Free academies to be held for regional students

COLUMBUS – The application deadline for two summer learning opportunities for Appalachian students is approaching. Applications for the 2023 Appalachian Regional Commission’s STEM Academy at Oak Ridge and Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy are due Friday.

The programs are free, all-inclusive learning experiences that help prepare high school and middle school students and teachers in Appalachian Ohio and beyond for future opportunities in entrepreneurship and STEM.

“Our students are our future, and opportunities like these help them discover and prepare for professional opportunities,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development. “Ohio has good-paying jobs in high-demand fields and this is another tool to prepare our students for these opportunities.”

“You don’t have to be top of your class or a straight-A student to apply for or get into these programs,” said John Carey, director of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia. “Students at every skill level are welcome and encouraged to apply. If you have an interest in STEM or entrepreneurship, this a great opportunity to gain exposure to real careers in those fields.”

The Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy (AEA) is an experiential learning opportunity to help prepare the next generation of entrepreneurial thinkers and leaders. High school students will participate in educational workshops designed to spark creativity and develop essential entrepreneurial skills, concluding with final capstone pitches of entrepreneurial ideas students develop to strengthen communities and address economic challenges in Appalachia. AEA will be held from July 8-21, at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina.

The Appalachian STEM Academy has pioneered access to STEM-related research opportunities for high school and middle school students and high school teachers across Appalachia for 30+ years. Students will collaborate with award-winning scientists at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory on guided group science, math, and computer science technology research projects, while teachers develop STEM-related curriculum with expert science practitioners. Programming will be held at Oak Ridge Associated Universities in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. For the first time in the program’s history, the middle school curriculum will be split into two separate one-week sessions to double the number of students who can participate in the valuable learning experience.

• Middle School STEM Academy Session 1: July 8-14

• Middle School STEM Academy Session 2: July 15-21

• High School STEM Academy: July 8-21

Applications for both opportunities are due Friday.

More information about the programs and application process is available at www.arc.gov/STEM and www.arc.gov/AEA.

The Ohio Department of Development empowers communities to succeed by investing in Ohio’s people, places, and businesses. Learn more about our work at development.ohio.gov.