Announcing the opening of Summer 2024 registration! Open to both LCM families and broader community.
Camp Weeks: June 10-14, June 17-21, June 24-28, July 8-12, July 15-19, July 22-26
Welcome to the 17th Annual League of Creative Minds, Summer Camps! LCM summer camps are now being offered in three locations: Stanford, Crystal Springs Uplands, and Berkeley (Limited Availability). That said, the academic team of teachers, and the original LCM curriculum will remain the same regardless of the various locations.
The League of Creative Minds (LCM) summer program is currently enrolling students for the League summer courses, Summer 2024. The League summer camp sessions are meant for serious academic students that relish intellectual deliberation and dialogue. Students that enroll in League summer courses are curious about international policy, find fascination in history and philosophy, and/or hold a certain passion for parliamentary style speech and debate. The League creates a particularly unique academic platform where play fuels learning and students learn through Simulations.
LCM is a debate and diplomacy-driven, academic organization, that draws on an original curriculum created by LCM. The majority of the content in both the year-round and the summer program is based almost exclusively on foreign policy. Therefore, given the nature and the focus of the League, LCM engages high ability 6th though 12th graders in the world of academic deliberation through discussion and debate, analytical writing, and the development of life skills (such as critical thinking and analytical reasoning). To complement the academic complexity of geopolitics and foreign affairs in the League classroom, there is additionally a strong focus on public speaking, negotiation, and the exploration of moral and ethical values. League delegates participate and compete in a variety of debate formats in the year-round academic program. Delegates who are successfully admitted into the year-round academic program are by nature, genuinely interested in foreign affairs, and curious about the ever-evolving state of the world. It follows that in the invigorating summer course sessions, students invariably reveal their distinct self-motivation and curiosity about the world, and inspiration through play to cement learning in a way that is not easily forgotten. This process cannot occur without a student’s desire to seek greater intellectual thought and reasoning. Lastly, the LCM summer curriculum provides a glimpse into the topics, subjects and activities delegates experience in-depth during the LCM year-round program.
The high level of academia in the introductory camp courses is meant to challenge and stimulate high ability middle school and high school students. That said, prior academic knowledge of foreign policy is not necessary; instead the interest and motivation to engage in an academic, social, and diplomatic setting is required. The League summer camps are designed for high-ability students typically in the top 10% of their respective academic class in school. Given that the mission of LCM is excellence in academia, the League draws highly motivated students, and therefore all introductory classes begin at a dynamic pace and high academic level without exception.
During each week of an LCM summer course academic material is individualized to fit the personality of every specific group of students. LCM summer camp students are well-supported to advance as much as they feel comfortable doing so, and is part of the reason why LCM summer camp students return, year after year. The summer camp sessions themselves are interactive by nature, and every course each week has a particular theme that is adapted to the individual group of delegates in the course during that particular week. Throughout the day students are split into various classes, which all follow a distinct set of activities every 50 minute class period.
League classes follow a similar teaching method as most American law schools. Therefore, classes are structured with the Harkness and Socratic Method in mind. This equates to active classroom discussion that enables students to examine logic and strategy through realized critical thinking methods. The primary goal of the League summer camps is to provide students with an exciting and enjoyable experience, while undergoing academic learning at the same time. As such, LCM frequently receives feedback from summer camp students that they did not realize how much they were learning because they were having so much fun. We believe this is due to the interactive and playful method the League courses hold.
Enrollment in a week-long summer course is highly beneficial for a potential year-round League applicant. The summer course allows a potential applicant to experience the classroom dynamics, and meet the League staff and teachers before committing to the year-round program. The materials covered in the summer course, begin at an advanced academic level, and are not covered again in the year-round program. The summer course therefore acts as a solid foundational base of knowledge for new delegates to integrate seamlessly into the League year-round program.
We follow a rolling admissions procedure, meaning we have no official deadline and will review, and admit applicants as applications are received. Therefore, it is advantageous to have a completed year-long application on file before attending a summer course.
1. Complete the online application form below.
2. Mail in payment or pay online by credit card via PayPal.
After completing these two steps a spot is immediately secured in the summer course session.
Please complete the form to register for summer camp.
After filling out this form, you will be directed to a page to book the specific camp you would like to attend
The payment link (when clicked) will allow you to pay using a credit card – you do not need to have a PayPal account or sign up for one when paying.
Financial aid is available for the summer camp programs. Please send financial aid inquiry to: [email protected]
Read letter from the director.
Session I – June 10 at Stanford
Session II – June 17 at Stanford
Session III – June 24 at Crystal Springs
Session IV – July 8 at Crystal Springs
Session V – July 15 at Berkeley
Session VI – July 22 at Berkeley
Pricing: $1,050