Chattanooga as Text

What that means in a more practical way is that placemaking is a way of connecting people to their communities and helping imagine how everyone in those communities can work together to make them better. The Chattanooga as Text program starts with the idea of placemaking. It then brings together girls from around the Chattanooga region (there will be 4 students from GPS and 12 from other schools) to work together to learn more about their city and the people in it. Each year, two co-teachers from different disciplines design a curriculum that engages their expertise and the City of Chattanooga around a theme in order to provide students with experiential opportunities to learn more about their community.

The program is intended to help local young people acquire the tools to better “read” their community so that they are equipped to make positive change. In the final week, the students will work in teams of four to dive deeply into a local problem or opportunity and pitch a solution to community stakeholders. They will utilize partnering organizations and experts, readings, discussion, design thinking, and social entrepreneurship methods to develop an innovative solution that will be pitched to local stakeholders.

The program is completely free to all participants and all students who complete the program will receive an iPad and a full course credit from GPS. The 2023 program is set to run from May 30th - June 16th from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm.

Are you a self-starter, “out-of-the-box" thinker who possesses intellectual maturity and is motivated by real world experiences?  “Chattanooga as Text” (CAT) is a 3-week, one-credit summer course developed by Girls Preparatory School with the purpose of teaching local young women how to actively engage with their community to make positive change. Chattanooga as Text seeks to develop the inherent strengths of the participants through a combination of interdisciplinary classroom instruction, an interactive introduction to Chattanooga, and a culminating group project that addresses a current social issue of our city. We are looking for creative, engaged students who are interested in getting to know new people, learning more about Chattanooga and its people, and working to make the world a better place. While grades will not be a limiting factor in admission, there is a classroom component to CAT and we are looking for applicants who possess the intellectual interest and drive to take full advantage of the opportunities presented by the program. We hope to build a cohort of intellectually mature, curious, enthusiastic, and community-minded girls who will work together to learn, to grow, and to pitch their ideas! 

There is no charge to students for this course; it is 100% scholarship-based. All students who complete the course receive an Apple iPad to support their continued growth and enrichment. Selection will include four GPS students and 12 outside students. 

Complete the Application

Submit the Recommendation Form

Due April 14, 2023
For any questions, please contact Dr. Andrea Becksvoort at abecksvoort@gps.edu.