In June, 13 Dane County youth, along with youth from across Wisconsin, gathered at the UW-Madison campus for the annual Summer Academy event, hosted by UW-Madison Extension’s Positive Youth Development Institute and 4-H.

At Summer Academy, youth had the opportunity to build and learn skills to reach goals and plan for the future. Through interactive workshops, youth participants explored careers, college, and other topics of interest. They also developed positive connections with other youth and adults through small and large group activities.

The youth chose one of six college/career track options to explore: agriculture, expressive arts, health, baking, transportation, or biological sciences. They engaged in goal-setting and visualization activities to help them make plans for their future. Youth leadership was also front and center, with our Wisconsin Leadership Council youth leading small groups and supporting participants throughout the experience.

There was lots of time for fun, too. Some of the most popular event elements were the makerspace evening, recreation options hosted by Outdoor UW on Lake Mendota, team trivia, a dance, and the Art Team Art Show + Drama Company performance. All of these special events made for a very memorable week.

Dane County youth Molly said: “This academy exposes us to cool and different experiences that I never knew about. I can’t wait to come back next year and learn about more career pathways to consider.”

Summer Academy focuses on youth from 8th to 11th grade. It helps youth hone their leadership skills and look deeper into their post-secondary journey.