Summer Institute
VYLI’s Summer Institute is a week-long intensive training, the centerpiece of our year-round program where we train young and emerging leaders to build a new Vieques. The 3rd annual Summer Institute (Summer Institute 2006) was a great success -- fifty young people (ages 11-17) had the opportunity to learn how to make their dreams come true. Every morning they expressed their ideas through art and writing exercises, then shared them with others in small and large group presentations. Working with VYLI’s faculty, staff and camp counselors they learned how to create action plans to stay focused on their goals during the summer months and school year. They gained courage by listening to teen leaders and adult mentors share their dreams, their stumbling blocks, and ways they overcame them. Each afternoon they participated in handson workshops: culinary arts, cultural arts & handicrafts, computers, music & theatre and swimming. In just one week, they accomplished a lot! Six young women experienced being a chef; six young men learned to swim; our young entrepreneurs made beautiful indigenous jewelry; our young actors produced a play; our musicians created VYLI’s new themesong and performed it at our graduation and our technology group helped create this newsletter and an inspiring slide show featuring Summer Institute youth. Step-by-step, these young people began to pave the road to their own future.
Breakdown from each year.
