The Youth Programs Steering Committee, comprised of university personnel and leaders from community organizations, conducted a comprehensive review in 2021 of the various youth programs offered through the College of Continuing Education (CCE) at Sacramento State.  The Steering Committee engaged in a series of in-depth discussions around the programs, and collected feedback from schools, community members, and area youth.  As a result of this work, the Steering Committee provided CCE with insightful recommendations which led to the development of the following strategic priorities and commitments for the CCE youth programs, now cohesively offered under the umbrella of Summer Youth Academies. 

• Programming, marketing and engagement will reach broad and diverse audiences of the Sacramento region to provide and deepen access to underrepresented groups. 
• Eligibility to enroll in academies will be rooted in the university’s commitment to fostering an inclusive learning environment, with a focus on providing clear course information and appropriate learning support to participants to ensure success, rather than selective placement assessments.  
• Develop and deliver contemporary curriculum that is academically challenging and enriching, uses hands-on and project-based learning to engage students, focuses on providing experiential and applied learning opportunities, sparks curiosities and is self-discovery led, and is interdisciplinary. 
• Develop and promote effective pedagogical approaches to engage diverse youth audiences and foster a culture of collaboration and peer mentoring within the professional learning community of Youth Academy instructors.
• Continue to be responsible fiscal stewards of the program to ensure sustainability and quality programming for youth, while working to reduce and remove financial barriers for participants. 
• Recognize and appreciate the impact of providing youth and their families with a positive experience on, and exposure to, a university campus and continue to serve as a resource for the community related to college and career preparation.