Summer Academy

PUB's Summer Academy is the highlight of each PUB Program Year. For 2024, that will be no different! Summer Academy gives PUB's rising 10th, 11th and 12th graders a peek at what being a college student will be like. Once in PUB, Scholars are welcome to spend more than one summer on campus. Although the expectation is that Summer Scholars will live on campus, special arrangements for virtual classes can be made if the PUB Administrative Team agrees that there are extenuating circumstances.

For rising 9th graders, PUB offers its two-week Summer Academy II experience. Summer II introduces students who have just completed 8th grade to high school and gets them comfortable with being on a college campus. They attend classes in person two days per week and virtually two days per week. The summer ends with a field trip for those who qualify.

This page gives an overview of what a PUB Summer Academy is like. The specifics change each year; but the outcomes are consistent: Friends for life, new experiences, improved self-confidence, better leadership skills, discovery of hidden talents, improved GPA, higher test scores, and many more benefits!

Notices

Summer Academy usually begins on the afternoon of Father’s Day and ends not later than the first week of August. Specific dates vary with the academic year end dates of the high schools PUB services.

PUB’s Summer Academy has three major purposes:

Equip Scholars with an academic advantage for the next school year
Show Scholars a preview of what it is like to live on a college campus
Enable Scholars to build and practice success skills

Summer Academy empowers Scholars' academically:

Mathematics and Laboratory Science
International Language and Culture and ELA
Guidance and Financial Literacy
STEM and other elective classes that vary depending on Scholar interests
Performing Arts (Drama, Dance, Music, Production)
Academic Games Tournament
Classroom on Wheels: Local field trips related to the annual theme

Social/Emotional, Cultural, and Career Enrichment build character:

Leadership Development Institute (first week of Summer Academy)
Mentoring by college students and entire PUB Team
Assistance overcoming separation anxiety associated with living on campus
Guidance resolving roommate issues and other conflicts
Dining Etiquette training and learning to dress appropriate to the occasion
A Behavior Point System that promotes exercising success behaviors
Swimming, Campfire w/S’mores,
A stage performance (Scholarship Concert and Performing Arts presentation)
Earned summer trip based on attendance, behavior, and academic performance
Activities that integrate parents and siblings into programming

Class Schedule

PUB's Summer Academy introduces Scholars to the classes that they will have at school the next fall semester. This gives them a head start on the course work. Attending College Club in the fall will help them keep that momentum going!

The class schedule includes core and elective classes. Scholars can meet Credit Recovery requirements in Pub Summer Academy. And PUB shares Scholars' grades with the schools in case the schools want to award elective credit.

During Summer Academy, Scholars have morning and afternoon classes with breaks in between. On dorm check-in day, each Scholar receives their individual class schedule. Teachers are creative in keeping Scholars engaged and learning in the style that suits them best!

Social/Emotional, Cultural and Career

PUB recognizes that academic performance is affected by the overall well-being of the Scholar. So, we match Scholars with mentors and develop programming to address needs associated with other areas. We give these programs names that are easy to remember such as "My Time Mondays" and "Freedom Fridays" because some of them may occur on the same day each week. But PUB generates a whole 6-week calendar of events (other than classes) that keeps Scholars' engagement "on and popping"!

At the end of each Summer Academy, selected residential Scholars go on a multiple-night trip. The trip is the "Mega Award" for achieving in all area of student life: academics, attendance and participation, and social/emotional behavior. Eligibility is tracked by PUB's Trip Incentive Program Behavior Points System described in every Summer Academy Handbook.

Summer Awards

PUB is proud of Scholars who make the very responsible choice to spend the summer on campus. To acknowledge this, PUB has put a system of awards in place as described below.

Academic Recognition

Academic Progress Certificate

Selections are made by each teacher in each class.
Considers only Scholars achieving 2.70 - 2.99 in the respective subject.
Selects up to 2 recipients per class section who have made the most progress from pretest to post-test. No other definition of progress may be used.
Recipients must not have more than one class absence all summer.
Recipients must achieve overall good citizenship before the end of summer.

Academic Achievement Certificate

Selections are made by each teacher in each class.
Considers only Scholars achieving 3.00 – 3.79 in the respective subject.
Selects up to 2 recipients in each class section making the highest achievement within the range from pretest to post-test. No other definition of achievement may be used.
Recipients must not have more than one class absence all summer.
Recipients must maintain overall good citizenship all summer.

Academic Excellence Certificate

Selections made by each teacher.
Considers Scholars achieving 3.80 - 4.00 in the respective subject.
Selects up to 2 recipients in each class section.
Recipients must have no class absences all summer.
Recipients must start with and maintain overall good citizenship all summer.

Greg Dokes Performing Arts Award

Selections is made collaboratively by the Performing Arts Team.
Considers only Scholars achieving at 3.8 or higher in Performing Arts.
Selects 1 recipient who excels above all others
Recipients must have no absences from any class all summer.
Recipient must have demonstrated overall consistent good citizenship.

Academic Distinction Award

Selections made collaboratively by all teachers.
Considers Scholars achieving 3.80 or higher in every core class.
Selects 1 recipient from among all Scholars.
Recipients must have no absences from any class all summer.
Recipients must start with and maintain overall good citizenship all summer.

Note: “Overall good citizenship” means good citizenship in the Project, not just in the class.

Social Recognition

PUB Scholar of the Week Certificate

This honor is conferred on a weekly basis (beginning week 2 of VSA) to recognize PUB Scholars who are actively and consistently engaged in PUB’s Virtual Summer Academy MY Time Mondays, Career Wednesdays, and Freedom Fridays. Selected Scholars take care of business, get assignments done, and meet expectations set by the Peer Mentor Team and Project Advisor. Up to 2 recipients will be chosen each week who, during the week under consideration, meet the following standards:

Have NO ABSENCES or TARDIES for any scheduled Social, Cultural or Career experiences including Tuesday/Thursday “Dinner with Peer Mentor” sessions.
Are on time for MY Time Mondays (at 8:55 a.m.), Career Wednesdays (at 10:55 a.m.), and Freedom Friday (at 10:55 a.m.) seminars.
Show progress toward knowing the Scholar Pledge, PUB Leadership Principles, and meeting Freedom Friday and Career Wednesday assignment deadlines as provided by Peer Mentors and the Project Advisor. Demonstrate/showcase this progress during individual sessions with assigned Peer Mentor.
Demonstrate outstanding character and leadership throughout the week and approach all Virtual Summer Academy involvement with positive energy.

PUB Role Model Award - Highest 2020 Virtual Summer Academy Character Award

This award recognizes the PUB Scholar who continually displays character, leadership and unyielding commitment to the mission and purpose of Project Upward Bound during the Virtual Summer Academy. The recipient(s) regularly goes above and beyond the minimum requirements, consistently takes initiative, and demonstrates the leadership courage to become the best version of themselves. Up to 2 recipient(s) will be chosen from among the 2020 Virtual Summer Academy (VSA) Scholars of the Week who:

Have no non-emergency activity absences.
Regularly and consistently initiate positive, healthy peer social interactions.
Know and can recite the entire PUB Scholar Pledge.
Know and regularly demonstrate all 10 PUB Scholar Leadership Pyramid principles.
Assist the Peer Mentor Team with Virtual Summer activities including, but not limited to, PUB Scholar Roll Call.
Enthusiastically engage in icebreakers and activities facilitated by Peer Mentors
Speaks up and asks questions during MY Time Mondays, Career Wednesdays, and Freedom Fridays.
Excel on the College to Career assignment.
Excel on the George Floyd Letter assignment.

Project Recognition

Spirit of Upward Bound Award - Highest Summer Academy Award

Administrative Team accepts Recommendations from all teams (Instructional, Academic, and Residential).
Administrative Team makes the final selection (s).
Selects up to 2 Recipients who:
enthusiastically accept PUB challenges: academic, social, career, recreational, and cultural
consistently focus on learning the most they can from all that PUB offers
“pay it forward” by helping other PUB Scholars to be involved and learn
have no non-emergency absences from academic or non-academic scheduled activities.

(Note: The Tool Box and Director’s Mark of Excellence Awards are presented to seniors who earned them at the spring Graduation & Recognition Ceremony.)

Project Upward Bound

Vandenberg Hall, Room 120
502 Meadow Brook Road
Rochester , Michigan 48309-4452
(location map)
(248) 370-3218
Fax: (248) 370-3217

Office Hours:
Monday-Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Extended hours on select Saturdays (see schedule) or call for an appointment