Biannual Youth Summit
The Huntington’s Biannual Youth Summit engages high school students in dialogues and experiences focused on youth-driven solutions to contemporary issues.
This program takes place every other year, leveraging themes explored in special exhibitions and The Huntington’s collections.
The program is comprised of two parts: the fall Youth Summit Kickoff, a one-day, themed conference for young people that offers opportunities for discussion, connection, and skill-building. This tentpole event catalyzes student-driven research and creative projects, which are then presented at the spring Youth Summit Showcase, where students share their process and projects with peers and community members.
2026-2027 | Biannual Youth Summit: Civic Engagement
Spurred by the special exhibition, “the eight directions of the wind: Edmund de Waal at The Huntington,” the institution-wide THIS LAND IS… initiative, and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, educators and their high school students will explore the theme of places we inhabit through creativity and civic action.
The fall kickoff event will feature a multimedia program created to support learning and exploration through music, performances, and panels, with an agenda informed by youth and community stakeholders. A culminating spring showcase will give students the opportunity to present their final projects alongside peers.
A summer Teacher Institute will help educators design student-driven research projects to lead the following school year. These open-ended projects empower students to explore issues that matter to them while aligning with high school standards and integrating the arts.
Interest forms for educators to participate in the Youth Summit with their students are due April 16, 2026.
Individual students who wish to participate must have a teacher’s letter of support and a chaperone to attend the Kickoff and Showcase.
Youth Summit Project Guidelines
Please note that this event is invite-only. For inquiries about participating, please contact Sarah Thomas, Senior Manager of School Programs and Partnerships, at sthomas@huntington.org.
Past Iterations
The Huntington Sustainable C.H.A.N.G.E.S. Youth Summit and showcase engaged high school students in a dialogue focused on youth-driven solutions to the climate crisis, leveraging the themes explored in the exhibition “Storm Cloud: Picturing the Origins of Our Climate Crisis,” part of PST ART: Art & Science Collide. Learn more about the event and showcase.