Planning underway for Ohio Southern’s Academy of Excellence for youth

Southern Campus student Megan Cox assists a 2017 Academy of Excellence participant.

IRONTON, Ohio – Despite the Tri-State’s recent snap of cold weather, planning is already underway for this summer’s Academy of Excellence. This year, the annual program will provide a relaxed, fun environment for learning for children in grades one through seven.

The 2018 Academy of Excellence is scheduled for July 16 through 18 on the Ironton Campus. Students may also participate in an additional week of activities with Horse Lover’s Camp which will be conducted at the Ohio Horse Park in Franklin Furnace, home to the Southern Campus’ Equine Studies program, July 23 through 27. This will mark the 38th year of the popular summer camp for children.

Dr. Martha Evans, assistant professor and campus liaison for the Early Childhood Education program at Ohio Southern, serves as coordinator of the Academy of Excellence. She said the goal of the Academy is to provide children with exposure to a university experience so when they finish public school, they might feel less apprehension about going to college.  

“We have seen students who spent a week with us in the summer come back as college freshmen and complete a degree with Ohio University,” Evans said. “(This past summer,) we decided to adapt the program to better meet students’ changing needs and experiences… (and) asked students what classes they would like to see offered in the future.”

Faculty and staff discovered that youth wanted an experience based on academics, giving them exposure to subjects they could use for long-range goals. Evans shares the example of a participant who hoped one day to go to medical school who asked for a session on Human Anatomy. “Who would have thought this elementary student understood that the science classes she would get in her regular classroom would not be as informative (for) she wanted to begin establishing: a foundation for understanding,” Evans said.

The Academy of Excellence and the Horse Lover’s Camp both feature a student-centered approach, which Evans calls “a win-win” for students and the university, and ultimately the community. “By attending our camp, children can engage in discovery that is not connected with assessment,” she said. “This creates a no-pressure environment where children can learn for the love of it, allowing them to explore, interact, engage, and learn,” said Evans.

The 2018 Academy of Excellence classes will be aligned with academic programs offered by the Southern Campus and will be taught by faculty members. “We have a fantastic Electronic Media program, a retired Kentucky State Police Officer teaching Crime Scene Investigation, Biology, Chemistry and Art,” Evans said. Sessions on foods will also be offered at the request of camp participants, even though the Southern Campus does not offer a culinary program.  

Evans said enrollment is limited so participants will be able to enjoy a high-quality program with manageable class sizes. Interested families can sign up for advanced notification to register and for Academy of Excellence information at https://www.ohio.edu/southern/academics/ae/index.cfm.