Illini Summer Academies Update
With public health and safety as a pressing concern around the world right now, we have had to make some tough decisions. To ensure that we keep our communities safe during the COVID-19 pandemic and to help our families and businesses return to normal as soon as it is safe to do so, University of Illinois Extension has made the decision to cancel all summer camps and conferences sponsored or hosted by the university through July 31. This decision applies to Illini Summer Academies. There are three major drivers behind this decision.
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The safety and wellbeing of our participants is always our top priority—it always has been, and it always will be. In the COVID-19 era, there is an increased level of risk associated with bringing groups of kids together and we have an obligation to make decisions that prioritize their health and safety.
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Hosting an overnight conference requires time for planning and logistics and we are now inside the window where hosting these experiences would be logistically challenging, especially when factoring in the addition of new COVID-19 safety protocols.
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While we know participants will be disappointed, we want to give you the opportunity to make plans for the duration of the summer.
We do not know when it will be safe to resume in-person activities and we do not know what the path of returning to “normal” will look like when the state of Illinois lifts the stay-at-home order. Like you, please know that our staff are also disappointed that the conference will not be held this year. We look forward to these events just as much as you do! Meanwhile, Illinois 4-H remains committed to providing positive youth development experiences during this critical time.
Illini Summer Academies
June 21 – 26 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Imagine getting to work alongside university professors while you’re still in HIGH SCHOOL! Imagine getting to hang out on a college campus. Imagine spending five days with kids your age from all across Illinois. That’s what happens at Illini Summer Academies, so stop imagining it and just do it!
This conference runs June 21-26 at the University of Illinois campus. Explore one of 13 different programs during the week. Illini Summer Academies is supported through the Illinois 4-H Foundation and intended to serve youth living in Illinois.
- Learn more @ go.illinois.edu/illini4H. Registration opens March 16 and closes April 17.
- Apply for a scholarship @ go.illinois.edu/illini4Hscholarship before April 1. The scholarship covers the $260 base cost of the conference. Any academy cost is the responsibility of the attendee.
- Space for each academy is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Many academies reach capacity before the registration closes, so don’t wait. Academies and costs include:
- AGRICULTURAL LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNICATION. Department: Ag Leadership, Education, and Communication. College: Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences. Cost TBD.
- ANIMAL SCIENCES. Department: Animal Sciences. College: Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences. Cost: $370.
- BEEKEEPING. Department: Entomology. College: Liberal Arts and Sciences. Cost: TBD
- CHEMISTRY AROUND US. Department: Chemistry. College: Liberal Arts and Sciences. Cost: $280.
- ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING. Department: Electrical & Computer Engineering. College: Engineering. Cost: $485.
- GAME DESIGN: STORYTELLING AND FABRICATION. Champaign-Urbana Fab Lab. Cost: $335.
- HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY STUDIES. Department: Human Development and Family Studies. College: Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences. Cost: $295.
- JOURNEY FROM FARM TO TABLE. Department: Food Science and Human Nutrition. College: Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences. Cost $360.
- MEAT JUDGING & EVALUATION. Department: Animal Sciences. College: Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences. Cost: $310.
- SUSTAINABLE SUMMER. Department: Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences. College: Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences. Cost: $310.
- MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR BIOLOGY. School: Molecular & Cellular Biology. College: Liberal Arts & Sciences. Cost: $385. No repeat students from last year.
- VETERINARY MEDICINE. Graduate College: Veterinary Medicine. Cost: $375. Open to youth who have completed 10th grade. No repeat students from last year.
- WORK HARD, PLAY HARD. College: Applied Health Sciences. Cost: $280.
