ohrstrom, Kasheem Gross, Jessica "JJ" Feliciano, Fedrice Isidore, participants of SLP 2010. To learn about racism and sexism workshops, watch "Retreat: Kicking Off the Summer Leadership Program."
Assemblies: Unity Banner and "Fears on the Floor"
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Assemblies: Unity Banner and "Fears on the Floor"

Student staff lead icebreakers during morning assemblies at The City School's Summer Leadership Program. The Unity Banner and "Fears on the Floor" were among the first following the 2010 SLP retreat. Featuring: SLP 2010 participants, Nia Gomez, Chris Rosa. For more information about The City School's Summer Leadership Program, visit thecityschool.org.
Students Leading Students
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Students Leading Students

When conflict arises among participants, and between participants and staff, they turn an assembly into a Growing Circle at The City School's Summer Leadership Program. Featuring: Anwar Luckman, Luis Guzman, Ajah Brown, Teniya Holliday, Ebony Taylor, Christian Laura, Robertha Perez, Jessica "JJ" Feliciano, Fedrice Isidore, Beatriz Rivera, DeSean Duncan, Hector Negron, participants of SLP 2010.
Internships
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Internships

Internships at community organizations give SLP participants hands-on work experience twice a week and enhance their seminars. Featuring: Giovani Acevedo, Hector Negron, Angela Yarde. For more information about The City School's Summer Leadership Program, visit thecityschool.org.

WHAT SLP GRADS SAY!

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"At SLP, I have grown so much especially through the summer. I was able to learn about Black History, about issues that we are facing as a community, and also how to make a change. It feels so good to have been a part of such a powerful community like SLP." 

—  Caciana Rosa, 16, Dorchester

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