Projects

At the end of the program, participants present a plan for improvement of their communities. Students can work with other participants in their communities, work within existing groups, or plan new projects on their own. Drawing from the tools they have learned throughout the program, participants create a presentation of what they hope to accomplish and present concrete next steps to be implemented upon their arrival back home. The Summer Youth Institute is a year-round experience, not just limited to 15 days at the University of Mississippi.

Previous projects have included creating community gardens, starting mentoring programs and dialogue groups, organizing regional youth conferences, and developing peer sex education programs. These plans will be presented formally in Jackson, MS, at the closing ceremony for participants’ families to see all that they have learned and to see their next plans of action.