A week in the life of an IGE camper
March 26, 2025
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Take a look inside what it’s like to be a camper at the Institute for Global Education at Summer in Farmington.
Guest Author: Maren Frey MPS’23
Hi! My name is Maren, and I am one of the upcoming directors of Summer in Farmington’s Sarah Porter Leadership Institute (SPLI) for summer 2025! I was a camper once, and now I come back to Farmington each summer to lead a program that is so near and dear to my heart. While you may be nervous about the week (or two or three) you spend away from home, I can assure you that this time will be filled with fun, personal growth, and furthering your skills to be a strong female leader!
We start the week off with exciting icebreaker activities all around the Miss Porter’s School campus so you can get to know your other campers. Then, we get right into developing your leadership skills! We set our goals and intentions for the week by dividing up into our counselor groups, which serve as your core community for the next week. In the evening, you will go to your dorms and meet your new roommates in a dorm meeting!
After a restful night of sleep in your room with your roommate, we often start our first full day on campus with a scavenger hunt around campus where you set the foundations for your problem solving skills and get to explore the beautiful Porter’s campus! Then, we head to our sessions to learn about topics like gender representation in leadership, self-care and mindfulness, and creative activism! Every day, we have programming focused on topics like these all around campus, where you learn about the power of your voice and leadership.
Throughout the week, you will foster connections with your fellow campers and explore both the Porter’s campus and surrounding areas. Each week, we embark on a variety of field trips, which include activities like service learning at local farms, ropes courses, and whitewater rafting trips! Our field trips often have “challenge by choice” opportunities, where you can put the skills you have learned at camp into action.
Each night, we have fun activities like kickball, movie night, and Color Wars, a fun competition between campers to level up the camp spirit. One of our traditions is the Talent Show evening activity, which happens every Friday night. Campers have the opportunity to take the stage to showcase their talents in singing, acting, dancing, comedy skits, and more! At the end of the week, on Saturday morning, we host a closing ceremony for campers to celebrate their learning and friendships before departing (or staying for another week)! This celebration is a culmination of the community fostered through joy and positivity here at Summer in Farmington!
I can’t wait to welcome the new 2025 campers, and I hope to see you there! To learn more about SPLI and additional Summer in Farmington sessions, click here.
Take a look inside what it’s like to be a camper at the Institute for Global Education at Summer in Farmington.
Take a peek inside a day in the life of a camper at the Institute for Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship.
The most common phrase repeated during the Porter’s Center for Global Leadership (PCGL) Voices of Leadership program at Bishop Strachan School in
Our mission is to provide access to innovative programming, skill development, and networking opportunities for girls and women of all ages and in all places that allow them to lead lives of impact on a global stage.
Porter’s Center for Global Leadership provides in-person and online educational leadership programs, workshops, courses and networking opportunities for girls and women.
Porter’s Center for Global Leadership
60 Main Street • Farmington, CT 06032 • 860-409-3789
PCGL@missporters.org
Sample schedule, subject to change
8:00 a.m. – Wake up
8:30 a.m. – Breakfast and 1-on-1 check-ins for International+ campers
9:30 a.m. – Tech Meets Art: Exploring the Digital Canvas
12:30 p.m. – Lunch
1:30 p.m. – AI Artistry: Redfining Creativity
3:00 p.m. – Camper free time (down time in dorm, snacks at the Daisy, change for afternoon activities)
3:45 p.m. – Gather & Go
4:00 p.m. – Afternoon activities
5:30 p.m. – Dinner
6:30 p.m. – Evening activity (kickball tournament)
8:30 p.m. – Dorm meeting and games
9:30 p.m. – Relax and prepare for bed
10:00 p.m. – Lights out
Sample schedule, subject to change
8:00 a.m. – Wake up
8:30 a.m. – Breakfast and 1-on-1 check-ins for International+ campers
9:30 a.m. – Unpacking Human-centered Design
12:30 p.m. – Lunch
1:30 p.m. – Idea to Impact: Prototyping for Change
3:00 p.m. – Camper free time (down time in dorm, snacks at the Daisy, change for afternoon activities)
3:45 p.m. – Gather & Go
4:00 p.m. – Afternoon activities
5:30 p.m. – Dinner
6:30 p.m. – Evening activity (Color Wars)
8:30 p.m. – Dorm meeting and games
9:30 p.m. – Relax and prepare for bed
10:00 p.m. – Lights out
Sample schedule, subject to change
8:00 a.m. – Wake up
8:30 a.m. – Breakfast and 1-on-1 check-ins for International+ campers
9:30 a.m. – The Politics of Peacekeeping
12:30 p.m. – Lunch
1:30 p.m. – Speak Up! Engaging in Respectful Conversations
3:00 p.m. – Camper free time (down time in dorm, snacks at the Daisy, change for afternoon activities)
3:45 p.m. – Gather & Go
4:00 p.m. – Afternoon activities
5:30 p.m. – Dinner
6:30 p.m. – Evening activity (movie night)
8:30 p.m. – Dorm meeting and games
9:30 p.m. – Relax and prepare for bed
10:00 p.m. – Lights out
Sample schedule, subject to change
8:00 a.m. – Wake up
8:30 a.m. – Breakfast and 1-on-1 check-ins for International+ campers
9:30 a.m. – Opportunities and Challenges of Globalization
12:30 p.m. – Lunch
1:30 p.m. – Global Goals in Action: Understanding the UN’s Path to Sustainability
3:00 p.m. – Camper free time (down time in dorm, snacks at the Daisy, change for afternoon activities)
3:45 p.m. – Gather & Go
4:00 p.m. – Afternoon activities
5:30 p.m. – Dinner
6:30 p.m. – Evening activity (campfire, S’mores, and yard games)
8:30 p.m. – Dorm meeting and games
9:30 p.m. – Relax and prepare for bed
10:00 p.m. – Lights out
Sample schedule, subject to change
8:00 a.m. – Wake up
8:30 a.m. – Breakfast and 1-on-1 check-ins for International+ campers
9:30 a.m. – Exploring Connecticut’s Ecosystems
12:30 p.m. – Lunch
1:30 p.m. – Farmington River Study
3:00 p.m. – Camper free time (down time in dorm, snacks at the Daisy, change for afternoon activities)
3:45 p.m. – Gather & Go
4:00 p.m. – Afternoon activities
5:30 p.m. – Dinner
6:30 p.m. – Evening activity (Talent Show)
8:30 p.m. – Dorm meeting and games
9:30 p.m. – Relax and prepare for bed
10:00 p.m. – Lights out
Sample schedule, subject to change
8:00 a.m. – Wake up
8:30 a.m. – Breakfast and 1-on-1 check-ins for International+ campers
9:30 a.m. – Naming Your Purpose, Knowing Your Path
12:30 p.m. – Lunch
1:30 p.m. – Frameworks for Social Change
3:00 p.m. – Camper free time (down time in dorm, snacks at the Daisy, change for afternoon activities)
3:45 p.m. – Gather & Go
4:00 p.m. – Afternoon activities
5:30 p.m. – Dinner
6:30 p.m. – Evening activity (Guest speaker followed by bonfire and S’mores)
8:30 p.m. – Dorm meeting and games
9:30 p.m. – Relax and prepare for bed
10:00 p.m. – Lights out
Sample schedule, subject to change
8:00 a.m. – Wake up
8:30 a.m. – Breakfast and 1-on-1 check-ins for International+ campers
9:30 a.m. – Life in Balance: Exploring the Seven Elements of Wellness
12:30 p.m. – Lunch
1:30 p.m. – Element 1: Physical – Creative Movement Workshop
3:00 p.m. – Camper free time (down time in dorm, snacks at the Daisy, change for afternoon activities)
3:45 p.m. – Gather & Go
4:00 p.m. – Afternoon activities
5:30 p.m. – Dinner
6:30 p.m. – Evening activity (Talent Show!)
8:30 p.m. – Dorm meeting and games
9:30 p.m. – Relax and prepare for bed
10:00 p.m. – Lights out
Sample schedule, subject to change
8:00 a.m. – Wake up
8:30 a.m. – Breakfast and 1-on-1 check-ins for International+ campers
9:30 a.m. – Lead & Lean: Harnessing Collaborative Strength
12:30 p.m. – Lunch
1:30 p.m. – Trust Tower Challenge
3:00 p.m. – Camper free time (down time in dorm, snacks at the Daisy, change for afternoon activities)
3:45 p.m. – Gather & Go
4:00 p.m. – Afternoon activities
5:30 p.m. – Dinner
6:30 p.m. – Evening activity (Color Wars!)
8:30 p.m. – Dorm meeting and games
9:30 p.m. – Relax and prepare for bed
10:00 p.m. – Lights out
Sample schedule, subject to change
8:00 a.m. – Wake up
8:30 a.m. – Breakfast and 1-on-1 check-ins for International+ campers
9:30 a.m. – Leadership Compass: Finding Your Direction
12:30 p.m. – Lunch
1:30 p.m. – Blueprint for Leaders: What Sets them Apart?
3:00 p.m. – Camper free time (down time in dorm, snacks at the Daisy, change for afternoon activities)
3:45 p.m. – Gather & Go
4:00 p.m. – Afternoon activities
5:30 p.m. – Dinner
6:30 p.m. – Evening activity (campfire, S’mores and yard games)
8:30 p.m. – Dorm meeting and games
9:30 p.m. – Relax and prepare for bed
10:00 p.m. – Lights out