FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Beth Slater
Program Manager, Aspen Community Programs
The Aspen Institute
beth.slater@aspeninstitute.org
Tel. 970-544-7914
Aspen, CO, September 27, 2012 –– The Aspen Institute will welcome 24 high school students from six local schools to its Hurst Student Seminar: High School Great Ideas on Sunday, September 30. This high school seminar, now in its eleventh year, is modeled after the Aspen Institute’s cornerstone leadership and values seminar, which has been convening leaders from around the world for over 60 years.
“Thanks to Bob and Soledad Hurst, we are now able to offer this seminar for high school and middle school students in perpetuity. The Hursts’ exceptional generosity will leave a long-lasting and positive impact on the lives of students who participate in this unique opportunity,” explained Cristal Logan, Director of Aspen Community Programs.
The four-day seminar is dedicated to enhancing leadership, problem solving, and critical thinking skills for high school students living in the Roaring Fork Valley. The Institute’s proven method of text-based dialogue offers participants a neutral forum in which to reflect on timeless human values, pursue common ground, and cultivate a richer understanding of the human condition. Participants emerge from the seminar with a new perspective as they confront the difficult choices of our ever-changing world.
Moderated in traditional Aspen Institute Socratic style by expert moderator Lee Bycel, students read selections by such authors as Plato; Aristotle; Virginia Woolf; Hobbes; Martin Luther King, Jr.; and others.
A past high school participant wrote, “The experience I had at this seminar is almost indescribable. This was one of the best experiences I have ever had. …I will carry this wisdom and passion for knowledge with me for the rest of my life. Thank you!”
Students are chosen by their respective school administrators, teachers, and counselors. For more information, please contact Beth Slater at 970/544-7914 or beth.slater@aspeninstitute.org.
The Hurst Student Seminar is generously underwritten by the new Hurst Community Fund, which was established to help the Institute expand its seminars for young people in Aspen and throughout the Roaring Fork Valley through a new Great Ideas Seminar for middle school students, and an expanded program for 11th grade students. In addition, the Hurst Community Fund will enable the Institute to take advantage of opportunities to present talented, high-profile leaders in conversation for a public audience through a new Hurst Lecture Series. Hurst Lectures will be open to everyone at a modest ticket price.
For more information on Aspen Institute events open to the public, please contact Beth Slater at 970-544-7914 or beth.slater@aspeninstitute.org.
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The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute is based in Washington, DC; Aspen, Colorado; and on the Wye River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It also has offices in New York City and an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.