2026 Summer Programs

July 6-10, 2026

Hiking, Art, and STEM

Participants will tap into The Academy’s artistic, outdoor, and academic communities to help students explore different areas of interest. Students engage in 2-3 different blocks each day that involve hiking, visual art activities, and STEM activities. Morning hikes include local favorites like Mohawk State Forest and the High Ledges. Participants return to campus to work on beautiful mosaics, before an afternoon of investigating engineering and technology concepts through such activities as the creation of Rube Goldberg machines.
Ages: 8-11 as of 7/1/2026
Duration: 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM, Monday, July 6th – Friday, July 10th
Cost: $350

Songwriting Workshop

In this workshop students will study basic concepts of meter, lyric, and writing, as well as basic harmonic, rhythmic, and form concepts. While everyone will develop individual songwriting skills, we will apply these concepts while writing as a group collaborating with peers with the end goal of creating 1-2 songs by the end of the semester as a group. A basic knowledge of chords, singing, and instrumental experience would be preferred but all levels of musicians are encouraged to join. Taught by Academy jazz instructor Jared Cruz!
Ages: 13-18 as of 7/1/2026
Duration: 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM, Monday, July 6th – Friday, July 10th
Cost: $350

July 13-17, 2026

This week of Academy summer programming offers a combination of art, athletics, and game design. Participants choose a morning workshop and an afternoon workshop. 
Ages: 11-15 as of 7/1/2026
Duration: 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM, Monday, July 13th – Friday, July 17th
Cost: $350

Morning Offerings (9:00 – 12:00 PM)

The Beautiful Game: Soccer Workshop

Join Academy soccer coach Rafael Kelman for an all day, week-long soccer workshop, in which we will develop skills, play games, learn strategy and generally deepen our relationship to the sport. We will spend some of our time watching great moments from historic soccer games to learn and get inspired. We will even explore some of the ways soccer is connected to global history and culture; most importantly, we will have a lot of fun. This workshop is open to players of all levels, from beginners to seasoned players.

Tabletop Game Design

Do you love playing a good board or card game with friends or family? Ever dream of creating your own game? This workshop will unleash the hidden game designer that exists in us all. Starting with basic principles of tabletop game design, we will explore compelling themes and simple game mechanics. Next, either working in teams or on a solo project, we will brainstorm, design, and create a fun prototype card or board game from scratch. The week will culminate in a play-testing party showcasing everyone’s creations. 

Afternoon Offerings (12:30 – 3:30 PM)

Art and Nature

For this weeklong workshop, we will be exploring a wide range of ways to respond to the natural world through art. We will observe plants, animals and landscapes in drawing, watercolor, and photography; we will engage in printmaking and collage using natural materials; we will make sculptures and ephemeral installations made from plants, rocks and soil. Needless to say, we will be spending much of our time outdoors. Led by Academy art teacher Rafael Kelman!

Ultimate Clinic

Join Will Miller, Academy Varsity Ultimate coach, for a week long Ultimate clinic experience. The week will provide athletes with a daily combination of agility, endurance, and other Ultimate-specific exercise training, fundamental disc handling skills, cutting-edge offensive and defensive formations and strategies, and spirited engagement in low-stakes competitive games. 

Coach Miller cultivates a safe, supportive and enthusiastic environment for advancing in the sport, ensuring that athletes at all levels of experience will come out of the clinic with a new-found confidence in their abilities.