High school students can begin their humanities educations this summer at UF.
UF’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences will host “Humanities in the Sunshine State: Exploring Florida’s Past, Present and Future,” a week-long seminar for high school juniors and seniors to emphasize the importance of the humanities. The seminar will be held from June 14 to 19.
The program is partnering with the Center for Precollegiate Education and Training to engage students in humanities-rich activities to create a fun learning environment. It was initiated by the Florida Humanity Council, said Sophia Krzys Acord, associate director of the Center for Humanities and the Public Sphere.
It costs $350 per student, and the application is currently available on the CPET website.
The program will be funded by the Florida Humanities Council, UF’s Center for Humanities and the Public Sphere, and the Robert and Margaret Rothman Endowment, Acord said.
Melissa Clapp, a Library West instructor and outreach coordinator, said this may be part of her job, but she joined the team because it is new, fun and humanities-focused.
“Anything I can do to promote the humanities, I will do it,” Clapp said.
Acord said the students, who will be living in Beaty Towers, will visit locations in north Florida that do cutting-edge research in the humanities as well as connect contemporary humanities affairs with local Florida issues.
Clapp said humanities issues can often be brushed aside, but they’re part of everyday life. She also said it’s important to reach the program’s age group, as that is when students begin to think about their futures.
Lori Taylor, a UF digital scholarship librarian, said she is excited to be a part of the program. Taylor will be helping students learn to use and understand digital projects.
“This is what we do,” Taylor said. “The University of Florida libraries has one of the largest info networks in the state. It is a great opportunity for students to be able to work hands on with the materials.”
[A version of this story ran on page 5 on 2/26/2015 under the headline “UF summer program to teach humanities to high schoolers”]
