Regenerative
Girls in Leadership
Challenge
June 17 - July 2
FindYourpowerThe Regenerative Girls in Leadership Challenge is a two-week intensive in future-building for twelve teenagers from the US and Croatia. The program combines leadership training and personal development with an exhilarating real world impact project on the magnificent Mediterranean island of Hvar.
This program is exclusively open to rising sophomores and juniors at The Chadwick School of Los Angeles, an independent school centered on global citizenship, and Jedna Mladost, a youth social innovation nonprofit in Split, Croatia. Other teens are invited to contribute and grow as Junior Guides at The Field School of Hvar.
Typical Day
8:00 am
Optional wellness activity | swim, yoga, run, or meditation
9:00 am
Speaker breakfast | casual roundtable with expert mentor
Seminar | leadership tutorial in sustainability, design thinking, and personal development, followed by implementation in group and individual projects
10:00 am
12:00 pm
Lunch | traditional Mediterranean light lunch, swim, and siesta
2:00 pm
Excursion | a blend of site visits, user research, and fun in the sun
6:00 pm
Working Dinner | group discussions, user interviews, and fellowship overlooking the sea
7:00 pm
‘Hackathon’ | nightly flex time for group project work
Riva | summer evenings in the buzzy, family-oriented village of Jelsa: concerts, gelato, strolling, and local festivals.
9:00 pm
Core Projects
Personal Development
We live in uncertain times. At The Field School of Hvar, you will dive into your authentic leadership style and purpose alongside a caring, driven community of peers and mentors. Learn tools and frameworks to analyze problems in your world. Break challenges down into opportunities where you can make a difference. Hone your personal path to impact.
Meaningful Service
Put your skills as a regenerative leader into practice by designing a zero-waste system for re-using and recycling apparel that will really be used by generations of families. Research traditional artisanship, materials, and folk symbolism. Interview potential users and navigate practical constraints. Present your final concept to a group of “clients” and then see your creativity come to life in the hands of younger children and their parents.
Excursions
Nautical HeritageVoyage from the historic bay of Stari Grad to the legendary South Side of Hvar for cliff-jumping, an underwater wine cellar, and a challenging hike to a hidden chapel.
The Artisanship of Hvar TownVisit the jewel of the Venetian Republic to discover Hvar’s UNESCO-protected craft traditions.
Regenerative AgricultureTravel to the wild east of Hvar to experience a pioneering organic olive orchard and ethnobotanical garden, as well as one of the island’s most beautiful hidden coves.
Cyclops' CaveUncover ancient mysteries in a pre-historic cave said to be home to Homer’s Polyphemus, then voyage on to a perfectly preserved 19th century ethnovillage, now sheltered by Europe’s only Dark Sky Preserve.
Lost VillagesTrace the evolution of Hvar from agriculture to tourism, starting from the island’s summit - once the peak lavender producing location in Europe - down along a Medieval cart path, past a ghost town, to a sparkling seaside hideaway.
Stari GradEurope’s oldest registered city, the Greek colony of Pharos, remains today a vibrant outpost of cosmopolitan sophistication amid cobbled streets and alleyways drenched with flowers.
Rock ClimbingFind bravery and stamina on a gorgeous cove under the guidance of expert climbing guides.
Viticulture with a ViewHike from Jelsa through dry canal beds to the oldest town on the island to learn the secrets of winemaking and grape cultivation.
Edible IslandWe will finish our immersion in Hvar’s Mediterranean culture with a farm-to-table farewell dinner on an agricultural landscape that looks just as it did over two millennia ago.
JelsaOur homebase for daily exploration is the charming city of Jelsa, an idyllic seaside community with half a dozen beaches, gorgeous cultural sites, a family-friendly atmosphere, and virtually no crime.
Faculty & Mentors
Ivan Cestero
Teacher of Business & Entrepreneurship, Applied Economics, Design & Innovation. Deep experience in education startups across models, countries, and modalities; and in innovation at the corporate, NGO, and freelance levels. Specialty in bridging sectors and stakeholder groups to create value and reduce friction.
The Chadwick School
Michael Freer
An experienced social entrepreneur with a deep calling to service and civic development, Michael has lived in Croatia since 2015. Through Jedna Mladost (“One Youth”) and other initiatives, he leads a “clubhouse” for youth in innovation industries in Split and conducts creativity workshops throughout Croatian public high schools.
Jedna MladostThe Chadwick SchoolThomas Hattori
Director of Global Education. Tommy has taught math and science with an experiential and service-based focus at a series of America’s most elite secondary schools. He now stewards a key aspect of The Chadwick School’s institutional mission to develop global citizens.
The Chadwick SchoolMariel Sallo
Director of Community Engagement. Mariel leads K–12 service learning, cultivates community partnerships, and supports initiatives that foster belonging, leadership, and global citizenship across the school community.
How it works
Admissions
Chadwick families may contact Mr. Cestero or Mr. Hattori for more information about admissions and tuition.
This program is offered on a need-blind basis for Croatian students, who will apply in a competitive process led by Jedna Mladost. Croatian participation is underwritten by The Field School of Hvar, local small businesses and associations, and EU funds for cross-cultural education. This sponsorship ensures robust participation from driven local students, who can provide an authentic perspective and carry the island-based aspects of this program forward.
Getting to Hvar
Chadwick students will fly from Los Angeles to Split together with faculty chaperones. Jedna Mladost students will join for the ferry to Stari Grad or Jelsa, plus any additional ground transportation. It’s a long day! We will keep the welcome dinner simple and give students plenty of time to get settled.
Accommodations and Meals
The Regenerative Leadership Challenge will take place at The Fontana Resort just outside of Jelsa, a bucolic seaside village.
The Field School has a dormitory-style building with private double rooms and ensuite bathrooms. Chaperones will stay on the hall in their own rooms.
Breakfast and dinner are held at a dining hall, serving buffet-style meals overlooking the sea.
We will use The Field School of Hvar’s Learning Center, which includes a circular design makerspace, a boatmaking workshop, and a lending library of summer objects.
Why this program?
1
Joy
Simply put, kids need a break. Hvar is a transcendent place to be real, take intellectual risks, and feel alive. Our days our active, social, and mostly spent outdoors. The Field School of Hvar is unapologetically screen-free.
Mattering
2
What do you care about? How do you fit into a community that both serves you and needs you? This retreat is an opportunity to hone in on these essential questions that underlie a life of meaning and resilience. Test and reflect on your values in a supportive peer community. Do work that really matters to people you will come to care about on the island of Hvar, and take that impact home with you to your own “village.”
Showcase who you are beyond grades and test scores. The projects you complete at Field become compelling evidence of initiative, curiosity, and sustained engagement. You'll document your process, reflect on your learning, and graduate with tangible proof of your ability to think critically, solve complex problems, and create real impact.
Authenticity
3
