explorations Archives | Summer Youth Programs Newsblog

New weeks of programs added!

Published May 14, 2019

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The school year is coming to an end rapidly, which means that it’s time to think summer! Although some of our SYP explorations have filled up already, we have a few exciting last-minute opportunities that you may want to take advantage of.

Additional week of Electrical & Computer Engineering. The department has added another section of this popular course during the week of June 23-29!
New cybersecurity program. The GenCyber program will run during the week of June 16-22 and provides a full scholarship for those who participate. This program is limited to commuter students and is based on grant funding, which means local or staying-local participants only!
Space still remaining! We still have plenty of seats remaining, particularly in our June courses! Check out the full catalog to see all the great options that remain.

If you have any questions, please feel welcome to contact our office. We are so excited to see everyone in just a couple of weeks! Our offices can be reached at 906-487-2219 or syp@mtu.edu

Instructors Needed for Summer Youth Programs

Published May 9, 2019

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Attention Michigan Tech faculty, staff, and undergrad/graduate students! If you have enthusiasm for a couple of subject areas, we have a great opportunity for you.

As Summer Youth Programs (SYP) gears up for another exciting season, we are constantly seeking ways to make explorations engaging, impactful, and fun for all participants. With the semester just coming to a close, enrollment is strong – over 950 participants have already enrolled, between scholarship programs and the wide range of SYP explorations! We have hired nearly 65 undergraduate and graduate student staff, built our executive team, and begun preparations for our annual move to Wadsworth Hall. At this time, one remaining hurdle is finding instructors and TA’s to deliver academic curriculum for several of our popular explorations.

What does it take to be an SYP Instructor or TA? Enthusiasm is a must, and previous classroom experience is ideal. If you are interested in delivering structured, hands-on learning to excited and engaged students from across the country, we’d love to hear from you! Learn more at the SYP website. Here is a list of courses we are still hiring instructors for:

Environmental Invaders (June 16—22)
Rocketry and Space Science (June 16—22 and June 23—29)
Aquatic Ecology (July 7—13)
Aquatic Ecology Field Study at Gratiot Lake (July 14—20)

For a detailed look at each course, and general idea of what we’re looking for from instructors, below is some additional information:

Rocketry and Space Science
(Instructors Needed: 1 – TA’s: 1)
June 16—22 (grades 6—8 / capacity 15 students) and
June 23—29 (grades 9—11 / capacity 15 students)

Students in this course will learn about aerodynamics and propulsion while building their own rockets! During the week, they use software to explore design elements, build a homemade rocket, explore concepts in physics and engineering, and learn about careers in space science. The week culminates with the students launching rockets at the Gay Stamp Sands. Instructor should be comfortable working with middle and high school students, have experience in rocketry/space science, and have confidence explaining STEM topics to a wide variety of learners.

Aquatic Ecology Field Study at Gratiot Lake
(Instructors Needed: 1 – TA’s: 1)
July 14—20 (grades 9—11 / capacity 8 students)

Students will spend a week out at the rustic Noblet Field Station on Gratiot Lake! During the week, they will explore ecological topics as they relate to lakes, rivers, wetlands, and streams. Aquatic plants, insects, mammals, birds, fishes, and many other topics are welcome – past activities have included extensive canoeing, water quality testing, learning about beaver dams, plant identification, and much more. Instructors should be comfortable with rustic cabin accommodations and have experience in some aspects of aquatic ecology. Instructor or TA should be, or be willing to become, First Aid/CPR certified.

Aquatic Ecology
(Instructors Needed: 1 – TA’s: 1)
July 7—13 (grades 6—8 / capacity 12 students)

Learn about freshwater ecology in Upper Michigan’s beautiful Keweenaw Peninsula! Who’s eating who in the Great Lakes and what makes a species invasive? What exactly is lurking in your typical backyard stream? And why are some lakes clear, while others are green and murky? Find out the answers to these questions and more—learn all about lakes and streams!

Environmental Invaders
(Instructors Needed: 1 – TA’s: 1)
June 16—22 (grades 9—11 / capacity 12 students)

Find out how invasive species join and change ecosystems with this new ecology course. Throughout the week, you will explore plant and animal species that have taken off in the Keweenaw area. Be ready to get out in the field, hike, explore, and help with some invasive species study and removal projects! We will spend the days outdoors, rain or shine!

SYP invites interested applicants to contact us via cpcojobs@mtu.edu

SYP Staff Spring Training

Published March 27, 2019

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Behind the Scenes

Staff photo Following Michigan Tech’s spring break, we all returned with a ton of enthusiasm here in the Center for Pre-College Outreach. Among many other springtime happenings, March brings the first all-staff gathering of a Summer Youth Programs cycle!

This Spring Training was held on March 20th for all staff who accepted a position with SYP. From residence counselors to chaperones, we all gathered together to accomplish a few pre-summer goals. First and foremost, Spring Training provides an opportunity for the head counselors to meet their staff: as peer leaders, it is critical to start building a sense of teamwork as soon as possible! The different staff groups got together to learn names, ask preliminary questions, and get a feel for what their summer will look like.

From there, we spend time outlining summer expectations. We discuss the schedule: what weeks are SYP explorations running? When are the competitive scholarship programs? Which days do staff get off? We also cover expectations of ensuring safety, acting as excellent role models, providing a welcoming and inclusive experience, and the impact of SYP.

Staff are also introduced to the first few items on their training checklist: what days first aid/CPR training is offered, when they will receive their general safety awareness training links, and the time frame for picking up staff books. All in all, Spring Training is a great primer for getting staff excited and prepared for another great summer!

All of the details about the scholarship programs, including required application materials, can be found on our website. If you have any questions, you can always reach us at syp@mtu.edu or by phone at 906-487-2219.

How It’s Made: Catalogs

Published October 30, 2018

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Behind the Scenes

The first draft of the SYP catalog will be ready soon, and we here in the office could not be more excited! We sent all of the updates away to our friends at University Marketing and Communications, and they have been doing a great job putting the print catalog together for you all to enjoy.

What’s next for us? A lot of proofreading! We go to great lengths to make sure that every date, description, and picture is just how it needs to be. We are also still in the process of confirming the last few classes—we hope you are ready for a couple of exciting new offerings in 2019.

Once the final proofs are done, the file will be sent to the printer. How many would you guess that we order? If you guessed a few thousand… try again! We get around 20,000 catalogs each year to send all over the country. They are distributed to high schools, students at events, the Regional Admissions Managers, and many of you via direct mail.

We hope to have everything in the mail starting in early December, so keep an eye out!

If you’re like us and are already excited for SYP 2019, you can go ahead and request a catalog. That way, you will be among the first to receive the 2019 listings when they print. If you have any questions, you can always find us at syp@mtu.edu or by phone at 906-487-2219.

Department Partners

Published October 17, 2018

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Behind the Scenes

Each summer, we offer between 40 and 50 explorations for students to choose from, along with all of the competitive scholarship programs. How does that happen? Just ask one of our many department partners!

There is no way that the Summer Youth Programs staff could be subject matter experts in everything that we offer. A chemist who knows everything about circuits? And who is also semi-professional photographer with experience designing bridges? This is why we rely on the expertise of our friends across campus to make SYP explorations possible.

Within each partner department is a person or people who are champions for SYP. They coordinate the curriculum, order supplies, find instructors, and supervise labs. They put in many hours to make sure the activities are relevant and fun – because they are passionate about sharing their field with students.

Summer Youth Programs is so grateful for all of the faculty, staff, chairs, deans, and coordinators across campus who work with us, year after year, to make these programs special. When you see them next summer, be sure to say hello!