Hundreds of students from seventh to twelfth grade are attending Sacramento State’s Summer Youth Academies this year. The program offers weeklong courses focused on different careers, giving local youth the chance to learn new skills and explore potential career paths.
The academies, taught by university faculty, staff, alumni, and industry professionals, take place both online and in person at the Sacramento State campus and other locations. Topics include creative writing, journalism, criminology, art, video game development, emergency services, finance, technology, and business. Most classes do not assign homework or grades.
Anna Keck, director of Academic and Professional Programs in the College of Continuing Education at Sacramento State, said: “The goal is to give our regional youth an opportunity to do something meaningful and engaging and fun over summer that is still educational in its roots without it being full-blown summer school.”
Organizers have added new courses this year based on student demand and emerging trends. Among more than 25 offerings are new classes such as “Generations United: Tackling Ageism Together,” led by Gerontology Lecturer Jenny Stevenson. This course includes work with older adults in the Cardiovascular Wellness Program at Folsom Hall and a field trip to Oakmont Senior Living Community. Students participate in activities like meal planning, cooking, music, art projects, and learn about entrepreneurship opportunities related to aging.
Stevenson explained: “We’re hoping to plant that seed early on to get them thinking about aging,” adding that early exposure helps students consider future academic choices. “Hopefully if they decide to go to college, they know what Sac State has. We want to give them the knowledge on a topic that isn’t commonly discussed at a younger age.”
Keck noted that health-focused academies are popular among students. She said: “I’m really excited about this new academy in particular (because of) this idea of getting kids to see the amazing diversity of pathways that are open to them that still fit within their passions and interests.”
Both Stevenson and Keck highlighted the relevance of learning about aging as the population grows older. Stevenson stated: “I’m hoping that they want to do something in their career with older adults because no matter what career you’re in, you work with older adults,” adding: “We want it to inspire them to want to be innovative in their lives as they get older.”
Another new course this year is “Maker Studies – Product Design,” which joins an existing 3D printing academy at StingerStudio Makerspace inside the University Library. Preston Tobery runs StingerStudio and teaches these courses. Students use tools such as sewing machines, laser cutters, 3D printers, button presses, Canva software and Adobe Illustrator while taking products from concept through design.
Tobery described the hands-on approach: “Basically, they’ll start out with an idea of what kind of product that they might want to create and then think about how to push that product and even create packaging for that product.” He added: “I think having these summer sessions is fantastic, especially for the high schoolers because it really shows them what’s available at Sac State. That kind of just gives them a jump start on that knowledge, and hopefully they take that knowledge and share it with others that might be interested in coming to Sacramento State.”
While there is a fee for each course offered through the Summer Youth Academies program at Sacramento State University , scholarships are available thanks to donations. Foster youth can attend for free through a partnership with First Star Academy.
Keck emphasized how these programs help build connections between young people and higher education opportunities at Sacramento State: “It’s really pipeline building at the end of the day for Sac State,” she said. “If we can get in front of the middle school and high school audiences including the individual students and their families and support networks—and build that pipeline—that’s the investment.”
She also hopes participants leave feeling confident about their futures: “Ultimately we just want kids to be able to have fun in an engaging environment so that they stay passionate and engaged with a positive mindset about what they’re going to do after high school,” Keck said. “No matter what they do there are lots of options for success—and (we want them to know) that Sac State could be part of that.”
Some courses have already filled or started but spots remain open in others.
