OSU-Cascades offers Summer Academy for HS students

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Oregon State University–Cascades will again host high school students for a Summer Academy that will expose participants to college classes and workshops led by OSU-Cascades faculty.

Participants in the six-day sessions will experience living in a college campus residence hall, as well as outdoor recreation on Central Oregon’s lakes, rivers and trails.

The Summer Academy will be offered in two sessions. Session 1 is from Aug. 2 to Aug. 7 and Session 2 is from Aug. 16 to Aug. 21. The sessions are open to high school students who will be sophomores, juniors and seniors in the fall of 2020. Participants will select on one of several options during their experience:

• The Business & Pop Culture option (Session 1) uses popular television shows like “The Office” and “Superstore” as tools for students to explore concepts of business ethics, finance and management. The option will be led by OSU-Cascades business administration faculty.
• An Art+Media+Tech option (Sessions 1, 2) will engage students in the creation of art projects using graphic design, video and photo editing, and 3D printing. The option will be led by Kiel Fletcher, an instructor at OSU-Cascades and lead of the undergraduate art, media and technology program. Fletcher is an interactive media and video artist.

• A Coding and Sound option (Session 1, 2) will introduce students to computer programming that can produce music and sound. Students will develop the skills and become familiar with digital tools that can create a short composition or interactive audio project. The option will be led by Patrick Donnelly, an assistant professor of computer science at OSU-Cascades whose research has focused on audio signals and machine learning.
• The Your Body at Work option (Sessions 1, 2) exposes students to exercise testing and the science of human performance, and uses superheroes as anatomical examples of extreme performance. The option provides a foundation for students interested in exploring the health science and fitness fields. The option will be led by Kara Witzke and Tim Burnett, both faculty in the OSU-Cascades kinesiology program.
• In the Write for the Web option (Session 2) students will practice writing by crafting content for social media, such as memes and tweets. They will write for website and blog audiences. The option will be led by Jenna Goldsmith, a poet and writing instructor at OSU-Cascades. Goldsmith’s work has appeared in “New Delta Review,” “Rabbit Catastrophe Review” and in a recently published chapbook titled “Genesis near the river.”

 Outdoor programs will be led by trained student members of Cascades Adventures, an OSU-Cascades recreation program, as well as community partners. Activities are geared for participants of all experience levels and include team-building exercises, paddle boarding, hiking, rock climbing and a low ropes course.

OSU-Cascades students will serve as counselors and support participants as they complete the program.

Participants who successfully complete the Summer Academy will receive a $500 scholarship toward tuition at OSU-Cascades. The scholarship will be valid for use the fall term immediately following the recipient’s high school graduation.

Space in each session is limited to 60 participants. Registration is $949 per student. The fee covers classes and supplies, recreation activities, guides and equipment, outing transportation, all meals and snacks, evening programming, and five nights of supervised accommodation in the residence hall. The option for students to not stay in campus overnight housing is available for $749.

For information or registration details visit OSUcascades.edu/summeracademy or call 541-322-2022.