Bluedot Leadership Retreats: Memories that Last a Lifetime
The Bluedot Institute’s retreats offer a week-long, in-person climate leadership course. Students have a chance to explore unique local ecosystems while getting intensive small-group leadership experience with our team and guest faculty. Read more about our leadership curriculum, facilitated by the program’s lead teacher and curriculum designer, Sarah Ream, an alumni and master teacher from Phillips Exeter Academy.
Martha’s Vineyard
Youth Climate Leadership Retreat July 2025
Special thanks to our Youth Climate Ambassadors: Nathanael Jean-Gilles and Barbara Maganda
Bluedot’s third Youth Climate Leadership was held in July 2025 on Martha’s Vineyard. The island provided the perfect setting for our emerging climate leaders to enhance their skills, study climate change, and enjoy the pristine natural beauty of Martha’s Vineyard. The Vineyard Arts Project, a local gem, hosted our program for the week, along with culinary expertise from Chef Zephir Plume.
Our diverse group of students represents two countries, five states, four partner organizations, and seventeen high schools. During the week, we heard from experts on climate change and ecosystems, explored the island’s rich heritage and various towns, participated in leadership training, enjoyed fantastic local foods, and created a lasting community. Stargazing, traversing the coastline on tall ships, shucking oysters, kayaking, and crafting inspiring speeches as their final program project are some of the group’s favorites from the trip. Each of us will carry this experience with us into our schools, homes, and communities.
Santa Cruz Island Youth Climate Leadership Retreat March 2025
With Bluedot Institute and University of Santa Barbara’s BREN School of Environmental Science
A special thanks to our partners at UCSB: Lotus Vermeer and Patricia Winans
After our inaugural program, we were inspired to do it all again! So we connected with environmentally inspired youth to visit Santa Cruz Island, one of California’s natural gems, for Spring Break to learn about climate leadership. The program was facilitated by the Bluedot Institute team, with PhD mentors from the BREN School of Environmental Science as special guests. Our diverse group of students primarily consisted of individuals from local schools, such as Cabrillo High School, which has its own student-run Aquarium, along with three students from the East Coast.
Visiting Santa Cruz Island’s research field station is the opportunity of a lifetime. This side of the island is typically off-limits to tourists and is rarely visited except for research. It is a truly pristine natural setting. This five-day intensive program gave students vital skills for effective leadership in climate and environmental movements.
Cambridge Youth Climate Leadership Retreat July 2024
With Bluedot Institute, Earth DNA and MIT Media Lab
A special thanks to our partners at MIT: Dava Newman and Gui Trotti
Twenty high school students from around the country and one from the UK came together for the inaugural Climate Leadership Program. The week was dedicated to climate leadership, and we probed the following question: What does it mean to be a leader? Through exercises and games led by Sarah Ream and the Bluedot Institute faculty, students practiced communication, persuasion, speech-making, and improvisation, and at the end of the week each student presented a final speech about a climate challenge and a proposed solution. The varied perspectives on and approaches to climate challenges broadened the group’s understanding of the issues while building friendships and community.
One of our young Climate Leaders says it best:
“I came to the program eager to learn more about what people are doing about climate change and left feeling more ready to do something about it myself. I made new friends and connections for life.”
Thank you Bluedot Institute Donors!
Thank you to our donors for making this program a success.
To Donate to a Student Scholarship or to get involved with our retreats, please contact:
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