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	Home History About I-LEAD Academic Programs Leadership Development Summer Programs College Tours Class of 2004 College Acceptances Alumni Discussion Board Announcements Participating Schools In the News Advisory Board Contact I-LEAD Antarctica 2005		Please wait while your browser is redirected to our new site www.bankstreet.edu/libertyleads/. Summer Programs Overview | Summer Institute | Summer Experiences | Traveling Abroad Review of Summer Institute 2004 The Summer Institute serves as the introduction to the I-LEAD program and provides a new cohort of students entering the 10th grade with the opportunity to participate in an intensive three-week residential program that gives them early exposure to both academic and social aspects of the college environment. Students live in a college residence hall with a roommate, away from home, learn how to be independent, practice time management and study skills, and learn how to study in groups. The academic program provides intensive preparations for both college and honors level high school classes. During the 2004 Summer Institute, which took place from Sunday, July 11, 2004 to Friday, July 20, 2004. During the week, fifty-nine scholars resided and took classes on the campus of Manhattan College in Riverdale, New York. The Institute allowed the students to experience a college campus environment, exposed them to relevant academic topics and provided intensive preparation for college admissions tests. The schedule included a full day of classes, clubs, recreation, evening study hall, and Sunday evening social outings. Scholars took the following classes: Leadership 101 - This course was designed to establish a foundation of concepts important to developing leadership qualities in our scholars. This course focused on self-liberation and self-knowledge while strengthening presentation skills and fostering a sense of service leadership for the 4th Cohort. Discussions included topics such as power analysis, race, class, ethnicity and gender, which generated ideas on how to affect positive social change in local and global communities. Students completed a Leadership Goal sheet that they can implement during sophomore year both in their local and school communities. Reading the New World- In this course, scholars were introduced to techniques of close reading and to the critical analysis of writing through in-class discussions and intensive essay composition. They read, listen to, looked at, discussed and wrote about texts from a variety of genres, forms, and places. Scholars consider fiction, poetry, non-fiction, visual and musical works of art in the effort to think critically and innovatively about the world around them. Biomechanics - In this inquiry-based unit, scholars investigated the biology and physics behind the mechanical functioning of the human body. Students developed a deeper understanding such physics concepts of force and torque as they examined how joints work. Through inquiry, students investigated leverage of limbs and created a working model of a particular body joint. Connections were made with advanced biomechanical studies such as robotics, sports injury prevention and treatment, and artificial limb design. Constitutional Law - This course familiarized students with the United States Constitution while enabling students to identify and describe their rights as American citizens as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and amendments to the Constitution. This course challenges students to identify and incorporate their rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution into their everyday lives. After classes, one hour was allotted for club activities. College students served as residence hall advisors and facilitated the clubs, giving the scholars an opportunity to interact with role models who were close to their own age. The complete list of opportunities included: Drama: focused on writing and performing improvisational comedy sketches and monologues Dance: gave students a chance to learn salsa, meringue, and hip-hop dance Newsletter: introduced students to the world of deadlines and publishing their own newsletter. A total of three edition of "The I" were distributed Step: taught students the discipline incorporating traditional African ritual dance and other elements like cheerleading, tap, gymnastics, etc. After dinner, the scholars participated in recreation activities also run by the resident advisors. The following is a list of activities students could participate in: Basketball - students played basketball in the gym Soccer - students played soccer in Van Cortland Park Football - students played football in Van Cortland Park Ultimate Frisbee - students participated in this sport on Manhattan College's Quad Double Dutch - students kept the ropes moving in the gym Following recreation, students engaged in a four to five hour study hall to complete their daily assignments. Each student was allotted computer time during study hall to type papers and do research on the Internet. The resident assistants served as tutors and proofread papers. Study hall was an important forum for learning to study in groups, and learning to use time management and study skills. Lights out was at midnight. Sunday evening outings were held each week during the program. The purpose of these outings was to give the students a chance to interact with each other outside of the daily academic setting. We also wanted the students that completed all assignments to have the reward of going out to dinner and watching a movie with their peers. Students were given the opportunity to try new ethnic cuisine such as Indian or Thai food and walk around the neighborhood surrounding Manhattan College. The Summer Institute is also an opportunity to do a group community service project. To build upon their recent knowledge of being a leader, students were able to put their skills to use. In collaboration with the Bronx Borough President's Office, students cleaned up three step streets located in the Bronx. Over one hundred step streets in New York City were built for pedestrians in areas where land was too steep to develop a road. Accomplishments at each site included: 15 bags of trash at Grand Concourse 21 bags of trash at Jerome St. 40 bags of trash at Bailey & Heath This service project brought the students together while experientially teaching them the importance of working as a team and giving back as leaders in their own communities. While reflecting on the experience, students grew passionate about keeping their neighborhoods clean while recognizing the importance of making positive contributions to community agencies. The final day of the program culminated with a celebratory student showcase of their class projects as well as performances of skits, songs, and dances in the summer clubs. Members of the school community, parents and staff had the opportunity to view working knowledge the students gained over the 3-week Summer Institute.