APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS!
Monday – Friday, June 24-28, 2024 | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm PT
New Roads School, 3131 Olympic Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90404
PEN America’s summer 2024 Free Expression Advocacy Institute in Los Angeles is an intensive, in-person, week-long, educational and training program where high school students can learn the theories, laws, histories, and methodologies behind free expression advocacy. Our program includes presentations led by expert legal and policy practitioners from PEN America, interactive workshops designed to teach tangible skills, and TA-facilitated discussion sessions and activities to dive deeper into the issues with their peers. Participants cap their experiences by simulating advocacy campaign projects over the course of the Institute to present in the final closing session of the program. Students who successfully complete the program and attend all sessions will be granted a certificate of professional achievement in free expression advocacy from PEN America. This program is FREE and available to all high school students. Full attendance is required to receive a certificate.
This institute is FREE for all students to attend, and both breakfast and lunch are provided. We welcome donations between $100 and $200 to help support costs for facilities, food, and special guest honoraria. Admissions will be decided on a rolling basis. The final deadline to have your application considered is Sunday, June 9 at 11:59 p.m E.T. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].
Topics Covered in Our Program:
The First Amendment and its Limitations, Counter-Speech and Combating Hate, Freedom of the Press and the Local News Crisis, Media Literacy and Free Speech Online, Protest Rights and the Freedom of Assembly, Academic Freedom and Free Speech in Schools, Artistic Freedom Around the World, Pro Tips for Advocacy Campaigning, Free Speech and Mass Incarceration, Prisoners of Conscience Around the World, and more!
Advocacy Campaign Projects
Over the course of the Institute, students will be working in small groups to develop an advocacy campaign for a free expression issue of their choice. The issue can either be focused domestically in the United States or internationally. At the end of the program, students will present their advocacy campaigns to be assessed by a panel of PEN America staff. Students will have time during Institute sessions to work on and ask questions about their projects.
Photos and Testimonials from Graduates
PEN America Staff
Kristen
Shahverdian
Program Manager, Free Expression and Education
Nicholas
Perez
Program Manager, Free Expression and Education
Peris
Tushabe
Program Assistant, Free Expression and Education
Special Guests
TO BE ANNOUNCED!
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to register?
The program is open to students in any year of high school including rising high school students and recent and high school graduates.
Who should consider applying?
This Institute is also highly recommended for students pursuing academic and professional careers in activism, communications, humanities, journalism, and philosophy among other related subjects.
Do I have to attend all sessions?
Full attendance, participation, and project completion are required to receive a certificate of professional achievement from PEN America.
Can I participate virtually?
No. Students must be available to attend all meeting sessions in person.
How will I know if I’ve been admitted?
Once you submit your application for admission, you will receive an email confirmation with a copy of your form responses. On a rolling basis, we will reach out to admitted applicants with the next steps for enrolment.
How much does the program cost?
There is no cost to attend this program, however we welcome donations between $100 and $200 to help support costs for facilities, food, and special guest honoraria.
Will I receive any school credit for the Institute?
Neither high school nor college credit will be granted for completing the Institute unless otherwise determined by a sponsoring institution. PEN America will, however, award each student a certificate of professional achievement in free expression advocacy upon completion of the course and the program offers excellent preparation and a relevant credential for future internships and work opportunities in policy and advocacy.
Will there be any homework assigned?
Background readings may be assigned that students are expected to complete before the start of each session. Throughout the program, students may be expected to work outside of instructional hours on research projects and assignments.
Who are the instructors?
The Institute administration is managed by Nicholas “Niko” Perez and Peris Tushabe from PEN America’s Free Expression and Education program. The weekly schedule includes presentations and workshops from a range of experts and professionals across PEN America’s staff, membership, and network, including well-known researchers, advocates, and authors.