This document provides information about summer programs and opportunities for high school students. It discusses the benefits of taking advantage of one's summer and outlines various types of structured programs including pre-college courses, research programs, internships, volunteering, and adventure programs. Several specific program examples are highlighted that cover areas like science, history, photography, and sailing. The document also discusses unstructured options such as independent projects, jobs, and campus visits. Overall, the document aims to help students identify summer opportunities and choose options that fit their interests and goals.

1. Dunce presents…
Spring Workshop
Series
Making the Most of
Your Summer
with Laurel Griffiths

2. What we’re talking about today…
 What can I do with my summer? Why should I take
advantage of my summer?
 What types of programs are out there? What should
I look for in a program?
 What are my options outside of structured programs?
 The Take-Away: You will have the knowledge to make
informed decisions about your summer plans. You will
know how to find, research, and apply to programs
and other opportunities.
As we go along, questions are always welcomed!

3. What can I do with my
summer?
Why should I take advantage
of my summer?

4. What types of programs are out there?
 Pre-College
 Research, Field Work, and Workshops
 Adventure and Travel
 Community Service
 Who sponsors these programs?
 Universities
 Education Organizations (sometimes universities host
outside organizations at their campuses)

5. Program Spotlight: Pre-College
 Summer College: a 3 or 6 week residential program
in which you can take classes in almost anything –
engineering, computer science, debate, literature, law,
medicine, psychology, leadership, sustainability,
veterinary medicine, animal science, social
entrepreneurship, business, architecture, art, design.
 For students completing grades 10-12.
 $6,020 for a 3-week program / $12,100 for a 6-
week program / financial aid available

6. Program Spotlight: Research
 Young Scholars Program: a 6-week residential
program at UC Davis in which students will work one-
on-one with research faculty and research groups in
the natural sciences. Each student will work on an
individual project and prepare a journal quality
paper and symposium presentation about their work.
 For rising juniors and seniors, ages 16-18.
 $6,200 / financial aid available

7. Program Spotlight: Pre-College + Research
 Hidden Lives – Discovering Women’s History: a 2-week
residential program. Through field trips, walking tours
and primary research in Smith College’s women’s history
archives, you’ll gather insights about women who’ve made
a difference – what inspired their passion and dedication
to women’s equality, and how their words and actions
changed the possibilities for American women.
 Located in Northampton, Massachusetts.
 For women completing grades 8-11.
 $2,825 / $175 discount for early deposit / financial aid
available

8. Program Spotlight: Field Work
 A program which gives you a hands-on introduction
to archeology at an excavation site that was
inhabited by ancestral Pueblo Indians (Anasazi) more
than 1,000 years ago.
 Located Cortez, Colorado, near Mesa Verde.
 For students completing grades 8-12.
 $4,875 for 3-week field school / $1,625 for 1-week
field camp / financial aid available

9. Program Spotlight: Workshop
 Between the Lines: a 2-week writing workshop,
global literature seminar, and cultural exchange for
students, ages 16-19.
 Located at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, home
to one of the best creative writing programs in the
country.
 $1,800 / financial aid available

10. Program Spotlight: Adventure
 Maine Coast Sailing: a 2-week adventure exploring
the Main coastline in a 30-foot open sailboat and
learning chart and compass navigation, small boat
seamanship, weather observation, and anchoring.
Depending on the student advancement, the
experience ends with a short solo voyage.
 For students, ages 14+.
 $3,395 / financial aid available

11. Program Spotlight: Adventure + Travel + Service
 Surf and Service in Costa Rica: a 9-day program in
which you learn to surf, go white-water rafting and
snorkel, and, if you’re really adventurous, you can
repel down a waterfall. You’ll also long 14 hours of
service helping with construction projects in the local
community.
 For students, ages 14-18.
 $1,995 + airfare / financial aid available

12. Program Spotlight: Travel + Service + Study
 Guatemala: a 6-week summer abroad program in
Guatemala that includes exploration of Mayan
culture, Spanish language study, homestays, service
learning, and internships or independent learning
projects.
 Suggested student age: 16-18.
 $7,065 + air fare / financial aid available

13. Program Spotlight: Travel + Service + Workshop
 Argentina – Photojournalism and Social Change: a 4-
week program that includes photography and
camera-building workshops, exploration of Argentine
society and social issues, a homestay, developing
photography workshops for local children, and the
creation of your own photojournalism project.
 For students completing grades 9-12.
 $6,200 + air fare / financial aid available

14. Program Spotlight: Community Service
 Complete train maintenances and site restoration
projects in national, regional, state, or local parks.
 Several dates and lengths available (2, 3, 4, and 5
weeks).
 For students, ages 15-19.
 You only have to pay for travel to placement site.
Financial aid available for travel expenses.

15. Spotlight: Local Programs
 Jumpstart to Unmanned Autonomous Systems at UNR
(June 22 – 26): a residential program for students
ages 15-18, $650 (financial aid available)
 Civil & Environmental Engineering Camp at UNR (July
13-17) : a day camp for students ages 14-18, $275
(financial aid available)
 NCLab Computer Programing and 3D Modeling
Camp at UNR (2 days, specific dates will be posted
in late March, early April): a day camp for students
ages 6 and older, $100

16. Spotlight: Local Programs (cont.)
 SparkLab (1 week, dates TBA): a day camp for
students ages 13-17, $450 (last year’s price)
 Lake Tahoe Music Camp (July 5-11): a residential
program for students completing grades 7-12, $550-
$600 (financial aid available)
 Smallwood Multimedia Boot Camp at UNR (June 15-
25): a day camp for rising seniors, free
 Three Spheres Leadership Academy through
Envirolution (several 1-week camps, info available
March 1): a day camp for students 12-19, $100 (last
year’s price, financial aid available)

17. What should I look for in a program?
 Is this program specifically for high school students?
 The basics: dates, age, price
 Remember to budget for travel to the program site,
materials you have to bring, any living expenses not
covered by the program, and spending money.
 Is there financial aid? Is there a discount for early
applications?
 Be aware of deadlines! They are fast approaching.
 Reputation of program
 Remember, you can always ask for references.
 Be thoughtful when reading online reviews.

18. What should I look for in a program? (cont.)
 Residential support and safety
 What are the facilities? What services and
extracurricular activities are offered? Who will be
working with students outside of program hours?
 Instructor/leader credentials
 Ask yourself: What do I want to take away from a
summer program? Could this experience continue
affecting me after I depart; is there someway that I
could extend this experience into my everyday life
here? Is this a good fit for me?

19. What are some less-structured options?
 Job-Shadowing
 Internships
 Volunteering
 Summer Jobs
 Take a Class
 Independent Projects and Learning
 Campus Visits

20. Job-Shadowing, Internships, Volunteering, Jobs
 What is the difference between these things?
 How do I find an opportunity?
 How can this help me with college and career
exploration?

21. Exciting Local Organizations
 For the arts-y types: Holland Project, Hatch, Art Town,
the Generator, and the Nevada Museum of Art
 For those into sustainability: Urban Roots, Great Basin
Community Food Co-Op, and the River Farm School
 For those into history and museums: Did you know that
the UNR area has nine museums?
 Ask around your networks… church, friends, school,
etc. to find more opportunities.

22. Take a Class
 Look at local organizations. Many offer short (half-
day or 1 day) classes.
 Truckee Meadows Community College
 Summer Session 2 runs June 29-July 31.
 Class schedule will be posted at the end of March.
 Many universities that offer residential pre-college
programs also offer online classes.
 MOOCs – EdX and Coursera are good places to
start.

23. Inspiration for Independent Learning
 Start a program, organization, or service project.
 Make a film.
 Build a blog or write a novel.
 Begin a reading group.
 Do your own research.
 Find a mentor.
 Hike a trail or take on another personal challenge.
 Take an extracurricular class like cooking or photography
from a local business or organization.
 Create a learning challenge for yourself like 52 Cups.

24. Campus Visits
 These are great to connect with other summer plans.
 How do I get the most out of a campus visit?
 Sign up for a campus tour.
 Schedule an interview with an admissions counselor.
 See if you can meet with a professor or student in your
prospective major.
 Before you visit, do some research. Are there specific
programs you want to get more information about?
 Walk around the area just off campus. Pop into a
couple of businesses near campus.

25. Campus Visits (cont.)
 How do I get the most out of a campus tour?
 Ask about the freshman experience. What does
orientation look like? What does advising look like?
How big are freshmen classes? Who teaches freshmen
classes?
 Ask your guide why he/she choose this college.
 Ask about what types of students attend this college
and what type of student is a good fit for the college.
 Ask about the college’s programs and departments.
Which programs is the college known for? Which
programs have the most students? Which programs are
the most well-respected?
 Ask about the future of the college. What are the next
big things for the college?

26. Next Steps
 Have a conversation: What other things are
happening this summer? What is the budget? What
do you really want to do?
 Set up a meeting with us soon. Deadlines are
approaching fast. Email us some details before-hand.
 There is something for everyone. Remember, this is
about how much you commit to whatever plan you
create.

27. Spring Workshop
Series
Questions?
March 8: Broadening
Your Horizons
April 12: Parent’s
Survival Class for
College Admissions
May & June: Writing
Like a Dunce