Orientation and New Staff Welcome Week
Preparing for a Successful Summer
Part of what makes Summer Academy so special is the dedicated teachers who give their summers to helping students grow. Many Summer Academy teachers are public school teachers, aspiring teachers, or former Student U students. Every teacher understands the importance of education and is passionate about helping students succeed. Before we welcome students to Summer Academy, teachers and Student U staff spend two weeks training and collaborating to ensure our students have the best possible experience. Eager and excited to begin the summer, staff arrived bright and early for training each day. They started their mornings with Morning Brilliance, a time dedicated to hearing from fellow staff members and community leaders. Morning Brilliance was often followed by a fun game, where staff could interact with one another and begin building relationships before the summer began.
This summer, we are excited to have thirty-eight teachers on staff. Twenty-six of the teachers have taught at Summer Academy before and were excited to return this year. Orientation was a time for new teachers to meet returning staff and begin building strong relationships. It was also a time to empower teachers and give them the skills they need to create positive learning environments for students. Orientation was more than just training; it was a time for teachers to reflect on and discuss the material presented by guest speakers.
Learning from Community Leaders
This year, we were pleased to welcome back Bettina Umstead, a former Student U staff member and current representative for District Two on the Durham Public Schools Board of Education. She has also served as Vice Chair from 2018-2020 and as Chair from 2020-2024 and 2025-2026. During her lecture, Bettina unpacked the long history of race and education. She encouraged thoughtful discussions and reminded teachers of the importance of addressing educational inequalities. Additionally, former Student U Executive Director Alexandra Zagbayou stopped by to discuss the identities, values, and practices that guide Student U and how, as an organization, we can continue to grow and make a lasting impact through our work. Alex is a UNC-Chapel Hill Global Studies alum who earned a Master of Liberal Arts in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Harvard University. Currently, she serves as an Associate Professor of the Practice in the Sanford School of Public Policy.
We were also thrilled to have WeAre (Working to Extend Antiracist Education) and its Co-Founder and Lead Curator, Dr. Ronda Taylor Bullock, lead a lecture on Implicit Bias and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy. Dr. Taylor Bullock earned her doctorate from UNC-Chapel Hill in the Policy, Leadership, and School Improvement Program. Through her discussion, teachers and full-time staff members were able to think critically about how to create learning environments that are relevant to the students they will work with. Staff also had the opportunity to reflect on their identities and how those identities impact their work.
In addition to hearing from guest speakers, teachers and full-time staff members had the opportunity to spend a day of orientation at the W.G. Pearson Center in collaboration with members of the Community Schools Team. Many Community Schools Coordinators traveled from across North Carolina to attend the event. Teachers and staff had the opportunity to learn about restorative practices, the developing brain, and the Community Resilience Model. This day was especially meaningful because it allowed teachers to learn from Community Schools Coordinators working across North Carolina. Hearing how the community schools model is being implemented in different communities offered valuable perspectives and sparked meaningful conversations about supporting students both inside and outside the classroom.
Learning, Leading, and Looking Ahead
Joining teachers and staff at orientation were Student U’s high school interns. Each year, rising juniors and seniors have the opportunity to apply and interview for an internship at Summer Academy. This select group of students is assigned to various parts of Student U’s team to help ensure that the summer runs smoothly. Some assist with operations, wellness, communications, and more. This is a valuable leadership development experience that reflects our mission to enable students to reach their full potential. Those who attend the upcoming Morning Brilliance Tour on July 21 will have the opportunity to tour Summer Academy, led by high school interns, and hear more about their work. During orientation, the interns had the opportunity to get to know one another, prepare for the summer, and explore their creative side through activities such as button-making.
Orientation 2026 was a huge success and helped to set the stage for the incredible summer our students and staff will have. The week ended with Family Day, allowing students and their families to connect with teachers and learn more about the summer ahead. Connecting with families is a crucial part of our work, and Family Day marks the beginning of partnerships that will help make this summer meaningful for every student.
By: Amy Hyde, Communications Intern
Summer Academy Morning Brilliance Tour – July 21, 2026, at 8:30 am
Student U’s 20th Birthday Bash – August 1, 2026, at 11 am
