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CAU > On-campus Summer Programs > Youth Programs > Teen College

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Teen College

  • July 12-18 (Week 1)
  • July 19-25 (Week 2)
  • July 26-August 1 (Week 3)
  • August 2-8 (Week 4)

Teens

Ages thirteen to sixteen (entering grades eight, nine, and ten)

Young teens and well-trained CAU counselors have their own residential headquarters where they can experience dorm life, house rules, and a coming-of-age independence (carefully supervised!) on Cornell's freshman campus. After breakfast in Appel Commons, teens participate in a daily three-hour enrichment program of their choice for the week, each coordinated by a Cornell student mentor. No experience is necessary, just an active curiosity! (Be sure to select one choice and one alternate for the week.)

Afternoons and evenings are devoted to teen-friendly meals, special-interest workshops, field trips on and off campus, and recreational activities such as swimming, bowling, hiking, volleyball, and music/dance jam sessions. The opportunity to explore Cornell, meet new friends, and discover interests and skills in a well-supervised, encouraging, and responsive environment makes this a vacation-of-a-lifetime for CAU teens!

Unaccompanied teens whose parents or guardians are not on campus or in Ithaca are welcome to attend, for one or more weeks. If teens stay in residence over a weekend, an additional fee of $250 per youngster is charged to cover the cost of weekend supervision and dorm accommodations. Weekend meals must be paid out-of-pocket.

Morning Courses for Teens

Not Your Mama's Rock 'n' Roll

The Joy of Making Music Explore the history and roots of contemporary composition and music across a diverse repertoire that includes classical, blues and bluegrass, jazz, African, and pop. Techniques and trends will be demonstrated by local musicians. Develop listening and performance skills; learn about and make music as a soloist or as part of a jammin' ensemble! Bring your own instrument. (We have a keyboard and piano.) Additional fee: $30.

Outdoor Teen Adventures

This course will feature rigorous physical challenges for the novice and experienced climber alike, superbly supervised by instructors from Cornell Outdoor Education (COE). The program will include teen-level ground games, Hoffman Challenge Course elements, and ascents on COE's West Campus Climbing Wall. You'll also complete a Tyrolean traverse across the Beebe Lake Gorge. For teens who enjoy non-competitive but highly physical activity, this is a good recreational opportunity in a safe but exciting learning environment. Equipment and facilities fee: $130.

Sailing on Cayuga

A complete introduction to sailing and knot-tying, with lectures, demonstrations, and practice on Cayuga Lake, rain or shine, taught by certified instructors and supervised by Cornell's superb Department of Athletics and Physical Education. You must know how to swim and be prepared to fall in and tread water. Equipment and facilities fee: $130.

Science of Sustainability

Are we in danger of exhausting the Earth's resources? As demands on our ecosystems accelerate, it becomes increasingly difficult for them to stay healthy and balanced. In this course we'll examine the idea of sustainability: the goal of using nature's resources only at a rate at which they can be replenished naturally. We'll analyze the most critical problems, discuss the steps being taken to correct them, and learn about research at Cornell and elsewhere to create practical solutions.

Writers' Circle (back by popular demand)

From hip-hop to Shakespeare, poetry to prose, personal narrative to fiction, if you love to write, this course will take you through a wide range of experiencing and experimenting with language, thought, and feelings. You'll develop a sharper eye and ear for what makes or breaks a poem, essay, or story. Discover how your writing works and what makes it powerful!