Summer Learning Institute (SLI)

The Freedom House Summer Learning Institute (SLI) is a summer program in Boston for students ages 14 to 18 who attend Boston Public Schools or live in the city. Freedom House designs it as a comprehensive program that supports students' academic growth, career development, and social-emotional needs over the course of the summer. A central part of SLI is work-based learning. Freedom House partners with local organizations to place students in community-based jobs, giving them real workplace experience. Students can also take dual enrollment courses with Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology and Roxbury Community College, earning college credit while still in high school. Workshops and civic engagement projects round out the summer, with a focus on building leadership, advocacy, and life skills. The 2026 program ran from July 7 to August 21, about seven weeks, with an orientation on July 1. SLI is held in person at Freedom House, located at 5 Crawford Street in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Students who want a mix of a summer job, college coursework, and community projects close to home will find all three in one program here.

Ages 14-18; must attend Boston Public Schools or live in Boston. Submit an online application. New applicants interview and upload a resume and a letter of recommendation; returning scholars await an acceptance email. Accepted students need a youth work permit, a signed consent form, attendance at mandatory orientation, and a parent or guardian at a family info session.