Tacoma Students Close the Summer Learning Gap at Puget Sound

Campus, Community, Students

The University of Puget Sound’s Summer Academic Challenge program offers a STEAM-based enrichment program

It’s summer in Tacoma and school may be out of session, but for the middle and high school students enrolled in the University of Puget Sound’s Summer Academic Challenge, it’s the perfect time to gain new skills and stave off summer learning loss. A group of students are gathered around computers, learning how to code by building a website from scratch. It’s just one of the many science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) projects that students are embarking on.

For 35 years, Summer Academic Challenge has offered a tuition-free, four-week enrichment program for students in grades 7 to 12. Over the course of the program, students explore real-world issues through an innovative, project-based STEAM curriculum. In addition to time on campus, whether in the classroom, lab, outdoors, or in the library, students learn teamwork, refine their writing and oral presentation skills, and participate in field trips and special events. Students participating in the program gain confidence, expand their interests, and become better prepared for the next school year and to meet their long-term academic goals.

“The idea is to provide opportunities to students who may not have had the same academic opportunities as others to really immerse themselves in the sciences,” says Professor of Biology Peter Hodum. Hodum sees the program inspiring a new generation of scientists to enter the field. “Science benefits by having diversity of ideas and lived experiences brought into the conversation.”

Topics change every year and students gain hands-on experience solving problems, from supporting people facing housing insecurity to exploring the complex ecosystem surrounding the lifecycle of the salmon. Last summer, students learned about the history of transportation, local mental health services, and website coding.

To be eligible for the program, students must be currently attending school at Tacoma Public Schools or in greater Pierce County; be first-generation college students, from an underrepresented minoritized group, or receive free or reduced-price lunch; have an interest in developing their skills in science and technology; and committed to attending all 20 days of instruction. Students who complete Summer Academic Challenge, graduate from high school, and are admitted to the University of Puget Sound are eligible for a financial aid package that meets their demonstrated financial need.

In 2024, 45 participants representing 23 schools across Pierce County were enrolled in Summer Academic Challenge. Of those students, 65% attended Tacoma Public Schools. Fifty-three percent identified as the first person in their family planning to attend college and 100% identified as students of color. For many students, it’s also their first time being on a college campus and being exposed to an academically rigorous collegiate environment, inspiring many to pursue a postsecondary education after high school.

Summer Academic Challenge students present their projects to their families at the program's closing symposium in 2024. — Summer Academic Challenge students present their projects to their families at the program's closing symposium.

Summer Academic Challenge participants and staff, 2024. — Summer Academic Challenge students and staff.

Summer Academic Challenge students present their projects to their families at the program's closing symposium.

Asst. Dir. for Access Programs My Khanh Tran welcomes Summer Academic Challenge students and their families to campus. — Assistant Director for Access Programs My Khanh Tran welcomes Summer Academic Challenge students and their families to campus.

One of those students was Miguel. As a Summer Academic Challenge student, he remembers participating in scavenger hunts around campus that not only helped him explore Puget Sound, but offered a glimpse at the possibilities of college life at a young age. Now, as a senior studying business administration and Hispanic international studies, he has spent the last two years as a Summer Academic Challenge teaching assistant, helping students succeed and build relationships.

“My journey with SAC began years ago, and I still remember the excitement of being involved in projects, field trips, and connecting with friends,” Miguel says. “It was during this time that I truly realized my passion for education and my desire to further my studies. Now that I have had experience as a teaching assistant with SAC, I have the privilege of giving back to the program that gave me so much. It’s incredibly rewarding to inspire the same excitement and ambition in others that SAC instilled in me.”

Angela is another Summer Academic Challenge student who now attends Puget Sound, where she’s majoring in politics and government and neuro bioethics. She is excited to work as a teaching assistant for the first time this summer.

“The Summer Academic Program was something I looked forward to every year. It was a great way to spend time with friends while learning new things,” she says. “Being in a hands-on science environment made everything more engaging and fun. It gave me confidence and made me even more excited about pursuing science in the future.”

Summer Academic Challenge is part of Puget Sound’s Access Programs, an initiative that aims to promote academic excellence and expand access to a life-changing liberal arts education to students in Tacoma and Pierce County. Access Programs offers tutoring for local students, mentorship, a cohort-based support structure for Puget Sound students, and opportunities to apply for financial aid. The deadline for student applications for this year’s Summer Academic Challenge is June 1, 2025.

Learn more about Summer Academic Challenge

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