Program takes place June 5-16, featuring tracks in business, medicine, robotics, coding and theatre & arts

GARY, Ind. — Indiana University Northwest, in partnership with the John Will Anderson Gary Boys & Girls Club, is preparing to host Kids College on the IU Northwest campus June 5-16. The program will run Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Kids College is a free, two-week camp designed to empower students, from historically underrepresented and low-income populations who qualify for free and reduced lunch, to prepare for college and career pathways using the Middle School Crew curriculum. It will connect students with IU Northwest faculty and staff, as well as with community partners, to engage in a variety of career fields and topics. Each student will participate in a track focused in:

• Business — Students will develop a start-up business that includes building a product or providing a service. Students will create a commercial, a logo and a webpage for their business and present their product or service to a panel of “Shark Tank” judges to decide which start-up will earn initial funding.
• Medical — Students will build and apply a prosthesis – a medical device attached to the body to support or align – to improve mobility for a living dog or cat.
• Robotics — Students will build and program robots that will be able to provide a service to others.
• Coding — Students will identify a problem in their community and develop a mobile app that can be used to help address the issue.
• Theatre & Arts — Students will build a sense of community and develop their love for theatre and the arts. Students will sing, dance and perform their production at the showcase event on the final day of camp.

In addition, all students will spend two days at the JWA Gary Boys & Girls Club to participate in Best Buy’s Geek Squad Academy.

Kids College is currently funded by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its initiative, Indiana Youth Programs on Campus. The purpose of the grant is to “help address Indiana’s unacceptably low rankings in the percentage of its adult population with a bachelor’s degree or a meaningful postsecondary credential and to help increase the higher education enrollment and success of traditionally underserved students, including students of color, first generation college students, and students from families with limited resources.”

21st Century Scholars Program

A critical component of Kids College will be to connect the students and their families to the 21st Century Scholars Program, the state program that provides up to four years of undergraduate tuition and support to income-eligible students attending participating colleges or universities in Indiana.

During the camp, students will learn about the 21st Century Scholars Program, as well as be mentored by current IU Northwest students who will offer insights into the college experience and strategies for success. Families will also be invited to learn more about the 21st Century Scholars Program.

How to attend

Capacity is limited to 100 students on a first come, first serve basis who meet the eligibility requirements: students of color and from low-income backgrounds who qualify for free and reduced lunch and are enrolling in the sixth, seventh or eighth grades at the start of the fall 2023 academic year.

Families interested in attending Kids College should get a membership packet in-person at the JWA Gary Boys & Girls Club (2700 W 19th Ave, Gary, IN 46404) or call 219-885-5501. If you have additional questions, contact the IU Northwest Center for Urban and Regional Excellence at cureiun@iun.edu.

IU recognizes the need for high-quality educational opportunities that are accessible and affordable across the state. IU will build a coalition of community organizations who are committed to increasing access to higher education for underrepresented and low-income families and work together to identify ways to sustain and expand the program to meet community demand. This year, IU Northwest partnered with the JWA Gary Boys & Girls Club with the goal for subsequent years of expanding Kids College to other IU campuses.