About

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The Program

Students selected for the program receive a stipend to participate in an engaging and fun five- week summer program. Professional educators employ a targeted curriculum to teach leadership, communication skills, service, community engagement, financial literacy, and tools for success. Through age-appropriate experiences, scholars become part of the process of building a hopeful
future in Allegany County and beyond. The program’s objectives include: connecting scholars and building networks of mutual support in the region, promoting post-secondary education (including the trades and the armed services), developing a servant-leader mentality in the next generation of regional leaders, empowering scholars to face challenging situations with confidence and vision, reinforcing the value of emotional intelligence, exploring perspectives and experiences of people from many backgrounds, and practicing soft-skills with mentors and others.

During the school year, scholars meet quarterly to participate in wide-ranging additional activities for their personal growth, exposing them to new ideas and expanding their social and professional networks. The program is operated as a collaboration of the St. George’s and Emmanuel Episcopal Churches, 501(c)3 non-profit entities, in concert with regional partners. Scholars are accepted into the program after applying and receiving letters of recommendation, including at least one from a school administrator. They are selected without regard to religious affiliation. To learn more about our budget and funding, see the attached graphics.

The Scholars Summer Experience

Scholars meet daily, Monday-through-Friday, in grade-level cohorts. Each morning, professional educators guide them through a customized curriculum, which includes practical conversations about topics of the scholars’ choosing, opportunities for service, and leadership development. After a provided lunch, scholars spend the afternoon in program-sponsored enrichment activities that both build on the morning content and develop their own interests and abilities. Spending four days and three nights at an overnight camp takes scholars away from the routine to enjoy a fun-filled traditional summer camp experience in a tranquil and safe setting. Through field trips and college visits, scholars are exposed to experiences and environments that may be unfamiliar to them. Occasional guest speakers also provide perspective and inspiration to scholars. The final day concludes with a capstone presentation from each cohort, sharing what they’ve learned with an audience of family, friends, and community members.

Tools for Success

A 2025 study in the Harvard Business Review demonstrates that foundational, “soft” skills are generally the primary component of a person’s future success, as they are transferrable among many situations and careers. “Put simply, as technical complexity rises, the glue that keeps talent productive is social skill—communication, empathy, conflict resolution, and the ability to coordinate diverse expertise. But our work suggests that, in addition to social skills, other fundamental capabilities [are required,] such as critical thinking, complex problem solving, and reasoning.” (Hosseinioun, M., et. al., 2025, “Soft skills matter more than ever according to new research”, Harvard Business Review.)

• Communication
• Empathy
• Conflict Resolution
• Ability to Coordinate Diverse Expertise
• Critical Thinking
• Complex Problem Solving
• Reasoning