Feb 28 – Mar 3, 2025
Dec 3rd at 6:00 PM ET
Sci-Tech is excited to invite our high school teens (currently in grades 10 through 12) to the first ever SCI-TECH L’TAKEN TRIP in Washington D.C. from Friday, February 28th through Monday, March 3rd, 2025.
L’Taken is an amazing weekend organized by the Religious Action Center. It features the unique opportunity for teens to lobby on Capitol Hill about an issue they care about, chosen from the extensive list of social justice issues the URJ is currently working on. Our group of teens will join with hundreds of other Jewish teens for a fun weekend in Washington D.C.
Most excitingly, teens who go with the Sci-Tech trip will have special opportunities to learn together about the intersections of STEM, social justice, and lobbying during one of the elective periods!
The weekend also includes celebrating Shabbat, sightseeing, visits to the National Air & Space Museum and the National Museum of National History, a trip to Georgetown, and meeting Jewish teens from all over the U.S.
Even if you’ve done L’Taken before, going with Sci-Tech guarantees a unique learning opportunity ONLY available to Sci-Tech teens!
The cost of the 4-day trip is $734 and includes:
- Lodging for three nights in a Washington D.C. hotel
- Transportation around Washington D.C.
- A majority of the meals
- Two Sci-Tech specific chaperones (Director, Jayme Mallindine, and Sci-Techkun Olam Instructor, Dr. Tess Levinson) in addition to the L’Taken staff
- Programming expenses
- Transportation to/from the airport/train station to hotel
Families will only have to cover transportation to Washington D.C. and should plan to send their teen with $100 for dinner on Saturday and Sunday and lunch on Monday.
There is a need-based reduced tuition option for families who need financial assistance to afford this experience, as well as a camp superhero price that gives families the opportunity to help another family afford this incredible experience.
Please click here to reserve your spot for this special experience! As a pilot year, we are limiting enrollment to only TEN teens, and we project spots will go quickly! The deadline to register is December 19th.
Questions? Reach out to Director Jayme Mallindine at jmallindine@urj.org
or learn more at our webinar on Tuesday, December 3rd at 6:00 PM ET!
Click here to register and/or get the recording if you can’t make the webinar live.
What is L’Taken?
The Bernard and Audre Rapoport L’Taken Social Justice Seminar is designed to both expose teens to a variety of public policy issues and explore the Jewish values that inform the Reform Movement’s advocacy around these issues. Different congregations and organizations send cohorts of teens to the weekend, and for the first time ever, Sci-Tech is sending a camp delegation of our own!
L’Taken means “to repair” in Hebrew, and, in partnership with the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC), our teens will have the opportunity to impact and begin to repair our country as they share their views on social justice topics with decision-makers on Capitol Hill.
By going on a Sci-Tech trip, you will have the opportunity to view these issues through a science and technology lens!
You can learn more on their website at https://rac.org/leadership-development/empowering-young-leaders/ltaken-social-justice-seminars/what-ltaken and through their parent brochure (https://rac.org/sites/default/files/2021-05/LTakenParentsBrochure.pdf)
Where can I see a sample schedule of the weekend?
L’taken provides a sample schedule on their website at https://rac.org/ltaken-sample-schedule. For Sci-Tech, one of the electives will be a Sci-Tech specific learning block available only to Sci-Tech teens! For the field trips, Sci-Tech will be going to the National Air & Space Museum and to the National Museum of Natural History.
How should my child get to L’Taken on Friday, February 28th?
Families are responsible for paying for and getting their child to Washington D.C. Teens can either arrive by air, train, or by car. Teens arriving by flight or train should arrive no later than 4:00 PM ET. Teens arriving by car should arrive at the hotel at 5:00 PM. Teens arriving by train should arrive at Union Station, where there will be a Sci-Tech staff member to meet them. Teens arriving by air should plan to arrive at Reagan National airport (DCA) where another Sci-Tech staff member will meet them at baggage claim. Unlike camp, teens should NOT fly as unaccompanied minors, as we will not be able to meet teens at the gate upon arrival. Instead, we will meet teens at baggage claim. Sci-Tech staff will help teens get from DCA or Union Station to the hotel. All teens and families will have the cell phone number of the person meeting them for ease of communication during travel. More information and forms related to travel will be sent after registration and closer to the event.
When will my child leave L’Taken on Monday, March 3rd?
Families are responsible for paying for and getting their child back home after L’Taken. Teens can leave either by air, train, or by car. Teens leaving by car should plan to be picked up from D.C. at 2:45 PM ET (exact pick-up location communicated closer to the event). Teens leaving by train should plan to leave Union Station no earlier than 4:00 PM ET. Teens leaving by air should plan to leave DCA no earlier than 5:00 PM ET. Sci-Tech staff will help teens who are departing via air or train get from the hotel to the airport or to Union Station to make sure they get to the right gate/train. Unlike camp, teens should NOT fly as unaccompanied minors. However, the staff member will also be leaving via plane and will be able to go through security with the teens and will stay at the airport until all teens with flights have made it into the air successfully. Similarly, the staff member leaving by train will stay at Union Station until all teens leaving by train have departed from the station.
How will my child get around to the different programs in Washington DC?
The RAC provides ground transportation throughout the weekend, and the cost of that is included in the tuition. This includes transportation around the D.C. area on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday and transportation from Capitol Hill to your departing location (e.g. DCA or train station).
What should my child pack?
Weather in Washington D.C. in the winter is cold! Please pack weather appropriate clothing, including a warm jacket, hats, and gloves. Prioritize comfort and warmth over fashion. For most of the weekend, teens will be wearing casual and comfortable clothes. For the Monday congressional appointments, everyone must wear professional business attire. Again, significant portions of the day are spent walking around Capitol Hill outside, and we encourage everyone to dress warmly and wear comfortable shoes. L’Taken provides a suggested packing list here: https://rac.org/sites/default/files/2021-09/ltaken_packing_list_updated_2122.pdf
Can my teen bring their cellphone?
Yes! Teens should definitely bring their cellphones. They are also strongly encouraged to bring laptop computers or other devices they can use during the writing and editing process of the lobbying preparation. That being said, we cannot be responsible for damage to, or loss of, any electronic equipment participants bring to the L’Taken seminar.
Who can attend the Sci-Tech L'taken trip?
This trip is open to anyone currently in grades 10 through 12 who is interested in the combination of social justice and STEM!
What meals are included in the price? Can they accommodate dietary restrictions?
Friday dinner, Saturday Breakfast, Saturday Lunch, Sunday Breakfast, Sunday lunch, and Monday breakfast are included in the cost. Teens will eat out as a Sci-Tech cohort in Georgetown for Saturday and Sunday dinner. Monday lunch will take place on Capitol Hill in one of the several cafeterias in the House and Senate office buildings. L’taken suggests teens bring at least $100 to cover those meals expenses. Sci-Tech staff will be there for those three meals and will make sure everyone finds something to eat!
Meals provided in the tuition cost will be provided by the hotel. In accordance with URJ policy, dairy and meat products will not be served together at meals throughout the L’Taken weekend. The hotel facilities and meat products served at the hotel are not kosher. They offer accommodations for various dietary restrictions including but not limited to: vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free. If you have questions about dietary needs, please reach out to the L’Taken team: LTaken@rac.org or (202) 387-2800. They are happy to accommodate participants with a variety of dietary needs and the hotel staff are great partners in customizing the menu to fit nearly any restrictions. Please contact them with this information at least a month before the seminar.
How does housing work? What hotel is my child staying at?
Both chaperones and teens will be staying at the hotel (either a Hilton or a Hyatt hotel) where the learning seminar happens. The exact hotel is communicated closer to the event and in a more private way to ensure security. The cost of the hotel is included in the fee. Similar to camp, teens will stay in a hotel room with one to two other teens. Chaperones will be in their own rooms nearby. Roommates will be determined by Sci-Tech leadership, not by L’taken, and will be done in the same careful way that roommates during the summer are determined. We will gather specific housing information (including roommate requests) after registration and closer to the event.
I need an excused school absence letter.
L’taken and the RAC provide an excused school absence letter which you can find on their website (https://rac.org/sites/default/files/2024-10/excused_absence_letter_2425.pdf).
My camper takes medication. How does that work?
All medication will be distributed by the Sci-Tech chaperones and will be kept safe either in a locker or on the person of the chaperones responsible for med distribution. Medication must come in the original bottle/container and, if they’re prescription, must be accompanied by a doctor’s administration instructions either on paper or on the original bottle. The chaperones can only give out medication based on the instructions on the container/instructions from the prescribing medical professional, so please make sure those are accurate! The chaperones will keep a written record of when and what medications are distributed.
How do I register?
There is a two part registration process! The first is registering and paying the fee to hold your spot for the Sci-Tech cohort. You can register your teen by paying the tuition cost HERE. This form will be used to gather the fees needed for Sci-Tech to pay L’Taken.
After paying the fee, we will send you the individual link needed to then register your teen with L’taken in the confirmation email!
There are three ticket options available:
- Superhero Ticket ($934): This ticket pays for your teen’s ticket AND provides additional funding to help provide financial support for another teen!
- At-Cost Ticket ($734): This ticket covers your teen’s participation in the weekend At-Cost!
- Need-Based Scholarship Ticket ($534): This ticket is discounted for families who need financial assistance due to the generosity of other Sci-Tech families!
The registration system will also charge a 3% credit card fee. Please note that all payments will go directly to L’taken to pay for the trip.
What district will the teens be lobbying in?
Since our teens come from all over the country, we’ll be lobbying for the district where Byfield, our summer home, is located! Teens can take the knowledge they learn at L’taken and do more specific campaigns in their own regions when they return home using the skills they gain at L’taken. If we have many campers coming from the same region/district, we will be able to accommodate two separate groups lobbying for different districts during our day on Capitol Hill.
What happens if I need to cancel? Will I get a refund?
If you cancel before December 19th, all of your tuition (minus a $40 administrative fee) will be returned to you. If you cancel between December 20th and Wednesday, February 12th, all of your tuition (minus an $80 administrative fee) will be returned to you. After February 13th, no refunds will be granted. Please note these late fees are set by L’taken, not by Sci-Tech, and determined based on the fees they must pay to the hotel and other vendors.
Who do I talk to if I have More questions?
Reach out to Director Jayme Mallindine by emailing jmallindine@urj.org! We will also be having a webinar on Tuesday, December 3rd at 6:00 PM ET! You can register and/or get a copy of the recording if you’re not able to attend it live by registering HERE.