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THE STANLEY FOUNDATION

Select from the list below to see some photos from this summer's youth programs. Summer Special

Summer Explorations

Summer Arts Experience

Empowering young people to take charge of the world around them

Summer is a time when kids can have fun, but having fun doesn't preclude them from learning too. The Stanley Foundation's summer youth programs, carried out in or near our hometown of Muscatine, Iowa, try to keep that in mind.

The youth programs are part of the foundation's focus on global education. As such, they address the themes of interdependence, human values and culture, the environment, peace, and change. One of the goals is to help the young people see themselves as change agents.

The "classroom" for these programs could be a river or stream, a park, a farm, a church basement, or any other place where students can get a better understanding of how their individual lives connect to global phenomena. Learning occurs when students are introduced to new ideas and experiences, most of which also have the benefit of being fun.

The longest running of the youth programs is Summer Special—1999 saw the thirteenth edition. Summer Special is for boys and girls completing fifth or sixth grade. Summer Explorations is in its third year. It is for seventh and eighth grade girls. The Summer Arts Experience is for middle school students and exposes students to global themes through artistic expression.