Local cat invites all Vermont teens to “Serious Talks for Silly People”

REGION – This month, the Governor’s Institutes of Vermont is launching a new program, “Serious Talks for Silly People,” a series of free interactive webinars designed to remind Vermont high schoolers that learning can and should be fun. These events will feature GIV’s talented cast of faculty, staff, and alumni exploring the intersection of two traditionally contrasted subject matters. They will also be hosted by a cat.

Each “Serious Talks for Silly People” webinar will be presented as a conversation between panelists and the audience. Practicing experts from GIV’s faculty and staff working in fields such as medicine, dance, songwriting, and mathematics will provide their perspective. The discussion will be guided by GIV alumni panelists from relevant programs asking thought-provoking questions to get the conversation started. Participants will be welcomed and encouraged to unmute and join in as well.

The first “Serious Talks for Silly People” webinar will take place March 7 at 4 p.m. The topic will be health, medicine, and dance as they relate to perceiving and interpreting the human body. Its expert speakers are Nicole LaPointe, program director of GIV’s Health & Medicine Institute and executive director of the Northern Vermont Area Health Education Center, and Corey Harrower, program director of GIV’s Arts Institute and professional dancer.

“I am looking forward to this event because I have been planning diligently for our summer Immersion and it looks great so far, but talking about it with students is going to make it feel much more real and bring me mentally one giant step closer to summer which cannot come too soon,” says LaPointe.

Alumni panelist Larissa Schiller of Lake Elmore, Vt. added, “It brings me excitement to know that my past experiences can be shared again with others in a fun and supportive virtual setting.”

Interested young Vermonters can visit this link to sign up, free of charge.

These new programs reflect GIV’s commitment to making learning fun and accessible, while still challenging Vermont youth to think deeply and expand their educational horizons. The past year has constructed many barriers between students and the joy traditionally associated with exploring the topics they love. “Serious Talks for Silly People” is GIV’s attempt to break down those barriers and remind Vermonters that the screens between us can’t stop us from connecting to each other and the things we all love to learn. Did we mention that the host cat has a bowtie?

“Serious Talks for Silly People” will continue throughout the spring, leading into summer programming. To learn more about GIV’s Online Summer 2021 Immersions, please visit www.giv.org, or email info@giv.org with any questions.

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