This summer’s amazing team of leaders for our summer programs abroad for high school students descended on the Putney Barn last weekend for the season’s final preparations. They participated in detailed summer program briefings, explored their students’ files, and even fit in a little fun and relaxation. Read on for more details and a deep cut of the many incredible photos snapped during our Orientation Weekend.
Each year we are astounded by the talents, energy, and expertise of the remarkable leaders of our summer community service, adventure travel, pre-college, and language immersion programs. Summer 2012 is no different. We’ve gathered a diverse crew that boasts fluency in some 23 languages and travel experiences the world over. There are alumni from some of the country’s best universities, as well as, Teach for America, the Peace Corps, and AmeriCorps. Our summer student travel program leaders have been chosen as Peace Fellows, Fulbright Fellows, and received funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities. They have made documentary films, run marathons, and may even dabble with a ukulele now and again. For a full account of their exploits and achievements, be sure to check out this summer’s student travel Leader Bulletin.
We have included below some of the best photos from the inspiring, productive, and fun-filled weekend. We hope you enjoy these scenes of Putney’s Leader Orientation as much as we do!
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- Leaders gather on the lawn behind the Putney Student Travel Barn for a warm welcome and a round of introductions.
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- Our leaders come from all over the world to attend the Leader Orientation.
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- Leaders hustle to get to know each other during the first day of their time in Putney.
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- Trip leaders hailing from the great state of Pennsylvania demonstrate a little hometown pride.
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- Anthony Poullard (Community Service Peru B) and Nhu Truong (Global Action Cambodia) invite everyone to "hook 'em horns" for their home state of Texas.
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- Ted Samuel (Global Action Cambodia) and Hannah Gilkenson (Community Service Fiji) rock-paper-scissors battle while Troy Shaheen (Community Service Peru A) waits for the next round.
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- Shane Scott (Community Service Dominica) shows off his chicken wings during a game of Evolution.
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- Daniel Edeza (Community Service Costa Rica D) battles Zufan Hagos (Excel Spain) for the right to evolve.
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- Alli Diehlmann (Community Service Tanzania) passes through a tunnel of her peers to complete the game.
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- Co-leaders Lucia Donatelli and Peter Cipparone (Language Learning Spain B) find a quiet moment to look over their program files.
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- Shane Scott and Maggie Strassman (Community Service Dominica) hard at work.
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- Brock Schardin (Language Learning Spain A) plays a tune during a free moment. We knew he was a rock star before, but this confirms it.
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- Conor Peterson (Community Service Tanzania) tosses a frisbee.
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- Many of our leaders camp out during their sojourn in idyllic Putney.
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- Anna Krishtal (Language Learning Costa Rica), Caroline Meliones (Language Learning Argentina), and Jamie Rogstad (Putney Barn) dig into some delicious lunch.
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- Putney Student Travel Founders, George and Kitty Shumlin, join the group for lunch on the lawn.
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- George and Kitty talk shop with Julia Kester (Cultural Exploration Australia, New Zealand, Fiji) and Conor Peterson (Community Service Tanzania) over sandwiches and salads.
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- Sarah McKelvey (Community Service Costa Rica C), Nate Marcus (Cultural Exploration Australia, New Zealand, Fiji), Julia Kester (Cultural Exploration Australia, New Zealand, Fiji), Lucia Donatelli (Language Learning Spain B), and Kelsey Burns (Foundations Costa Rica) swap stories.
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- Erica Garroutte and John Linsley (Cultural Exploration Kilimannjaro) prep for their program and mountain summit.
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- Leaders make use of the lawn for planning and prep.
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- Jose Ruiz and Meghan Hennessey (Community Service Costa Rica B) discuss the details of their program.
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- Brian Orland and Becky Lee (Global Action India) share a smile during their program preparations.
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- Connor Peterson and Alli Diehlmann (Community Service Tanzania) talk building projects pondside.
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- Our group found some time for a quick trail run up the Putney Pinnacle.
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- Kelsey Burns (Foundations Costa Rica) and Patrick Noyes (Putney Barn) facilitate the festivities.
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- Dinner time wouldn't be complete without an elaborate game of Fill in the Captions. This team pulled in the cutest cameo from Putney Director, Lauren McDowell's son, Callen.
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- Co-leaders Michael Schwebel and Janyne Quarm (Community Service Ecuador C) break for a quick picture.
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- Putney Student Travel Co-Directors, Jeff and Peter Shumlin, address the crowd after dinner. Pete is currently on leave from the Putney Barn as he serves as the Governor of the State of Vermont.
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- No camp out is complete without some roasted marshmallows. Michael Schwebel (Community Service Ecuador C) demonstrates his mallow roasting skills.
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- Kevin Reilly (Community Service Ecuador B), Jesus Ruiz (Community Service Ecuador A) and Jose Ruiz (Community Service Costa Rica B) take in a break out session.
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- Putney Director, Jeff Shumlin, facilitates a small group discussion.
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- Putney Direcor, Patrick Noyes, tells it like it is.
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- Melanie Manuel (Community Service Ecuador A) takes a break from the action.
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- Jesus Ruiz (Community Service Ecuador A) and Shane Scott (Community Service Dominica) enact a potential scene from a Putney program...
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- ...their audience can't help but laugh. Good acting, guys!
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- A highlight of the weekend is the homegrown sport masterminded right here in Putney, Vermont: the beloved, Yoga Ball Soccer. Here: the contenders get ready for the match.
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- Jesus Ruiz (Community Service Ecuador A) and Troy Shaheen (Community Service Peru A) battle over the yoga ball.
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- Shot on goal from Jesus Ruiz (Community Service Ecuador A).
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- Jose Ruiz (Community Service Costa Rica B) has fitness balls coming at him from all angles.
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- Stephanie Servin (Community Service Peru A) and Danny Herrera (Community Service Costa Rica A) race for the ball.
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- Michael Doku breaks away as our crowd of yoga ball fans and subs looks on.
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- Adam Young (Community Service Vietnam) gets ready to defend as Conor Peterson (Community Service Tanzania A) pushes the ball up the field.
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- Kelsey Burns (Foundations Costa Rica) and Leandra Gerena (Language Learning Spain A) get a foot on the yoga ball.
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- Shane Scott (Community Service Dominica) tries to push the ball past Derek O'Leary (Language Learning France).
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- Stephanie Servin (Community Service Peru A) and Brenna Casey (Putney Barn) vie for control of the ball.
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- Leandra Gerena (Language Learning Spain A) and Stephanie Servin (Community Service Peru A) push the ball up the field.
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- Colin Christopher (Global Action Cambodia) tries to get ahead of a fitness ball bounce as the bench looks on.
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- Jake Elliott (Community Service Costa Rica C) and Matt Kostakis (Cultural Exploration Europe) join forces as they head for the net.
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- Troy Shaheen (Community Service Peru A) takes a run at the goal.
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- Christian Cousins (Language Learning Argentina) and Meghan Hennessey (Community Service Costa Rica B) battle with each other and the yoga balls.
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- Adam Young (Community Service Vietnam), Hannah Raila (Community Service Costa Rica D), and Kelsey Burns (Foundations Costa Rica) try to anticipate the bounce.
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- Danny Herrera (Community Service Costa Rica A) and Brock Schardin (Language Learning Spain A) send their yoga balls down field in unison.
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- Lizzie Collins (Language Learning France), Jake Elliott (Community Service Costa Rica C), Derek O'Leary (Language Learning France), and Brock Schardin (Language Learning Spain A) try to figure out what's going on at the other end of the field.
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- Leandra Gerena (Language Learning Spain A) races for the yoga ball.
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- Jake Elliott (Community Service Costa Rica C) pushes the ball up the field.
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- Becky Lee (Global Action India) passes the ball as Tim Eliot (Cultural Exploration Theatre in Britain) and Meghan Hennessey (Community Service Costa Rica B) look on.
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- Meghan Hennessey (Community Service Costa Rica B) with the bicycle kick.
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- The yoga ball crew poses for a team photo.
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- Our Summer 2012 Trip Leaders gather for a group shot.
