Course Offerings
2025 Summer Youth Academies

Course Listing

Exciting opportunities for students to preview college, engage in hands-on academic and career exploration, and explore a variety of subjects through interactive projects and coaching. Online registration begins on Saturday, March 1, 2025.  

Recommended Academies for 7th – 10th Graders

CREATIVE WRITING: TELLING EXTRAORDINARY STORIES

In-person from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on July 7 – 11, 2025

Students will create their own illustrative story, learn plot and story structure, build rich characters and explore the discipline of chunking – the art of incorporating daily writing. Students will also learn to edit by working collaboratively to peer critique each other’s work.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Matt Johnson

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT: THEORIES OF CRIME

In-person from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on July 14 – 18, 2025

Have you ever wondered why some people commit crimes and others don’t? Gain an understanding of the causes of crime (related to biology, sociology, psychology, and social factors), be able to discuss the origins of modern criminology and make connections between theories of crime causation and programs/policies.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Daniel Templeton

CRITICAL THINKING: THINKING YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS

In-person from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on June 23 – 27, 2025

Students will practice during the class, and they will learn tips, tricks, and exercises to take away and keep using. Students will learn new skills and have new ways to arrive at answers. They will learn how to analyze and evaluate. The skills learned in this course will transfer to all parts of life from reading and writing to conversations, college, and the workplace. 

Cost: $330

Instructor: Sarah Hancock

DYNAMIC NATURE DRAWING

In-person from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on July 7 – 11, 2025

Explore the world of outdoor drawing, from buildings to nature, on the beautiful Sacramento State campus. Students will create a personalized sketchbook around daily outdoor themes using various mediums to enhance their favorite sketches.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Sara Cardoza

INTRODUCTION TO PYTHON PROGRAMMING

In-person from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on June 23 – 27, 2025

Get a head start on a fascinating career in programming with a class in Python. Students will gain the skills to create desktop applications, websites, and web applications using Python and learn algorithmic thinking applications in other subjects such as science and math.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Gary Garot

INTRODUCTION TO VIDEO GAME DEVELOPMENT

Online from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on July 7 – 11, 2025

Explore the fundamentals of game theory, game platforms, and genres. Students will design their own game using Stencil. This course will provide students with a knowledge of digital graphic design, project planning and analytical work.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Cheng-Chi Lee

PERFORMING ARTS: ACTING FOR STAGE & SCREEN

In-person from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on July 7 – 11, 2025

Whether you are looking to become a professional actor or become more comfortable presenting in public, this course (taught by the Executive Director of the NorCal School of Arts) will give you the confidence and skills to make you a success in front of an audience!

Cost: $330

Instructor: Michele Hillien-Noufer

WRITING EFFECTIVE ARGUMENTS

In-person from 1 – 5 p.m. on June 23 – 27, 2025

Through written and spoken practice, students learn to argue effectively using their voices. Students will learn to write clear and powerful arguments for school and beyond in various genres, including formal essays, letters, and poetry.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Sarah Hancock

YOUR FINANCIAL JOURNEY: A ROADMAP FOR FINANCIAL SUCCESS

Online from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. on July 7 – 11, 2025

This course introduces students to financial concepts, tools, and the best practices for saving money to achieve short and long-term goals.

Cost: $205

Instructor: Manuel Morfin

ACRYLIC ART LAB: CREATE, PAINT, INSPIRE

In-person from 1 - 5 p.m. on July 7 - 11, 2025

Dive into the vibrant world of acrylic painting in this immersive week-long course! Over five days, students will learn fundamental acrylic painting techniques, from blending colors and building texture to mastering brush control and layering. Each day will introduce a new painting genre, allowing students to apply their skills across various styles.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Sara Cardoza

INTRODUCTION TO STENCYL

In-person from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on July 14 - 18, 2025

Stencyl is a powerful game creation toolset, centered around an intuitive block-snapping interface. With Stencyl, students can produce their own 2D video games without programming, play them on their computers and mobile devices, and distribute them for anyone to play on the web, iOS App Store and Google Play.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Cheng-Chi Lee

Recommended Academies for 9th – 12th Graders

CAREER VISIONS ACADEMY

In-person from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on June 23 – 27, 2025

This course will help students to clarify their core values, interests and strengths, and develop a fluid plan for assessing majors and career paths as well as common myth-busting around the links between careers and majors. Students will learn how to identify student internships or part-time entry-level positions related to potential careers as well as how to network and connect to people in career fields of interest.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Jennie Chalios

CODING

In-person from 1 – 5 p.m. on July 28 – Aug. 1, 2025

Learn the basics of computer coding and how professions – from information technology to science and the arts – value coding and computer science skills. Gain a solid understanding of how programming languages are used to build applications.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Devin Cook

CREATING AN ONLINE BUSINESS

In-person from 1 – 5 p.m. on July 7 – 11, 2025

Creating and running a mock online business will teach students the unique opportunities and challenges in this field of entrepreneurship, as well as assist them in developing analytical, project planning, problem-solving, and presentation skills.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Cheng-Chi Lee

CREATIVE WRITING: ADVANCED STORYTELLING

In-person from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on July 14 – 18, 2025

So, you want to write a story, eh? You come up with characters, conflict, and a setting. You type up a draft. You proofread it and clean up any spelling or grammar errors, and you bask in the satisfaction that comes with telling a complete story. But you are not done yet. Unless you’re a modern-day Ernest Hemingway, your story will need revision, edits, and possibly even restructuring to be the best story it can possibly be.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Matt Johnson

CYBER SECURITY

Online from 1 – 5 p.m. on June 23 – 27, 2025

Come and explore how the cyber world becomes vulnerable to hackers, what “weapons” can be leveraged by attackers, and how we should protect and defend ourselves. This is going to be an interesting and inspiring course! Students will see the various abstract concepts illustrated through concrete demos and interactive apps while being guided to investigate some famous security incidents in class.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Brian Bhatti

DATA SCIENCE

Online from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on July 14 – 18, 2025

Learn how your data is tracked. Find insights hidden in everyday information, from the apps on your smartphone to your online purchases. Cleanse data, apply algorithms written in the computer language called R and learn visualization methods.  

Cost: $330

Instructor: Anna Baynes

DIGITAL JOURNALISM STORYTELLING

In-person from 1 – 5 p.m. on July 7 – 11, 2025

In this course, students will learn how to share stories using digital platforms such as podcasts and videos. Students will be exposed to core journalism skills and techniques that allow them to develop fact-based storytelling that captures the audience’s attention.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Fernando Gallo

ENGINEERING AND ROBOTICS

In-person from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on July 21 – 25, 2025

Build and program your own robot to perform tasks. Learn about careers in engineering and artificial intelligence. Plus, design and build a popsicle stick bridge, then compete to see whose bridge can withstand the heaviest load.

Cost: $520

Instructor: Rustin Vogt

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION

In-person from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. from June 23 – 27, 2025

What does it mean to be an entrepreneur? Gain valuable insights into what it takes to turn a great idea into a reality through interactive classroom discussions, field trips, guest speakers and a “Shark Tank”-like pitch event.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Cameron Law

EXPLORING CAREERS IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Online from 1 – 5 p.m. on July 21 – 25, 2025

Artificial Intelligence, or machine learning, is what powers many tools and services in our everyday lives. This course introduces fundamental AI concepts while delving into diverse career opportunities that leverage AI services and solutions. Students will identify and explore the implications of AI systems in everyday use in areas such as social media, commerce, health, medicine, environmental issues, and consider the emerging areas where AI will be applied. By the end of this course, students will have not only a foundational understanding of AI but also a vision of the diverse career pathways it opens up.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Anna Baynes & Chia Jung Chung

EXPLORING CAREERS IN DESIGN: INTERIOR DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE, AND CONSTRUCTION

In-person from 1 – 5 p.m. on June 23 – 27, 2025

In this course, students will learn about the interrelated disciplines of architecture, interior design and construction. Students will be exposed to career opportunities related to these fields and visit building construction sites.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Ginger Thompson

EXPLORING HEALTH CAREERS

In-person from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on July 28 – Aug. 1, 2025

Do you know what a clinical lab scientist does? What about a radiologist or a physical therapist? Explore traditional and non-traditional health professions, earn a CPR certificate, and develop a plan to reach your health career goals!

Cost: $330

Instructor: Mike Francisco

FASHION DESIGN ACADEMY

In-person from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on June 23 – 27, 2025

In this hands-on course, students will learn basic fashion product development, merchandising, and design. Students will explore the educational and career opportunities in the field of fashion. Guest fashion photographers, merchandisers and entrepreneurs will offer presentations.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Esther Amato

FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES

In-person from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on July 28 – Aug. 1, 2025

Explore the rigors of fire station life, academy training and physical fitness requirements, while discovering career pathways in emergency and medical services. Students will complete this academy with an earned CPR certificate.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Adrienne Bisharat

FUTURE TEACHERS

Online from 1 – 5 p.m. on July 28 – Aug. 1, 2025

Explore careers in education with Sacramento State faculty and educators. Discover the various ways students learn, create and present classroom lesson plans, and see how you can change the world by becoming a teacher. This unique academy is designed to provide high school students with a comprehensive exploration of careers in education, while also delving into cutting-edge educational technology, including AI tools.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Chia Jung Chung

GENDER STUDIES

In-person from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on June 23 – 27, 2025

Have you ever wondered about the stereotype that boys wear blue and girls wear pink? Are you interested in learning more about how you perceive yourself and the world around you? In this course, students will explore topics in law, feminism, LGBTQ+, pop culture, and film while discovering how we have been taught to perform our gender identity within society.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Melissa Donnelly-Gowdy

GENERATIONS UNITED: TACKLING AGEISM TOGETHER

In-person from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on July 28 – Aug. 1, 2025

What do you think about aging and older adults? Come explore the exciting world of older adults in this engaging and thought-provoking course. As the largest population age group in the world, people over 65 have never been more diverse. Through real-world experience at Sac State’s Cardiovascular Wellness Program, students will explore the concepts of aging, wellness, and the diverse job opportunities available in the field of aging. This hands-on course will give you experience and hopefully change your perspectives about aging and older adults!

Cost: $330

Instructor: Donna Jensen

INTRODUCTION TO 3D PRINTING AND DESIGN

In-person from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on June 23 – 27, 2025

This workshop will introduce participants to 3D modeling and additive fabrication for rapid prototyping. They will be able to access the Sacramento State maker space to build a 3D solution to a design challenge and take home their creation.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Preston Tobery

INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOSHOP: DESIGNING DIGITAL ADS

In-person from 1 - 5 p.m. on July 14 - 18, 2025

In this hands-on course, students will learn how to use Adobe Photoshop to create professional and engaging digital advertisements. Through practical projects and guided instruction, they will explore essential design principles, including typography, color theory, composition, and branding. Students will also develop skills in photo editing, layering, and special effects to enhance their ad designs. By the end of the course, they will have a portfolio-ready digital ad and a strong foundation in graphic design for online marketing and social media platforms.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Kristina Wasilow

MAKER STUDIES – PRODUCT DESIGN

In-person from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on July 21 – 25, 2025

Join other young local innovators in this exciting hands-on creative technology camp. Young innovators will learn product design from start to finish. Using creative tools such as sewing machines, embroidery machines, laser cutters, 3D printers, vinyl cutters, and button presses.  Learn the basics of graphic design and turn your imagination into a product! From crafting a custom textile design to using high-tech tools this camp offers an engaging experience that will spark your imagination and teach real-world skills.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Preston Tobery

PRESENTATION SKILLS FOR SUCCESS

In-person from 1 - 3 p.m. on July 21 – 25, 2025

If you thought a digital world could prevent you from having to speak in front of a group, we have some news for you… public speaking and presentations are still required, even if they now occur digitally. This course will cover what to include in a presentation, tips for improving delivery, what NOT to do and the opportunity to receive feedback in real-time from peers and instructors. This course will help to develop these skills so that you will be successful in college.

Cost: $205

Instructor: Rustin Vogt

WRITING WITH TECHNOLOGY

In-person from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on July 7 – 11, 2025

Students will develop a blog site. They will learn online protocols and procedures and how to promote their site. Students will receive writing assignments and learn how to incorporate pictures and links with their posts. Internet safety and permissions are stressed as they also learn to give peer feedback and comments.

Cost: $330

Instructor: Kirk McMorris