Providence Hall received an invitation from the Staley Foundation in Los Angeles offering to provide students with scholarships to Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) summer seminars. With the Staley Foundation covering airfare, housing, meals, tuition, and class materials, there is essentially no expense for a Providence Hall student to attend one of these elite seminars.
According to humanities teacher Bruce Rottman, one of the seminar lecturers, “FEE summer seminars challenge students to love and value freedom. Lecturers in basic economics, history, and liberty include distinguished professors and entrepreneurs from across the country. The six-day seminars aim to give students a new perspective on economics and living. They also provide students the opportunity to meet bright teenagers not only from the US, but from 40 countries around the world.”
“I count myself privileged to be the only high school teacher in the country who has been invited to present at these seminars,” said Mr. Rottman. “I have participated for the past four years, and will be teaching the first session (July 9-14) in Salt Lake City, UT this summer.”
Providence Hall has already sent four students to the FEE seminars. Two years ago, Hannah Sommers, Class of 2012, and Micah Park, Class of 2013, attended in Estes Park, Colorado. Last year, Ben LaBarge, Class of 2013, and Hannah Park, Class of 2014, participated, again in Estes Park. On Mr. Rottman’s recommendation, these Providence Hall students received donor-supported scholarships to cover housing, meals, tuition, and class materials. The travel scholarship is a new this year.
Hannah Sommers said this of her experience: “It was really cool and I recommend it. The seminars built on each other and were easy to understand. They didn’t go over my head. And it was fun to hang out with kids from California to New York.”
Students may apply for the seminar on the FEE website. There are two high school seminars, both in Salt Lake City, UT. Mr. Rottman will teach during the first week. The application deadline is March 31, 2012; however places fill very quickly and early application is recommended.
IMPORTANT NOTE TO APPLICANTS: Indicate on the application under the “Scholarship Information” section that, if accepted, the Staley Foundation is sponsoring you. Then, notify the Staley Foundation as to the seminar week for which you have applied. (See Mr. Rottman for contact information.)
For more information, contact Bruce Rottman, humanities teacher at Providence Hall.