This article comes by way of The Sopris Stars, a new monthly youth publication powered by The Sopris Sun.
For 75 years, the Aspen Institute has made space to encourage thoughtful discussions, develop leadership skills and navigate complex problems. What began as a post World War II effort to rebuild civil discourse has evolved into a well organized model for dialogue. Today, the institute extends the same to younger generations through increasingly accessible youth programs that are deeply rooted in the original structure, including the Teen Socrates and Hurst Great Ideas seminars.
The Teen Socrates Seminars are intended for young people ages 15 to 17, and the Hurst Great Ideas Seminars are meant for eighth graders.
More than 20 years ago, the Aspen Institute recognized that while its adult seminars draw leaders from across the world, young people had far less access to such immersive thought opportunities. Katie Carlson, the institute’s Aspen Community Programs manager, explained the lasting impact of the expansion.
“I was really inspired by the community work we do, because Aspen Institute can have high barriers to entry sometimes,” she said. “In this program we work on making sure everything is affordable. We do a summer lecture series that is free in the summer and we have great donors that help fund programs.”
The push to open its doors wider was due to similar reasons that motivated its founding. Carlson explained that, after World War II, Aspen Institute’s founders believed that the conflict had exposed a serious failure in communication.
“Part of the problem is that we don’t talk to each other [or] have forums for civil dialogue,” she said. “We don’t have people from both sides coming together and having these meaningful discussions.”
The youth programs are a direct response to that growing concern; created to offer students structured experiences in dialogue, reflection and problem solving.
The Teen Socrates and Hurst Great Ideas seminars are modeled after the institute’s Executive Seminar that has brought global leaders together for decades. “We thought, ‘If they can do it, why can’t teenagers?’” Carlson said.
From Nov. 7 through 9, the intention was manifested at the Rifle Library. There, the Teen Socrates Seminar brought together students from all over the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys for three days of intense discussion. Participants read texts on philosophical dilemmas, human rights questions, historical conflicts and interpersonal values. After each reading, students engaged in guided conversations about how real-world problems might be solved — while also considering the constraints that do exist in these conflicts — and how personal values shape understandings of justice, collaboration and responsibility.
One of the defining aspects of Teen Socrates is the emphasis on active listening. Rather than raising hands, students are encouraged to observe the room, make space for others and speak thoughtfully. This structure exists because “everyone at the table could learn from each other, and deep down we aren’t all that different,” Carlson said. The desired result was achieved: Students were more focused on one another, less focused on competing for airtime and invested in understanding perspectives different from their own.
Carlson hopes the youth programs will counteract the sense of disconnection many teens are feeling.
“I hope they can feel inspired that other smart, thoughtful teens are out there,” she said. “So much of our world is digital and online and it can feel like we are losing humanity. It’s a huge point for human connection. We can come together as people and talk as the world gets more polarized.”
She also emphasized that the youth seminars are made possible by community support. They are “generously funded by the Wall Family Foundation and the Hurst Family Foundation,” allowing the seminars to be affordable for local teens, she said.
In the near future, the Aspen Institute will continue to expand youth involvement with more opportunities to participate.
“We have some upcoming seminars in the spring,” Carlson said. “One in Aspen over President’s Day weekend, another in Aspen in March and a virtual seminar in May.”
The focus on youth reflects the institute’s expansive mission to ensure that meaningful dialogue continues for generations and isn’t reserved for a few on occasion but rather practiced by all. Through these seminars, the Aspen Institute believes that thoughtful discussion and thoughtful listening can shape a better future.
For a list of upcoming youth seminars, visit www.tinyurl.com/TeenSeminars