Youth Climate Leadership Program
Hosted at the Vineyard Arts Project
Imagine a world where you are the driving force behind climate change solutions.
At Bluedot Institute, we are on a mission to turn this vision into reality.
An opportunity for:
High school students interested in nature, environmental and marine science, art, and journalism
You'll gain:
- Leadership & Communication Skills
- A Unique Island Experience
- Diverse Learning & Inspiration
Overview
This week-long intensive program trains high school students in vital skills needed for effective leadership in climate and environmental movements.
At Bluedot Institute, our programs orient around the land, sea, and sky. As a non-profit specifically focused on supporting youth interested in the environment and climate change, we choose to center the natural world in all aspects of our work. The following topics and skills are taught through that lens.
LEADERSHIP
NARRATIVE
CONVERSATION
NEGOTIATION
COMMUNICATION
Martha’s Vineyard Climate Retreat Program Details
Cost $3750 (needs based scholarships available)
Sunday, July 13: Ground Zero for Action
Arrive in historic Massachusetts – where the American Revolution started and where engaged citizens have worked for positive change ever since. Settle into our Boston hotel and get to know your fellow citizens on the retreat.
Monday, July 14: Our Oceans: A Place to Begin
Travel down to Woods Hole, scenic entry to Cape Cod. Start our climate week with a focus on the ocean because, as biologist Dr. Sylvia Earl puts it, “No blue. No green.” To build a healthy earth, we must protect the water that covers almost three quarters of the globe. Tour the world-renown Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and learn from experts there.
Tuesday, July 15: Leadership and the Land
Through group games and exercises, explore ideas of leadership: what it is, what it isn’t, and how to develop the skills needed in climate work today. Then focus on the land with an environmental tour of Martha’s Vineyard and learn from professionals, ranging from authors to scientists, how to protect the earth.
Wednesday, July 16: Leadership and Narrative
Together explore essential links between leadership and storytelling. Develop stories that weave together your passions, the interests of your community, and the urgency of time in making your case about climate issues. Then visit with folks who make their living on land and sea: shellfishermen and farmers. Enjoy dinner at a local farm.
Thursday, July 17: Leadership and Conversation
Learn how to approach and navigate difficult conversations that climate work may entail. Through improvisation and role-playing, develop skills that allow you to turn opponents into allies and allies into fellow activists in the fight. Spend the afternoon in the natural world kayaking across Vineyard’s most scenic, tranquil ponds. Then meet a documentary filmmaker, watch his film – and stroll to nearby Edgartown for ice cream.
Friday, July 18: Leadership and Negotiation
Today we look at the art of negotiation: when and how to bargain and when to fight for what matters most. Learn how to seek common ground, how to find the best possible outcome, and what to do when that result might not feel within reach. Talk with the country’s leading negotiation experts and hear what they have to say. Then journey out to windmills in the Atlantic Ocean and learn about wind power from Vineyard Wind. And end the day stargazing at the Perseids meteor showers with a local astronomer as our guide.
Saturday, July 19: Leadership and Communication
Learn and practice public-speaking skills and how to handle speeches that vary in intention and structure. Learn how to speak off-the cuff, from notes, or from a written text. Learn how a speech to persuade differs from a speech to inform. Apply these skills to your own chosen speech topic, practice with a partner, and then share your short speech with us. Finish the day with a big farewell dinner, featuring the natural bounty of the Vineyard.
Curriculum Design
How to Apply
All students who are interested in attending the Martha’s Vineyard Retreat: Land, Sea, and Sky, will be considered regardless of finances. Click the link below to full out the application form. You will be asked to sign into or create a Google Account.
Program Leadership
Sarah Ream
Vice President, Bluedot Institute
Sarah Ream has had the climate and activism on her mind since circulating a petition to save the baby seals in grade school. Since then, she has worked as a theater director and teacher in the United States and England and taught English and Theatre for many years at Phillips Exeter Academy. Throughout it all, she has maintained a commitment to environmental issues in a variety of ways – none more exciting than her work with Bluedot.
Victoria Riskin
President, Bluedot Living
Victoria Riskin is the founder and publisher of Bluedot Living, a media company with a network of newsletters that tell the stories of change-makers addressing climate change and helping readers live more sustainably. With a background in psychology, creative writing, and human rights, she creates engaging and actionable content that connects with people at the local and national level, and sparks individual and collective action.
Leigh Anne Neal
Director of Student Development and Engagement, Bluedot Institute
Leigh Anne acts as a link between Bluedot and the high schools involved in our work and manages new student recruitment for our programs. She is an artist, a teacher, and a weaver of stories and communities. Leigh Anne believes that creativity and joy play vital roles in our ability to stay present, create community action around climate hope, and enjoy a thriving life.
Annabelle Brothers
Board Member, Bluedot Institute
Annabelle Brothers graduated from Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School in 2023, Valedictorian of her class. Annabelle served as the president of her high school’s environmental group, the Protect Your Environment Club. She worked closely with the Bluedot Institute conducting interviews, writing essays, and was on-camera as a journalist for the Bluedot Institute filmed interviews. Annabelle is now a Sophomore at Yale University and is pursuing a major in Ethics, Politics, and Economics with a Concentration in Climate Science and Solutions. She is passionate about fighting climate change and has a particular interest in the intersectionality of climate work and the ways social and institutional problems exacerbate the challenges that communities face.
Get in Touch
For any questions about the program or how to apply, please contact us using this form. You can also call, text, or email Leigh Anne Neal: 404-420-0999/ leighanne@bluedotinstitute.org