EOL Summer High School Program
A Shared Leadership Experience for High School Students and Educators
High school is a turning point. It’s where leadership stops being something you’re told about, and becomes something you choose to step into.
The Edge of Leadership (EOL) Summer Program is not just a workshop or camp. It’s a three-day, immersive experience where students and educators step out of their usual roles and into the real work of leadership, through challenge, reflection, and meaningful connection.
This is leadership as it actually happens: dynamic, uncertain, and deeply human.
2026 Summer Dates
- Week 1: July 21st – July 23rd
- Week 2: July 28th – August 30th
Long-Term, Lasting Results
The goal isn’t just a powerful experience, it’s what happens after.
Participants leave with a clearer understanding of who they are as leaders, along with practical tools they can immediately apply in their schools, teams, and communities.
Students return with:
- Confidence to take initiative and contribute
- Language to communicate, reflect, and problem-solve
- A deeper understanding of support, responsibility, and leadership
Educators return with:
- New ways to design experiences that build leadership in students
- Tools to strengthen classroom and school culture
- Insight into how students think, feel, and respond to challenge
A Shared Experience: Students + Educators
One of the most powerful aspects of the EOL Summer Program is that students and educators experience it together.
When educators step into the same challenges, take the same risks, and reflect alongside students, something shifts. Traditional roles begin to blur, and a more authentic, connected learning environment emerges.
This shared experience creates a foundation that can carry back into the school year, strengthening relationships, expectations, and culture.
Part of the Edge of Leadership Ecosystem
The Summer Program is part of the broader Edge of Leadership (EOL) framework, a system of student experiences, educator development, and practical tools designed to build strong, supportive learning communities.
For many schools, this program becomes a starting point, leading to deeper integration through school-year programming and professional learning.
If you’re interested in the framework behind this work, the book Edge of Leadership: Guiding Students and Educators on a Journey of Meaningful Connection, Empowering Skill, and Collective Leadership serves as a bridge—connecting this experience to the larger models, language, and practices used in classrooms and schools.
Program Details
Who is This For?
This program is designed for:
- High school students ready to step into leadership roles
Student leaders, athletes, or emerging voices in a school community - Schools looking to strengthen student culture and leadership pathways
- Educators who want to build leadership through experience, not just instruction
Logistics
- Location: High 5 Adventure Learning Center – Brattleboro, VT
- Duration: 3 Days
- Participants: High school students and educators attend together (students need a teacher sponsor).
- 2026 Dates:
- Week 1: July 21st – July 23rd
- Week 2: July 28th – August 30th
Apply to Attend
The Edge of Leadership summer program is open to schools and community organizations who work with high school youth.
Inquiries and application requests should be submitted by a member of the school or organization wishing to attend.
Scholarships are available to offset the tuition cost. We work hard every day to make EOL accessible to more schools and organizations. Through generous donations and proceeds from the sale of Ubuntu Cards, we can award nearly $4,000 in scholarships each year.
Take the Next Step
Leadership doesn’t develop from sitting and listening. It grows through experience, reflection, and the willingness to step into challenge.
If your students, and your educators, are ready for that experience, we invite you to join us.
We’d love to talk with you about how Edge of Leadership may support your students and educators.
Any district/students can attend (but students need a teacher sponsor).
About High 5
High 5 Adventure Learning Center is a non-profit in southern Vermont who supports students, educators and beyond to develop a sense of connection and community in a learning environment of discovery, challenge, and fun. Check out our Success Stories.
Can’t Find What You’re Looking For?
We’d love the opportunity to discuss an option that works for you.
Email us: info@high5adventure.org
Call us: (802) 254-8718