Summer camps at ASU ignite students toward higher education
The pursuit of higher learning and education never ceases — even during the summer. Over the past month, high school students from across Arizona and some parts of the United States came together for various summer camps on the Tempe, West Valley, Downtown and Polytechnic campuses of Arizona State University. These summer camps were all hosted by Access ASU and included the Barrett Summer Scholars (BSS), RISE Leadership Institute, INSPIRE and César Chávez Leadership Institute (CCLI) — all of which provided workshops and activities that immersed and prepared students for a life in college and beyond.
Director of Outreach Experiences for Access ASU, Amy Ball, explained the importance of programs like these and their everlasting impact on students and families.
“The goal is to help them explore career pathways and college pathways like they're totally combined,” Ball said. “We have the opportunity during camps like BSS to have them work with ASU instructors, and faculty and real-world experts in the fields that they're interested in so they get a taste of what options there are.”
Barrett Summer Scholars Program
Starting with BSS, students swarmed into Barrett, The Honors College to be greeted by their new roommates and peers. Enthralled with the university setting, each unfamiliar face would find community and voice within the Barrett Summer Scholars Program over the next few days. The camps were followed by other cohorts across the different ASU campuses, specializing in varying ranges of studies from nursing to philosophy.
At the college level, every Barrett student must take The Human Event course, modeled after a seminar structure to encourage discussion around various social and philosophical topics. This was then adapted for BSS, where the students were able to choose from various disciplines within science, arts, humanities and beyond. Through T.R.A.C.K. classes, the students explored their discipline via lectures taught by ASU instructors.
Abby Wheatley is an associate teaching professor for Barrett, The Honors College, teaching The Human Event course and helping construct the curriculum for Barrett Summer Scholars.
“The goal is to expose them to higher education through a discussion seminar and critical reading,” Wheatley said.
In that pursuit, Wheatley’s BSS curriculum consisted of readings of Ray Bradbury’s “All Summer in a Day,” and viewings of films like the 2014 short, “The Dam Keeper,” followed by discussion and reflection. The class ended with the students sharing a bit about themselves and what they plan on studying in the future.
Jacqueline Sanchez is an incoming freshman and an aspiring immigration lawyer. She joined Barrett Summer Scholars due to the college atmosphere it offered. Being in classes like The Human Event and T.R.A.C.K. allowed her to cultivate her interests.
“They're definitely treating us as if we were adults, and I like to see that because they're actually seeing us as people and they're hearing us. They actually like our opinion,” Sanchez said.
Beyond thought-provoking analysis in the classroom, Barrett Summer Scholars built bonds and highlighted teamwork among the students through team chants, competitive team games and a talent show that allowed students to showcase their passions outside of the classroom.
“The talent show was a highlight. It was fun seeing some of the kids who were originally very quiet,” Camp Ambassador Dallen Johnston said. “When we did our first icebreakers, none of them said a word. But at the talent show, some of them got up and just belted ‘Party in the USA.’”
At the closing ceremony, students and their guardians reunited to celebrate their days at camp, where the students from each discipline were recognized for their work and exemplary efforts. The students cheered, laughed and said their farewells, excited for the years to come.
“I recommend the experience to anybody that's more academically focused or interested in going to college. I think this gives you a good taste of what the college experience is going to be like even if it's only for a short few days,” BSS student Analiese Alexander said.
RISE Leadership Institute
In addition to Barrett Summer Scholars, Access ASU hosted a variety of summer camps this June – among them, the RISE Leadership Institute. Designed to prepare all students for college and career success, RISE engages participants in dynamic, hands-on workshops led by educators and professionals from various disciplines whose work reflects the history, achievements, and lasting impact of Black and African American leaders. Through immersive sessions exploring a wide range of career paths, RISE participants are encouraged to embrace their strengths and prepare for a bright future ahead.
Camper Savion Bullock is a student at Hamilton High School who plans on pursuing a career in medicine.
“The workshops were very in-depth and broadened my interest on what I want to do for a career. I want to be a plastic surgeon; I want to go to medical school,” Bullock said.
One of the workshops featured an anatomical mannequin for the students to observe different fields of medicine. Allowing the students to operate on the mannequin opened their horizons to the endless possibilities in medicine.
“I definitely think the workshop about the medical field helped me realize how many different things you can do within the medical field that's not just a nurse or a doctor surgeon.” RISE student, Chloe Thomas, said. “That's when I realized I liked sports medicine and wanted to learn more about it.”
Beyond esteemed speakers and an explorative academic environment, RISE put a spotlight on the arts through their dance and beats activity. Students were able to explore musicality and unleash their creativity while building bonds with each other and establishing unforgettable memories.
“I think my favorite memory was the Afro beats workshop because I just love to dance,” RISE student, Grand Georgori, said. “I love feeling the rhythm of music. I already have heavy African roots so it's just something that resonated with me and a lot of my peers. I think it was an amazing experience.”
Georgori goes to Bioscience High School in Central Phoenix and is interested in pursuing a polytechnic degree. He enjoyed the economy lesson at RISE that taught the students financial responsibility.
“I didn't know a lot about common economies, such as a Roth IRA or a 401k. I think I learned a lot about how it's important to start on these things early so that the money can build up over time,” Georgori said.
The RISE program ended on a high note at the closing ceremony, as each student group presented a way to make the world a better place.
INSPIRE Summer Program
Following RISE, the INSPIRE summer program brought together high school students in a week-long experience centered on academic excellence, career exploration and cultural enrichment – featuring a fashion showcase. While rooted in Indigenous knowledge and perspectives, INSPIRE welcomes all students interested in broadening their understanding and preparing for college through teamwork, community-building, and meaningful exploration of their future goals.
Camp Ambassador Ellerie Black highlighted the importance of a program like INSPIRE at ASU, and how it contributes to the university’s charter.
“Having a summer camp that’s free and accessible, with indigenous professors, indigenous leaders and even staff like myself is really helpful for our students. I got to connect with them and I understood where they came from so that we all come together as one,” Black said.
INSPIRE focused on academics and building community. The camp offered various tracks such as health solutions, career exploration, sciences and more. Throughout the week, the students worked on creative projects as well. They made garments out of various materials with patterns based on indigenous roots and design.
Rising high school senior Kira Thomas learned a lot during her time at INSPIRE and created invaluable connections with her peers and staff at ASU through the program.
“I would recommend this program to other students. You learn a lot about resources that can help you,” Thomas said.
Kira recalled her first impression of Hayden Library at ASU, noting the vast array of Native American book collections and information offered.
“A lot of Native American kids grew up in very rural areas, so we don't have many resources,” Thomas said. “We don't get that much information. I feel like places like this are where the kids can actually experience it. When they have us come out here and see how it is, it makes us want to be here. Like, I'm sad to go home.”
César Chávez Leadership Institute (CCLI)
Finally, the César Chávez Leadership Institute (CCLI) welcomed high school students to workshops and activities exploring the legacy of César E. Chávez, the value of higher education, servant leadership and community engagement. Through a variety of team-building, artistic, and academic sessions, students experienced a supportive peer environment that encouraged collaboration, reflection and a deeper understanding of issues impacting their local communities.
The students started the experience by getting into their groups and creating a group flag. Within each group, they were tasked with choosing a social issue to bring awareness to and solve. These topics ranged from mental health visibility to healthcare access to housing accessibility.
The students heard lectures about different fields of study such as the social sciences, STEM, English and more. They also engaged in creative sessions like salsa dancing.
Rising senior Guadelupe Olivia Martinez attends Tucson High School and was astounded by the connections she made her first and second years at CCLI.
“This camp touched on the importance of having a strong sense of who you are and how it really builds your identity. I would say you also learn about financial literacy and college applications,” Martinez said.
“It’s a very heartwarming experience to know that I'm not alone and we all have similar yet different paths that we want to take in life, but in the end, we're all a community.”
CCLI finished on a high note with speeches from Jaime Hidalgo, the son of Frank Hidalgo who helped create CCLI in 1995, and former CCLI camp ambassador Rogelio Ruiz, who now works for the Arizona Department of Education. Students presented their leadership projects in a science fair manner scattered around the rooms for their loved ones to view.
Overall, summer camp at Access ASU is more than a getaway from everyday life; it serves as a bridge between students and higher education.
One student (and their family) in particular fell in love with life at ASU during his time at camp.
“His parents said he won't let them even think about any other university now,” Ball said. “He is 100% ASU because this experience solidified it for him. They even told me they were thinking about getting their PhDs from ASU! It really impacts entire families!”
Photography by Macy Kimpland, Jr De Chavez, Kaitlyn Beickel, Brielle Cohen