How long will the adults and teenagers in this program live together?

Younger people and older people do not always agree with each other. They sometimes have different ideas about life, work and play. But in one special program in New York State, adults and teenagers live together in peace. Each summer, 200 teenagers and 50 adults live together for eight weeks as members of a special work group. Everyone works several hours each day. The aim is not only to keep busy but to find meaning and enjoyment in work. Some teenagers work in the woods or on the farms near the village. Some learn to make furniture and to build houses. The adults teach them these skills.
    There are several free hours every day. And people are free on weekends, too. During the free hours some teenagers learn photography or painting. Others sit around talking or singing. Each teenager has his own way to spend the free time.
    It is necessary to make rules when people live together. In this program the teenagers and the adults make the rules together. When someone breaks the rule, the group will discuss the problem. They will ask "Why did it happen?", "What should we do about it?"
    After the program, one of the teenagers told us that, "You stop thinking only about yourself. You begin to think about the whole group. That’s what I’ve learnt from this program."