The GSA Leadership Summit is a multi-day conference for high school students accepted to the GSA Student Leadership Council. To apply for the 2021 Summer Summit and the 2021-2022 GSA Leadership Council, please find applications at Massachusetts GSA Leadership Council page. Applications are due Friday, May 14th and decisions will be sent by May 26th. Accepted applicants will both attend the Summit and be a member of the 2021-2022 GSA Leadership Council.
The Summit will take place August 13–16, 2021 at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The event is an overnight trip including two evenings (Saturday and Sunday) for students in a shared room; and three evenings (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) for volunteers. All participants will be provided with accommodations and food for the full weekend.
The status of the GSA Leadership Summit as in-person or virtual depends on Massachusetts COVID-19 guidelines and is subject to change. For an in-person gathering, we will follow all "Recreational Camps and Programs Health and Safety Standards for Reopening " outlined by the state of Massachusetts. All Council members and volunteers will participate in orientation sessions to prepare for these guidelines. In a virtual format, programming would be shortened and with added breaks, but would contain all the same workshops, speakers, and programming.
After the three-day Summit retreat, council members are expected throughout the school year to participate in monthly 4-hour meetings (5 State Meetings & 5 Regional Meetings), as well as planning meetings. Regional meetings will be hosted at high schools within the students' regions, while State meetings will be hosted at the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education headquarters in Malden. As a new component of the State Council this year, each student will also participate in one of five Policy Teams to co-create a project in one of these areas: 1) Education Policy; 2) Advocacy & Outreach; 3) Research; 4) Legislative; and 5) Health. You will have the opportunity to express interest in the team(s) you'd like to participate in on the application form.
To learn more about Summit and to read answers to frequently asked questions, visit this page.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149
Voice: (781) 338-3000 TTY: (800) 439-2370
Disclaimer: A reference in this website to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public and does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.