Letter From CEO March 2020: Leaders 4SC — RE: Middle School Summer Workshop

Dear families, 

I first want to extend my sympathies and condolences, and offer my solidarity to everyone all around the world whose lives have been upended by the global health crisis these past few months. 

We realize that parents and students have many difficult decisions to take in the coming weeks, and part of that includes making new or alternative summer plans during a time of great uncertainty. 

We have thus decided that this year we will offer an online version of our middle school civics workshop, Leaders 4SC.

We hope that this option will provide an alternative to those students and parents who have quickly lost stability and some sense of normalcy as the world responds to this pandemic. 

Our team has offered online courses for the past five years and our technology and instructional staff are well-equipped to offer an online option that exceeds the expectations of students and their parents or guardians.

We hope to ensure that this year students can continue to have an enriching summer experience from the safety of their homes. 

We still want our students to become argumentative writers, persuasive speakers, and gain topic area knowledge and skills to discuss all types of current issues.

We realize that for some that might sound alarming or impossible, and I want to take some time to explain why we are confident that our workshop will be The Most Flexible, Affordable, Accessible, Well-Designed, Student-Centered, Digital Camp in the World.

Here’s How We’ll Meet This Commitment:


We’re Flexible. 

  1. You can log in anytime during “camp hours” every day and interact live with staff and other students.
  2. Live sessions will occur 11am EST to 4PM EST
  3. If you miss part of a day or activity, there will be a replacement activity you can do on your own to make sure you don’t fall behind or get a lesser experience.
  4. You can participate at any time of the day with the pre-recorded activities and lectures and still learn everything.
  5. You can take any of the weeks or all of them. 
  6. Each week will offer unique content and not rely on background from any of the prior weeks.
  7. There will be at least one staff member available in “office hours” between 8am EST and 12am EST to help you with your assignments or explain something if you are doing it on your own.

We’re Affordable.

  1. One Week: $150
  2. Two Weeks: $275
  3. Three Weeks: $400
  4. Four Weeks: $500
  5. On top of the lowest prices on the market, need-based financial aid is available. 
  6. No student will be turned away because of cost.

We’re Accessible.

  1. All of our content and activities can be viewed and done from any internet-connecting device with a browser and keyboard. That can be a tablet, netbook, laptop, computer, or even a smartphone with a bluetooth keyboard. 
  2. If you don’t have any of the above or think using your device will hinder your camp experience, email us and we’ll try our very best to get you connected with a better alternative.

We’re Well-Designed.

  1. All of our curricula is planned down to 30-minute increments and for live and pre-recorded versions.
  2. Our non-live options are not just recorded live versions or copies of things we will do in realtime, but specifically designed to be done by students on their own and recorded separately or in some cases even animated. 

We’re Student-Centered.

  1. We’ll make sure there are enough instructors that every child gets personalized attention.
  2. All assignments will either get immediate computer feedback (multiple-choice questions, drag/drop activities, etc) or guaranteed personalized feedback (for writing and for speeches).

We’re Digital.

  1. EVERYTHING will occur on one site with one login on one page at a time.
  2. You won’t have to have multiple tabs open to access the live class and the activities. 
  3. You also won’t have to download any special apps or use any special equipment.

We hope that your child joins us this summer from the safety of your homes and still has one of the most enriching experiences to help grow them into the strong civic leaders they can be!

Please feel free to visit us online at our website (leaders4sc.org) to see how all of this works.

Finally, We want to be here for you during this difficult period. We’re available by email or phone to address any questions or concerns. 

From all of us at United 4 Social Change, we hope to do our part to help students and families get through these trying times.

With best wishes, 

Priten Shah

CEO, United 4 Social Change