Our Crowdfunding Groups
Our initial goal was $3000 with a dollar for dollar match from Dr. Beth Corrie, director of YTI. Thanks to your generosity, we achieved this milestone within the first week bringing our grand total to $6000, which is the actual cost required to host a scholar for the full academy. And now, Richard Gurley, 1996 YTI Alum, has issued an additional matching gift challenge! If we raise another $3,000, he’ll match it dollar for dollar to bring our new total to $12,000! Richard’s generosity is a testament to the impact of this important program. Join him and all of us in supporting YTI! The sky is the limit!
The Youth Theological Initiative (YTI) Summer Academy gathers 40 rising high school juniors and seniors from across the country for a three-week experience in Christian theological education at Emory University. Our goal is to cultivate public theologians for the church and world. Recruited nationally and internationally through congregations, schools, and YTI alumni, our young scholars have life-changing experiences at the YTI Summer Academy.
Summer Academy Scholars are current high school sophomores or juniors with a strong academic profile and a desire to be challenged spiritually and intellectually. In choosing participants, we strive for gender balance, racial and ethnic diversity, and denominational variety. YTI is a residential learning community grounded particularly, but not exclusively, in the Christian faith tradition. We are an ecumenical academic community that promotes faith-seeking understanding.
Asking tough theological questions in a supportive community.
Exploring quality theological literature, including writings by scholars in the Christian faith tradition such as Walter Brueggemann, Sallie McFague, James Cone, Thomas Aquinas, and M. Shawn Copeland; the Bible; and other resources.
Learning how to analyze and address global issues from Christian theological perspectives.
Joining adult participants in shaping and being accountable to a residential covenant community.
Worshipping together as an ecumenical group in a variety of ways, including with local Christian congregations and other religious communities.
Your gift toward will ensure the long-term sustainability of the YTI Summer Academy! With your support, scholars will fall in love with theology as a lifelong pursuit and find ways to live out their ethical and faith commitments as they move along their vocational paths. Your generosity will make a significant difference in the lives of current and future YTI scholars.
Your gift provides a Bible for a YTI scholar to use in classes and for personal devotion.
This gift purchases the exploratory course textbooks for a YTI scholar to use in class and keep for years to come.
Your gift pays for the transportation of the entire YTI community to visit and experience worship with other faith communities in the Atlanta area.
This gift covers the expense of an entire week’s worth of meals for a YTI Scholar.
This gift provides meals and housing for one scholar for the entire three-week academy.