Events

Grab The Torch and The 2009 Clutch Summit at Andover
“Taking Social Entrepreneurship to a Whole New Level”

Professionals are talking about it. Organizations are supporting it. Professors are teaching it. But where do high school students fit into the emerging world of social entrepreneurship?

On Sunday, November 8, 2009, over 100 students from schools and organizations throughout New England will travel to Phillips Academy to become actively engaged in the social entrepreneurship community. They will be attending the Clutch Summit ’09, a social entrepreneurship conference organized and launched for young people, by young people.

Buzzwords like sustainability, globalization and social change have long since become standard fare in conversations about changing the world. Young people want to change the world and, though they may not realize it, they are changing the world. But the learning curve is steep. What exactly is sustainability? Globalization? Social change? How do all these terms impact the lives of young people and their communities?

The Clutch Summit ’09 seeks to answer these questions and more. By creating opportunities for students to interact with dynamic speakers, engage in compelling discussions, and connect with peers who are passionate about learning how they can make a difference in the world, the Clutch Collaborative plans to not only expose students to the world of social entrepreneurship, but to create a community of young social entrepreneurs.

Participants in The Clutch Summit ‘09

Clutch Summit ’09 participants will come from several area high schools, including Phillips Academy. Teams from Andover High School, Brooks School, Central Catholic High School, Governor’s Academy, Lawrence High School, North Andover High School, Northfield Mount Hermon, Notre Dame High School, Phillips Exeter Academy, Pingree School, Winsor School, and others expect to be in attendance.

Panelists and Professionals participating in the event are drawn from the fields of social entrepreneurship, business, and youth and community development. They include Phillips Academy alums such as Kevin McGravey (Researcher, Duke University Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship), Zoe Weinberg (Youth Social Entrepreneur), Yoni Gruskin (Founder & CEO of Concerned Youth of America), Miles Lasater (Founder & COO of Higher One, Founder of Yale Entrepreneurial Society) and Priscilla Mendenhall (Samsara Communications), as well as Howard Sticklor (Executive Director of the Youth Development Organization), Alicia Polak (CEO and found of the Khaya Cookie Company), Mike Brennan (Program Director at the SEVEN Fund), David Aldrich (Founder of Grab the Torch), Vicky Wu Davis (CEO of Froghop, Inc. & Founder, Youth CITIES).