FOCUS is a week-long orientation program for rising sophomores that engages students in all things New Haven through direct service, educational panels, and outings in the city. Participants work in a variety of community organizations supervised by our leaders. Some of these organizations in the past have included the Eli Whitney Museum, a center for alternative learning; New Haven Reads, the local book bank; No Place Like Home, a local foster home; Leeway, the state's only AIDs hospice; and Community Gardens. We hold nightly panels followed by small group discussions lead by group leaders. Panels include the mayor of New Haven, economic planners, key education players, and community leaders.

We further familiarize students with the city through new experiences like walking tours of rarely explored neighborhoods, outings to some of the city's treasures such as East Rock, a bike tour, a scavenger hunt, and a final community dinner with food from some of the best restaurants around. By the end of the week, we hope that participants will have an increased comfort with the New Haven area, and that they will understand the complexity of the challenges it faces and feel energized to continue participating in the community in ways that thoughtfully address them. This year's program for participants runs from Friday, August 20 to Thursday, August 26. FOCUS charges a participation fee of $95 but financial aid is available. For FOCUS leaders, the training will begin on Wednesday, August 18.

We house all participants in the Marriot on Broadway, only a few blocks from Old Campus, and we provide three meals a day. During the school year we also host a several “reunion” social events -- ranging from big parties to, in the fall of 2007, an initiative to get every student get registered under the Elm City ID card program. Look forward to more information soon on "New Haven @ Yale," a one-day conference to be held in April 2010.