At GripTape, we offer youth 15–19 years old opportunities to pursue something they’re passionate about learning. We believe ALL young people should have the support and resources to deepen their interests and chart their path to success.

GripTape is committed to bringing our signature program, the Learning Challenge, to youth who lack access to rich learning opportunities. If you’re hungry to pursue a topic you’re passionate about — whether it’s cosplay, landscaping, mask design, literacy for incarcerated people, anything you have a deep interest in! — we want to give you the support to pursue it and seize control of your own learning.

How to Prepare Your Learning Challenge Application

First, decide what topic or skill you want to explore. Then, decide how you want to answer the four application questions. You can write an essay, send an email, upload a video, provide a digital link, make a powerpoint… or whatever you want. It’s totally up to you!

The Application Questions Are:

What topic or skill are you planning on exploring throughout this Challenge? Why are you passionate about this?
How will this learning help you be successful, now or in the future?
What are your goals for your Challenge? What do you hope to learn?
What do you plan to do in the 10 weeks of your Learning Challenge? What will your first steps be?

*Note that you MUST fill out the entire application in one session. You cannot save and go back in, so prepare your answers ahead of time.

Here Are Some Examples of Strong Applications!

Videos:

Essays:

Presentations:

Typed directly into the online form:

Tips and Ideas:

You don’t have to be a writer! In fact, we love to get video applications!
We’d love to see your passion, goals, and initiative! Be the most authentic version of who you are.
You can use videos, pictures, songs, poems, drawings … you decide. It’s ALL up to you!

GripTape Fall 2020 Learning Challenge Guidelines

You’re completely in charge of deciding what you explore and how you do it.
Your learning doesn’t depend on school, so you can do the Challenge on your own outside of class.
You lead your learning, so no more than 1/3 of your time in the Challenge is spent in adult-led experiences like classes, camp, or study abroad programs.
You have 10 weeks to complete your Challenge. All Summer 2020 learning journeys must be completed by August 9, 2020.
You are between 15 and 19 years old.
You live or go to school in the U.S.

How to Prepare Your Learning Challenge Application

The Application Questions Are:

Here Are Some Examples of Strong Applications!

GripTape Fall 2020 Learning Challenge Guidelines

You’re completely in charge of deciding what you explore and how you do it.

Your learning doesn’t depend on school, so you can do the Challenge on your own outside of class.

You lead your learning, so no more than 1/3 of your time in the Challenge is spent in adult-led experiences like classes, camp, or study abroad programs.

You have 10 weeks to complete your Challenge. All Summer 2020 learning journeys must be completed by August 9, 2020.

You are between 15 and 19 years old.

You live or go to school in the U.S.