College for Kids provides an enriching, educational, and fun experience for K - 8th grade students! This innovative program gives children the chance to expand their horizons by exploring a topic of interest. Children work with experts (JMU staff/students, area teachers, etc.) to discover talents they never knew they had, explore new ideas/fields of study, and develop a new passion for learning! This program is offered twice a year- on Saturdays during January/February and as a week-long summer camp in June.

During the summer 2025 College for Kids, we had an amazing week with 80 rising K – 8^th grade students in attendance. From journeying through a world of imagination with Dungeon Masters: A Dungeons & Dragons Adventure, to learning about the Science of Sweets, to venturing to The Lost Worlds: Ancient Civilizations and Myths, it was a week full of opportunities for exploration. Each day, students took a morning course and an afternoon course, taught by current JMU students and local teachers. We offered 19 courses in total, covering topics such as theatre, science, art, history, and even cooking! Our Storm Chasers course welcomed a special guest, Chief Meteorologist Aubrey Urbanowicz from WHSV, for a brief presentation and Q&A. Overall, our summer College for Kids program successfully provided a variety of learning experiences for the youth that we serve. 

Registration for the winter 2026 College for Kids program is now open! This program will take place on Saturdays from January 24 - February 21. Click here to check out the course offerings and to register!

The 11^th annual Summer Honors Institute was a huge success! This unique residential program allowed 27 rising high school juniors and seniors to get a first-hand look at life as a JMU honors student by taking courses with faculty, exploring careers and academic majors, and learning about the JMU Honors program. Students attended from across Virginia and Maryland!

After a competitive application process, students were selected by JMU’s Honors College to experience this week-long program. They stayed in Grace Street Apartments and got to explore JMU’s campus, all under the guidance of their camp counselors (current JMU Honors students pictured below).

A core course titled Civic Purpose and Legacy was offered each morning. After the core course, students then took various courses of interest, such as Decoding Culture in Family Communication: Telling Stories of Trouble, Inclusive Leadership, Theatre and Dance: New Play Development, Cutting with Code, Philosophy, Ethics, and AI, and more! All courses were graciously taught by JMU faculty.

There were also workshops that covered topics such as admissions, study abroad, college life, and major exploration. We concluded the week with a field trip to Massanutten Resort and a celebratory dinner.

The application for the 2026 Summer Honors Institute is now open! Rising juniors and seniors can apply from now until March 1^st, 2026. Click here to visit website for more information and to apply!

Thanks to continued partnerships with TRIO Talent Search and GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs), a record number of scholarships were provided to campers during summer 2025!

Through the partnership with TRIO Talent Search, Youth Programs was able to provide a camp experience for 30 Harrisonburg-Rockingham area middle school students. These students attended our Science Explorers Camp on full scholarships provided by TRIO Talent Search. During camp, students explored various areas of science through hands-on activities. They also got to utilize JMU facilities such as the John C. Wells Planetarium and even eat lunch at D-Hall!

Through the partnership with GEAR UP, Youth Programs was able to provide a camp experience for 23 high school students from the southern Virginia area. These students attended our residential Science Explorers Camp on full scholarships provided by GEAR UP. This was not only an incredible camp experience, but it allowed students to experience life at a university for the week by living in a residence hall, eating on campus, interacting with current JMU students, and utilizing campus facilities such as UREC, the Planetarium, Taylor Down Under, and more!

During the month of July, our Science Explorers Camps allowed 168 students to experience new discoveries throughout the program. We served elementary, middle, and high school students over the course of 3 weeks. Students learned different scientific topics through various activities. Topics included chemistry, physics, astronomy, earth science, and more! Some of the crowd favorites were building volcanoes, egg drops, and marble runs!

Our camp staff loved watching their students discover answers to their questions on their own accord, along with building their problem-solving and team-building skills! In addition to these activities, our high school students stayed at Grace Street Apartments, went on a field trip to the Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, VA, and experienced various parts of campus (UREC, the Grafton Stovall Theatre, Taylor Down Under, etc.). Interested in your student attending Science Explorers Camp? Registration opens in February!