Wellesley Summer Program

Discover what's possible in One Wellesley Summer!

If you are a motivated young woman and a rising sophomore, junior, or senior in high school, you are invited to find out what it is like to experience college life.  Enjoy a balance of scholastic and social experiences in a safe, academically challenging, and culturally inclusive environment.  Take thought-provoking undergraduate-level courses from data and mathematics to college writing.  Connect with college staff, explore the Boston area, and form friendships with women from around the world.  

Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day

The African American Children's Book Fair

Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Celebrating a Day of Service

Marin Luther King, Jr. who was born on January 15, 1929 would have celebrated his 90th birthday this year.  As a civil rights leader he extolled the importance of service. "Everybody can be great ... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."

His birthday is now a national holiday celebrated on the third Monday of January. To honor King’s memory, since 1994 this federal holiday has also been celebrated as a day of service. The website for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service encourages people to think of the holiday as “a day on, not a day off” by volunteering for local causes. Join with people around the country to make a difference especially this year with so many of our public servants working without pay.  Visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service for ideas and opportunities to volunteer.

Activism and community building are buzzwords not just for this day but as a way of life. As the website A Mighty Girl explains,  "In addition to contributing time to good causes, this day also provides an excellent opportunity to talk about service, charity, and generosity with children. By providing concrete examples of ways to help and showing them that their efforts do make a difference, parents and educators can encourage children and youth to be socially minded. Then they can turn their creative minds toward finding solutions to the problems they see around them!" Check out their list of books and resources for parents at A Might Girl. Kids who are used to having what they need may find it hard to believe that anyone lacks for the basics. These books will help parents and educators show kids that there are many people out there who need our help — and that small contributions can make a big difference, both locally and globally.

Counting The Days of Kwanzaa: A Day of Meditation

The seventh principle of Kwanzaa: Imani

The last day of Kwanzaa is considered a day of meditation and reflection. Kwanzaa is the only holiday where we are asked to examine our moral conscious as a people, evaluate our lifestyle and principles, and embrace each other. For families this is an opportunity to create a family mission statement, hear the stories of the elders and allow children to learn and express themselves. This is the time to renew ourselves as we start a new year.

How are we doing? How are we dealing with daily stress?  Where are we going?

Reflection: From Langston Hughes

                    Harlem

What happens to a dream deferred?

      Does it dry up
      like a raisin in the sun?
      Or fester like a sore—
      And then run?
      Does it stink like rotten meat?
      Or crust and sugar over—
      like a syrupy sweet?

      Maybe it just sags
      like a heavy load.

      Or does it explode?

Counting The Days of Kwanzaa: Karamu The First Fruits Celebration

The sixth  principle of Kwanzaa: Kuumba: Creativity. 

Karamu "The First Fruits Celebration" is the celebration of the seven days of kwanzaa. This is when family, friends and neighbors sit down to the welcome table and share traditional dishes. The Kwanzaa holiday is rooted in the harvest celebrations of ancient African civilizations. African Americans are part of a global nation sharing many different traditions representing African, American, Caribbean and South American cultures giving us a unique perspective. The dishes prepared show the creativity and ingenuity of the people from the diaspora. This is a reminder that no matter where we go or how diverse we are our cultural heritage unites us. Sharing food, stories and history in our home and community is an important part of Kwanzaa. 

This is also the time to express gratitude for those who prepare and organize the welcome table and activities for Kwanzaa. There is always that one person whose home is always opened to everyone for holiday gatherings or that person who organizes community events every year. They are unsung heroes. Today we thank them and honor them for their service. They have kept alive our history and traditions.

For inspiration visit Kwanzaa Culinarians for stories and recipes that make Kwanzaa special. Sanura Weathers, the founder of the website has curated stories and recipes according to the The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa that are both creative and informative.