The Binghamton University Liberty Partnership Program is a year-round program, which means learning doesn't take a break for summer! This summer, Johnson City High School students in the Binghamton LPP will be rolling up their sleeves and diving into some of the most important topics facing their generation.
Through the Passion into Action (PIA) summer program, these students will be exploring real-world issues—and discovering the power they have to make a difference.
Each week will focus on a new theme, from food and housing insecurity to mental health awareness, climate change, and the power of community. Through interactive workshops, simulations, art therapy, service projects, and group discussions, students will learn how to think critically, act compassionately, and lead with purpose.
They’ll create awareness campaigns, donate care packages, clean up parks, explore community assets, and hike the BU Nature Preserve—turning big ideas into meaningful action. One learning experience they can put into action immediately will be calculating their carbon footprint, then choosing one habit in their lives that they can change in order to help the environment. They'll also take part in an “Eco-Survivor” Simulation, where they'll work in teams to survive a climate scenario like drought or storm aftermath, making group decisions with limited resources.
Along the way, students will reflect on their experiences, collaborate on creative projects like the Community Identity Collage, and prepare for a final presentation at the Passion into Action Expo.
The program will wrap with a celebration of everything these students have accomplished—but the impact will last much longer. They will have learned that leadership starts with empathy, that their voices matter, and that change can begin right in their own backyard.