Media Advisory: High School Students Solving Community Problems
High school students who are accepted to attend LENS@Wake, a pre-college sustainability program at Wake Forest University, are given the opportunity to live on campus, study sustainability and apply this knowledge to the community by partnering with organizations throughout Winston-Salem, N.C.
Who: Leigh Stanfield, Director of LENS@Wake Forest and Global Campus Programs, together with 38 high school students (five juniors and 33 seniors) and these Winston-Salem community partners:
- Winston-Salem Rescue Mission – a Christian, non-denominational service ministry meeting the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of people in the Triad area of North Carolina.
- Winston-Salem Sustainability Resource Center (SRC) – a catalyst for sustainable change in Winston-Salem and the surrounding region. The SRC strives to create a more sustainable community, economy and environment through collaborative partnerships.
- El Buen Pastor Latino Community Services – provides after-school tutoring, adult English language classes and summer programs for children to assist Latino families in the transition to their new lives in Winston-Salem.
- Campus Gardens – The Wake Forest University Campus Garden is a joint faculty-student effort to sustainably grow organic produce; a productive research habitat for USDA funded crop research performed by professors and graduate students; and a living lab for biology classes.
- Cobblestone Farmers Market – an independent, producers-only market. All vendors meet the sustainable, naturally grown and humane practices required by the market’s managers.
What: Exceptional high school students from 15 states, and Puerto Rico, will spend three weeks studying “Sustainability Operate Locally and Extend Globally,” the academic theme for this summer’s program. LENS students will work in small groups to tackle sustainability-related needs requested by five, Winston-Salem community partners. At the end of the three weeks, the small student groups will present a final project to their specific community partner to assist them in addressing their recognized need.
When: Saturday, July 13 – Thursday, August 1. Contact the news office for a complete schedule of activities.
Where: Students will reside on campus, along with four Wake Forest University resident advisors, giving them a sneak-peak at life on a college campus. Activities include classes on the Wake Forest University campus, a ropes course, field trips to the SG Atkins Enterprise Center and Wake Forest Biotech Place, and on-site visits to the community partners’ locations.
About Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University combines the best traditions of a small liberal arts college with the resources of a large research university. Founded in 1834, the school is located in Winston-Salem, N.C. The University’s graduate school of arts and sciences, divinity school, and nationally ranked schools of law, medicine and business enrich our intellectual environment. Learn more about Wake Forest University at www.wfu.edu.
