Our annual Aspects of Leadership Summer Institute ran from June 24 to July 29, hosted on the Princeton University campus. We were delighted to spend five weeks getting to know our newest 100 LEDA Scholars in Cohort 19 and introducing them to the broader LEDA Community. Our Scholars took part in a comprehensive program of leadership development, writing instruction by faculty from top colleges, standardized test preparation provided by Advantage Testing, personalized college guidance, and support from an inclusive and talented community. Scholars also visited four campuses on the East Coast and attended information sessions and panels led by representatives from 14 selective institutions, including Amherst College, Brown University, MIT, Princeton University, and Washington University in St. Louis.
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| LEDA Cohort 19 Scholars and Executive Director David Garza at the Summer Institute pose with the “LEDA for Life” gesture |
The Summer Institute is the first step in preparing our Scholars for applying to college. Scholars return home with drafts of their college lists and personal statements, as well as the strong interpersonal bonds they have made in the LEDA Community. They also receive ongoing support through monthly meetings with their LEDA college guidance counselor that will allow them to complete the college application process with confidence and achieve outstanding results.
Throughout the summer, Scholars also developed their individual Community Impact Projects (CIPs). Each Scholar worked on a detailed plan to address a need in their community and presented it to their peers and faculty during a conference during the last week of the summer. Some of the Scholars and CIPs recognized by their peers as being exceptional included: “Advanced Placement for Everyone” by Brant; “Burien Food Freedom” by Sarah; “Calculation Comrades” by Joe; “Bard DC’s Women’s Wellness Project: Bard Blossom” by London; “LingoX” by Mia; “Books for Kids” by Maria; “Project Worldbrdige” by Sean; and “Feeling Our Future” by Samarah. We’ll be checking in with our Scholars periodically to see how their projects are helping their communities, so stay tuned for updates!
Many thanks to everyone who helped make the Summer Institute such a success, including our hard-working staff and faculty, our hosts at Princeton University, and especially our Cohort 19 Scholars!
Published October 19, 2023