Summer Search is celebrating our 20th Anniversary! Twenty years of helping low-income high school students develop the knowledge and skills necessary to unlock their potential, achieve academic success, and inspire them to become positive leaders within their communities.

celebrate with us!

To celebrate our 20 year track record of success and to honor Summer Search's visionary founder Linda Mornell, Summer Search is hosting an "urban picnic" event on Friday evening, September 24, 2010 at the Herbst Pavilion at Fort Mason in San Francisco.  Please be our guest and join other supporters, long-time and new, board members, alumni, staff and students at our celebration. Each of you have played a role in shaping Summer Search into the dynamic and effective organization that it is today.

The festivities will include opportunities for guests to explore and experience the many facets of Summer Search. Alumni are encouraged to stay through the weekend for the National Alumni Summit on Saturday, September 25th. Be sure to save the date!

inspirational videos

Summer Search NYC: Bridges to Success
This inspirational video was first shown at Summer Search New York City’s 2009 Leadership Dinner. Watch Board member and alumnus Kweli, students Tatianna and Luis, referral partner M’Shell, and parent Norma share their Summer Search journeys.

student profile: simona vareikaite

A graduate of Bronx School for Law, Government and Justice High School, Simona Vareikaite has truly taken the “giving back” to heart.

Simona, top left, with her community service club, DRYVE ___________________________________________________________

Inspired by her experiences with Summer Search, Simona co-founded a community service club at Northeastern University, where she is currently a sophomore, whose mission is “to enrich, inspire, and protect the well-being of underprivileged youth worldwide.” Called DRYVE, for Dominican Republic Youth Volunteer Efforts, the group has undertaken projects benefiting students in the Dominican community of Mocha: building a playground, putting up a fence, providing portable water filters, clothes, hats, toys, book bags, and school supplies.

Simona reflects:

“This spring break was the most amazing experience thus far in my life, and I do have to thank Summer Search for that. Summer Search helped to shape me into the individual that I am today; it gave me a hand so I could stand on my own. Summer Search gave me the initial experiences that changed my way of thinking and that made me realize that giving back is essential in life.”

Simona in Costa Rica with International Doorways ___________________________________________________________

SIMONA HAS BEEN A SUMMER SEARCH ALUMNA SINCE 2007. HER FIRST WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE WAS WITH DEER HILL EXPEDITIONS TO COLORADO. THE FOLLOWING SUMMER, SHE PERFORMED COMMUNITY SERVICE IN COSTA RICA WITH INTERNATIONAL DOORWAYS. SHE IS CURRENTLY STUDYING CRIMINAL JUSTICE AT NORTHEASTERN, AND IS INTERNING WITH THE CRIMINAL HISTORY SYSTEMS BOARD FOR THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS.