Summer Challenge 2022

Every summer, we throw down the gauntlet for our high school students as they take on the Pivotal Summer Challenge. Designed to give our young people an outlet for self-expression and learning over the summer, the Summer Challenge provides students with prompts for activities they can do to stay active, learn more about the world and get to know themselves and the people around them a little better. 

Students select activities from a list of 16 in four different categories: Connect, Create, Enjoy & Explore. If they complete eight activities, at least two in each category in a 6-week span, they receive a $200 stipend. 

“We love Summer Challenge! It’s a great way for us to keep in touch with our high schoolers over the summer, and to help them stay engaged and occupied over the break,” says Megan Eaton, Pivotal’s Manager of Enrichment Services.  

This year, we had so many great submissions for the Summer Challenge. Scholars created art, went hiking, cooked with friends and family, and created their Summer Bucket Lists. They created photo collages of the things most important to them, tried new food, and wrote about the people in their lives most important to them. This year, we also added options for students to explore their own personalities or career interests through online tests and evaluations. 

Check out some of the Summer Challenge submissions below!

Joey took one of his friends out for an adventure in Half Moon Bay to complete his challenge to "Enjoy the Outdoors."

 

Constance took up the challenge to "Enjoy trying something new" and visited one of the world's most famous monuments. 

 

Inspired when playing Minecraft with some pals, Ezra decided to create a sanctuary for a friend. 

 

Lorena connected with a loved one by teaching her adoptive mom how to make a traditional Salvadorian recipe – Guisado.