The Plank Institute

The 32nd Annual Summer Plank Institute
The Blake School
  June 14-16, 2011
Theme of this year’s symposia: The Business of Food

Join Nan Peterson, Director of Service Learning at The Blake School and others to learn about the business of food as we relax, rejuvenate, refresh, reflect and explore our own perspective of food. We will examine the roots of food production, what it looked like in years past and what it looks like today. We’ll learn about food as social issue and will take field trips to destinations of food production, preparation and distribution. Learn about sustainability from researchers and twin cities business men and women.

This year’s Plank participants will explore the topic of food from a variety of points of view. Active learning experiences will include interactive presentations by noted experts, field trips to local businesses and agencies, as well as delicious dining. You’ll emerge from this week replete with knowledge and good conversation, and sated with good food. Find out more and get an application here.

About Plank
The Plank Summer Institute is funded from the proceeds of an endowment given to The Blake School in 1979 by Raymond Plank, a Blake graduate of the class of 1940. Ray Plank, the founder and chief executive officer of the Apache Corporation, made his gift to Blake with the intent that the proceeds would be used to further the economic education of teachers and to enable them to develop more familiarity with the world of business.

The three day summer Institute seeks to: 

  • further the economic education of the teacher participants;
  • link the Institute with a diverse group of entrepreneurial and corporate leaders in the Twin Cities and national business community;
  • inspire a broad appeal among teachers, who could relate the issues of the Institute to both their professional and personal lives;
  • enable teachers from various levels and disciplines to become better acquainted and establish ongoing professional networks;
  • create a "business professional" atmosphere, that will refresh its participants intellectually, physically and emotionally.
For more information on The Plank Institute, e-mail

Past Plank participants say:

If one of the aims was to make teachers feel professional, then mission accomplished!

I was hoping to gather a little information, but instead found my mind opened to all sorts of new concepts and ideas.

relaxing . . . stimulating . . . felt special . . . top notch presenters who cared about us and made us feel cared about and special.

This teacher is still smiling.

The quality of the speakers made me feel important and privileged.

The networking with the other teachers is an invaluable resource.