Student Questions Part I: What Is the Envision Experience All About?
Students and parents often ask about Envision programs and how Envision programs are different. Andrew Potter, Vice President of Education at Envision, provides his perspective on commonly asked questions.
What is the Envision experience?
The Envision experience is defined by three words: engage, equip and empower. These are key components of the experiential learning model and every Envision program encourages lively student engagement. At Envision programs, you don’t just read about being a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer, a digital media journalist, a business entrepreneur, a scientist or technology professional, etc. You actually experience careers – firsthand.
Studies show that students learn best when they develop important skills, knowledge and behaviors through hands-on learning and group activities. At Envision, you learn by doing and sharing with others. This involves interactions with, and observation of, professionals in various fields, engaging workshops, fun competitions, spirited student-led debates and exciting simulations of challenges faced in the real world.
Our students conduct trials, interview patients, analyze crime scenes, design business products, prevent national security chaos, build robots and shoot films – they solve problems in a fun, exciting and challenging group environment. Through this process, you are equipped with research-based skills that are at the heart of college and career success.
Ultimately, the Envision experience is all about empowerment. Our programs are designed to expand your view of your own future, while helping you build a pathway to get there. We take you out of the classroom so that deeper learning and self-discovery can take root.
What students do you look for?
Students who participate in Envision programs are preparing for college and realize that – despite their academic success – they need to do more. Even the best and brightest need additional educational opportunities to succeed in a global economy. They need to carve out their own pathways to success that will help them make the most of school, college and, ultimately, their careers.
The most successful Envision students are passionate about discovering, learning and making the world a better place. While able to generate new ideas, our students are also open-minded and critical thinkers who are willing to engage in tough conversations and debate. Perhaps most importantly, our students like to have fun; they like to explore, analyze and try new things.
How many students attend Envision programs?
Envision has more than 20 programs for students in third grade through college. More than 800,000 students have participated in Envision programs over the course of our nearly 30-year history.
Each year, thousands of students participate. Most are nominated by teachers or are nominated by partner educational organizations and honor societies that identify college- and career-bound students. Open enrollments are also accepted from students who are motivated to discover their lifelong passions prepare for the challenges of the 21st century.
How are Envision programs different?
Students and parents want to get the most out of summer program experiences. That’s why we have uniquely designed our programs for college-bound students who want to make the most of their futures.
Envision students have fun, but they also come to gain experience. They come to learn about careers and professions. They come to improve their leadership abilities. To experience college life. To discover new passions. To meet others with similar goals and interests. But most of all, they come to get an edge and stand out from the crowd as high achievers with confidence, determination and a plan for the future.
What makes Envision different? First, our programming is focused on high student engagement. We are committed to a hands-on learning environment that is rarely replicated in other programs. Second, the diversity of students at Envision programs is simply incredible. We have attracted students from more than 150 countries. This spring, for example, at least one student from every U.S. state attended NYLF National Security.
Students looking to stretch their thinking, expand their perspectives and build their network of like-minded peers will be hard pressed to find a more diverse learning environment than the one provided by Envision.
Did you attend an Envision program? If not, would you want to?
Without revealing my age, there were frankly very few programs like Envision when I was a young person. While I did not attend an Envision program for this reason, I know that the program experience would have benefited me immensely.
When I left home for college, I had little idea of how to build a pathway towards my future dreams, and my college and career success skills were rusty at best. The end result was a challenging freshman year at college.
In many ways though, I had a larger margin for error. Today’s students are facing more intensive competition for seats in post-secondary institutions and are competing for careers at a global level. Experiential programs, such as those found at Envision, are no longer nice to have, they are a must have.
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