Be A Transformative Summer Experiences Partner
Join our mission as a transformative partner and create life-changing opportunities for Summer Search students.
In 2024,
we worked with 80+
summer partners!
700
students participated in summer experiences in 2024
80+
program partners across our five communities
Expanding partnerships with
Women
and/or
BIPOC
owned/led program
our summer experience partners make a difference!
Partners in Transformative Summers
Summer Search mentors high school students beginning their sophomore year and connects them to two transformative summer experiences in their sophomore and junior year. In 2024, nearly 700 students from our five communities — the Bay Area, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Seattle — joined programs through 80+ partners, exploring everything from the outdoors to arts, academics, and social justice programs.
summer experiences aligned
with research-backed frameworks
We believe that when summer experiences align with these research-backed frameworks, they allow our participants to achieve their greatest potential.
Safely challenge and develop their identity.
Learn how to build relationships.
Challenge oppressive systems and narratives.
Explore their potential for post-secondary success.
Learn healthy methods for processing emotions and feelings.
Our Approach & Participants
Summer Search partners with young people—mostly first-gen and youth of color from low-income communities—to navigate systemic barriers and pursue lives of purpose. Our transformative summer experiences align with four key mentoring frameworks: Trauma Sensitivity, SEL, Critical Consciousness, and Adolescent Development.
Students
of Color
20%
are Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Students.
30%
are Black, African American, across the African Diaspora.
50%
are LatinX American, across the Latin Diaspora.
AND
Who we are
Gender self-identifying as
38% Male
+
50% Female
First-time
Travelers
+
New
to outdoor experiences
From
City Environments
+
Diverse Schooling Experiences
why partner
with summer search?
When partnering with Summer Search, you receive access to an extensive network of partnerships and people that benefit your company or organization and the whole community.
Direct funding and access to a philanthropic network.
Program assessment and evaluation support.
Access to a learning network with 60+ youth development programs across the country.
we seek partners who:
Summer Search seeks to partner with BIPOC- or women-owned and led programs that offer community-centered experiential learning—focusing on social justice, outdoor education, or paid internships—aligned with our student participants’ identities and experiences.
Run experiences that happen in
june - august
+
Experiences that can last between
1 week to 2 months
Offer all-inclusive tuition costs between
$500-$3,000
+
Allow us to sponsor
750+ young people
with tuition
Shares
Transparent Values
+
Meet student needs through
co-creating programs
Know any amazing programs, organizations, or people we should partner with? Refer them!
Hear fromSummer Searchers
Opal C. || Bay Area alumna
“There’s not one way to decide your journey after high school and go about the college experience. So I’m glad that I realized that and had someone there like Jocelyn [my mentor] to help me along the way.”
- 2019Joined
Summer Search -
Opal aspires to speak multiple
languages and travel the world Fun fact
Hear fromSummer Searchers
Lawrence P. || Boston alumni
“When joining Summer Search, you have to be vulnerable to get in. The mentoring forced me to unravel what made me myself…to understand more about me."
- 2001Joined
Summer Search -
Visited 30+ countries and all seven
continents (yes, even Antarctica)
before he was 30! Fun fact -
Consultant, engineer & founder
of Green Book Global Where are they now?
Hear fromSummer Searchers
Jamal T. || New York City alumni
“To this day, I wear a bracelet on my wrist which I earned from my trip. It’s a reminder that leadership is about service—a lesson I learned through my Summer Search journey.”
- 2014Joined
Summer Search -
Angel investor and overseer
of family financial company Where are they now?
Hear fromSummer Searchers
Shakya G. || Philadelphia alumna
“[With] Summer Search, the way I looked at high school was very different. I began to work harder, I got into AP and honors classes, and I became more involved. By senior year, I hit the ground running and applied (to college) everywhere…Before I knew it, I was at the top of my class…"
- 2015Joined
Summer Search -
Founder
of the Morenita Collection Where are they now?
Hear fromSummer Searchers
Mohamed Abdi || Seattle alumni
“Looking back at my experiences the last 5 years my partnership with Summer Search helped me a lot to navigate to where I am today. I was able to get the emotional support I needed from my mentor….and I was able to get the leadership resources I needed; especially when my mentor put me into a fellowship for the community leadership institute with Puget Sound Sage….That fellowship trained me to run for office one day, which helped me get elected!”
- 2013Joined
Summer Search -
Became one of the youngest elected
official in Washington state when he
successfully won in 2021 Fun fact -
Tukwila City
Council member Where are they now?
meet our 2025 partners
Thanks to the support of so many who have devoted their lives to the development of young people, thousands of Summer Searchers have had life-changing experiences. We pay tribute to the organizations whose scholarships and equipment donations make this possible.
Partners
- Adventure Risk Challenge
- Appalachian Expeditions
- Appel Farm
Big City Mountaineers - BU Be Human
- Cathleen Stone Island Outward Bound School
- Chewonki
- College Now John Jay
- College Now Lehman College
- Deer Hill Expeditions
- Drexel’s Public Health Leadership Institute
- Environmental Traveling Companions
- Futures and Options
- GirlVentures
- Global Glimpse
- Global Routes/ Carpe Diem Education
- Global Works
- Hurricane Island Outward Bound School (HIOBS)
- iD Tech
- Kroka
- Maine Teen Camp
- MASSART Massachusetts College of Art and Design
- National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)
- NS2
- Overland Summers
- Philadelphia Outward Bound School (POBS)
- Pocono Environmental Education Center
- Putney School Summer Programs
- Shoulder to Shoulder
- Sierra Nevada Journeys
- Soul Trak
- Summer@Brown
- Summer Springboard
- Syracuse University Summer College
- Team Wilderness
- Teens in Public Service (TIPS)
- Temple University Pre-College Programs
- Teton Science Schools
- The Service Board
- University of the Pacific Summer High School Institute
- Washington Business Week
- YMCA Frost Valley
Learn about what we stand for
At Summer Search, how we work together matters just as much as the work we do. Our Community Agreements reflect the values we practice every day — with students, partners, and each other.
Refer a New Partner
Know a program that aligns with our mission? We welcome referrals from community members, educators, and organizations.
Someone from our team will reach out within three (3) weeks.
For Students
& Families
Learn more about how our program builds bright futures for students.
Become a Donor
Join us in creating lasting change helping students thrive and lead with purpose.
Partner with us
Make an impact for the next generation of community leaders with experience and opportunities that lead to success.