For students currently in grades 9–12
Pre-College
Barcelona
Tokyo
Tuscany
You may also like
French
France
Mandarin
China
Spanish
Ecuador & the Galápagos
Spain
Climate & Conservation
Baja & the Gulf of California
Belize
Canadian Arctic
Chile
Iceland
Namibia
You may also like
Columbia Climate School Collaboration
Harvard Chan C-CHANGE Youth Summit
Australia & Fiji
Australia, New Zealand, & Fiji
Croatia & Slovenia
Iceland
Italy & Greece
Japan
Kilimanjaro
Norway
Patagonia: Skiing
Switzerland, France, & Holland
Costa Rica
Ecuador & the Galápagos
Hawai'i
Morocco
Nepal
Peru
Puerto Rico
Tanzania
Thailand
Vietnam

2-weeks & under

Campus-Based

Climate & Sustainability

Eligible for rising 9th graders

Intensives & Workshops

New for 2025!

North America Based

Putney Classics

Science & Nature

Patagonia: Skiing
Switzerland, France, & Holland
Switzerland, Italy, France, & Holland
For students currently in grades 6–8
Eligible for 8th grade*
Columbia Climate School Collaboration
Harvard Chan C-CHANGE Youth Summit
*These programs are typically for students in grades 9–12, however motivated rising 9th graders will be considered
Grades 7&8
France & Holland
Iceland
Ireland
Italy & Greece
Grades 7&8
France
Spain
Grades 6–8
Costa Rica
Grades 7&8
Ecuador & the Galápagos
Hawai'i
Special programs & collaborations
Custom Programs

Looking to create a custom program or collaboration?

smithsonianstudenttravel-icon

Travel programs with the Smithsonian Institution for grades 8–12

Challenge yourself academically at the world's most prestigious universities

Non-profit organization offering student travel scholarships

High school youth summit focused on public health, climate change, and equity

columbia-climate-school-icon

Campus-based climate change program for grades 9–12

Over the course of seven decades, the importance of our core mission—to change students’ lives—has grown significantly. When our grandparents (and Peter and Jeff’s parents) led that first group of 18 high school students by ship to Europe, in a world still reeling from the aftershock of World War II, they sought to usher them out of their comfort zones and teach them to embrace what is new and different. They strived to develop thoughtful and well-rounded young leaders through experiential, intellectual, emotional, and cultural engagement, while keeping them safe.

As we prepare for our 73rd summer as a family-run organization, now in its third generation, empowering students to be leaders is more important than ever. Young people live with a set of unprecedented challenges: a warming planet that requires immediate action, social isolation from a recent pandemic, growing division and hostility at home and abroad—not to mention the stresses brought on by social media and the high-stakes pressure of getting into a big-name college. The result is a generation of lovable kids who are more isolated, programmed, and anxious than ever before.

Summers with Putney help to overcome this reality by inviting participants to embrace new friends, cultures, and experiences through innovative programs that foster maturity, self-confidence, intellectual stimulation, and personal discovery. We help empower students to take charge of their futures by inspiring them to lead in today’s world. Our alumni and parents repeatedly describe their Putney experiences as priceless and life-changing. One parent put it succinctly by saying of her student’s summer, Putney “put the light back in her eyes.”

That outcome is the best part of the work we do together with our creative colleagues. Ultimately it is that learning, growth, and light that all parents seek for their kids before they head off to blaze impressive paths for themselves in college and beyond. It’s what we at Putney work year after year to create and deliver. We call it the “Putney Magic.”

In an era where educational summer programs increasingly are owned by venture capital firms, we are proud to be family-directed and female-led. As two sisters who have been virtually joined at the hip since birth, Putney has always been a part of us. As young children we worked in the kitchen at our annual leader training, in awe of those many inspiring individuals; as high school students we participated in Putney programs; and later we joined the team as program leaders. Today, we are privileged to lead this dynamic organization and grateful that our dad Peter and uncle Jeff remain deeply involved.

Choosing the right summer program can be overwhelming. Putney and our many collaborators (some of the world’s best organizations and universities) offer the most challenging and respected summer programs that meet the needs of almost every student. Please give us a call so we can help you choose the most impactful program.

We look forward to learning more about your goals and hope you will apply.

Olivia & Becca Shumlin and team

Pre-College
Barcelona
Tokyo
Tuscany
Intensives
Oxford Academia
You may also like
Climate & Conservation
Baja & the Gulf of California
Belize
Canadian Arctic
Chile
Iceland
Namibia
Culture & Art
Science & Business
Exploration
Australia & Fiji
Australia, New Zealand, & Fiji
Croatia & Slovenia
Iceland
Italy & Greece
Japan
Kilimanjaro
Norway
Patagonia: Skiing
Switzerland, France, & Holland
Switzerland, Italy, France, & Holland
French
France
Mandarin
China
Spanish
Ecuador & the Galápagos
Spain
You may also like
Service
Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Ecuador & the Galápagos
Ecuador & the Galápagos
Hawai'i
Hawai'i
Morocco
Nepal
Peru
Puerto Rico
Tanzania
Thailand
Vietnam
Eligible for 8th grade*​
Columbia Climate School Collaboration
Harvard Chan C-CHANGE Youth Summit
*These programs are typically for students in grades 9–12, however motivated rising 9th graders will be considered
Grades 7&8​
Ireland
Iceland
France & Holland
Italy & Greece
Grades 7&8​
France
Spain
Grades 6–8
Costa Rica
Grades 7&8​
Ecuador & the Galápagos
Hawai'i

Why Choose Putney?

Putney has been the leader in student travel and educational summers for more than 70 years. As a family-run organization, our decades of experience, our dedication to quality programs, and the personal service you receive are unmatched.

We invite you to subscribe to hear about new programs and upcoming events, and start your path to the summer of a lifetime.