Experiment Participants

Experimenters are high school students of different races, religions, sexual orientations, gender identities, physical abilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The Experiment actively seeks to engage and enroll participants from a diversity of backgrounds throughout the U.S. and abroad.

Experiment Digital 2020 Participants

This year, for the first time in our history, students were not able to travel due to COVID-19. However, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, World Learning is continuing to foster intercultural understanding through our digital programming.

The Experiment Digital has grown tremendously over the past few years. It began in 2016, reaching 100 participants in two countries—this summer, it reached more than 1,100 participants in four countries. Our post-program survey results indicate that the program has led to substantial changes in students’ attitudes, skills, and perceptions.

Summer 2019 In-person Experiment Groups — At a Glance

• 440 Experimenters traveled to 22 countries worldwide.
• Experimenters came from 35 U.S. states.
• Experimenters came from 9 countries throughout the world: Colombia, France, Kenya, Malaysia, Madagascar, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan, and the U.S.
• The average Experiment group had 14 participants with two adult group leaders.
• $1.4 million in scholarships were awarded to summer 2019 Experimenters, including $470,000 paid for by 60+ partner organizations/schools:

Experiment Groups

Our groups are small, typically comprising 12 to 16 participants. They come from small towns and large cities; urban and rural areas; and public, private, and home schools. The diversity of our groups is an important part of what makes The Experiment a unique and rich experience. In addition to learning about their host culture, Experimenters should expect to learn about the diverse cultures and backgrounds that exist within the U.S. and throughout the world.

The Experiment’s Partnership Program

The Experiment partners with more than 60 high schools, mentoring organizations, community groups, and individual donors and foundations to provide funding for need- and merit-based scholarships.

A sample of these partnerships includes:

• A Better Chance – nationwide
• SEO Scholars – New York and San Francisco
• Step Up to Excellence – Massachusetts
• Monroe County Educational Foundation / Take Stock in Children – Florida
• Summer Search – nationwide

For more information about our partners, visit experiment.org/about-the-experiment/partners.

For more information on giving to The Experiment, visit experiment.org/donatenow.

Commitment to Diversity

The Experiment is committed to diversity. In 2019, The Experiment worked with approximately 60 mentoring organizations, after school programs, community groups, public and private schools and foundations across the world to recruit diverse participants. These important partnerships provide access and opportunity annually to a range of high school students who choose to spend their summer on an Experiment program. Some partnerships provide partial or full scholarship funding for Experimenters. Read more information about The Experiment’s partnerships. If you are an educator and would like to form a scholarship partnership with your school or community-based organization, please contact us.

As an institution that values inclusion, The Experiment welcomes transgender students and participants in transition. As such we respect a participant’s gender identity at the time of program participation.We ask all program participants to understand and respect the context, customs, and attitudes in the host country.