Dunce Spring Series Workshop #1 - Making the Most of Your Summer

Dunce presents…

Spring Workshop

Series

Making the Most of

Your Summer

with Laurel Griffiths

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!

What can I do with my

summer?

Why should I take advantage

of my summer?

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)

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

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

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

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.


$4,875 for 3-week field school / $1,625 for 1-week field camp / financial aid available

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.


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+.


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

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

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.


$6,200 + air fare / financial aid available

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.

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

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)

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.

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?

What are some less-structured options?

Job-Shadowing

Internships

Volunteering

Summer Jobs

Take a Class

Independent Projects and Learning

Campus Visits

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

Spring Workshop

Series

Questions?

March 8: Broadening

Your Horizons

April 12: Parent’s

Survival Class for

College Admissions

May & June: Writing

Like a Dunce