Students who attend GIV come away with knowledge, inspiration, and a deeper sense of their future possibilities. Each Institute is a supportive and engaged community featuring industry experts who provide world-class learning experiences and mentorship.
“ My child gained more confidence, made excellent connections, and tried new things. The confidence they had in themselves after being there cannot be overstated.”
GIV exists to help Vermont students and young artists discover their passion for learning, expand their horizons, and successfully pursue the higher learning that will help them achieve the career of their dreams.
GIV has an impressive 40-year achievement record (click here to see our detailed Long-Term Impacts study). Our graduates have launched businesses and nonprofits, traveled the world in careers ranging from archaeology to performance art, and have returned to their communities as important contributors at all levels of Vermont’s economic, political and social fabric.
GIV is also committed to accessibility as more than just a buzzword. We deliberately make our programs affordable to every Vermont family using a sliding scale tuition model, and have a conscious focus on physical and mental support for all students at a systematic level.
But, perhaps most importantly: GIV is FUN! GIV alums will attest – here at GIV, students make lifelong memories and friends, finding their community and celebrating themselves fully.
As an added bonus, college admissions officers recognize GIV participation as a significant achievement, and value it highly in their considerations for student admissions. An expanding network of colleges offering automatic scholarships to GIV graduates is listed here. Colleges that recent GIV graduates attend include:
We know that the current economic environment is challenging for schools and families. We are committed to making GIV accessible for all families by offering financial aid and scholarships to qualifying students.
Tuition is on sliding scale based on what families can afford, starting at just $10. See GIV’s sliding scale tuition calculator here, and please reach out to us at [email protected] with questions about how we can support every applicant!
The health and safety of our students has always been GIV’s top priority. To that end, we background check all our staff, provide extensive training in health and safety protocol (including mental health support), and accommodate each student’s individual needs by designing for physical and cognitive accessibility at a systematic level.
You can be confident that at GIV, your student is in good hands.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, GIV has been requiring day one rapid testing for all students and staff, as well as vaccinations, health screenings, and masking as necessary. We have provided additional resources, support, and training for staff in the event of a student becoming symptomatic, or a positive case emerging over the course of an Institute.
For summer 2023, GIV is closely monitoring the CDC’s guidelines re: COVID-19, and updating our policies to match their strictest recommendations. For more information, please review our full COVID protocol below, which will always be updated with the most current information. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected].
This year, GIV will be requiring students to be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccines, as defined by the CDC. If a student cannot be vaccinated or boosted, they may request an exemption form by reaching out to [email protected] after being accepted to GIV’s summer programs.
GIV will also be requiring day one rapid testing for all students upon arriving at their Institute, and requesting that any symptomatic students test at home.
Additional precautions may be required based on the program.
Policies are subject to change in accordance with CDC and/or host college guidance.
Students are never left alone, and will always be accompanied by staff members throughout the day. This includes time between classes, recreation, and social events. Extra staff members are on hand for any field trips and off-campus community visits as part of the program.
Students live on a dorm floor with a team of RAs and staff members who are on call to help with emergencies 24/7, ensuring dorm safety and making themselves available for students’ needs. Lights out typically happens around 10:00 PM, after which students are expected to stay in their rooms.
Part of our application process involves processing IEP, 504, and EST plans to ensure our program content takes into account the accommodations and support systems that make students successful.
Multiple staff members are available throughout the day to support students in their physical, mental, and academic well-being.
Students can get even more out of their experience at GIV by getting high school credit, PLP entries, proficiency-based graduation requirements, or even college credit.
Explore our latest Academic Guide for a detailed overview of the many opportunities for students at each GIV Institute, including those that offer college credit!
Please reach out to us at [email protected] if we can help by mailing printed versions of any of our publications.
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