Summer Academy 2026 Newsletter by Amy Hyde

Student U Summer Academy 2026 Spotlight

Students learn best when they feel known, supported, and challenged. This summer, students explored new interests through electives like engineering and cooking, built friendships in clubs, and learned alongside teachers committed to creating welcoming and engaging classrooms. From hands-on learning to daily connections, every experience was designed to help students grow academically while building confidence, curiosity, and a sense of belonging. Teacher Appreciation Week, student awards, and celebrations highlighted our belief that who you are matters and that every identity has a place at Student U.

• 375 Vision Screenings
  
• 198 Comprehensive Eye Exams
• 170 Pairs of Glasses
• 138 Sports Physicals
• 391 MS & HS Students Served
• 38 Summer Teachers (24 MS & 14 HS)
• 5 Summer Mentor Teachers

Our Impact

Empowering Students:

Students spent five weeks learning, exploring, and challenging themselves in the classroom. In that time, students achieved an average growth rate of 22% in their academic classes. Alongside core academic classes like math, science, ELA, and social studies, Summer Academy offered hands-on electives that encouraged students to discover new interests, think creatively, and build friendships. Whether students were designing engineering projects, learning new recipes in cooking club, or participating in relay races outside, every activity helped to build confidence, strengthen relationships, and make learning meaningful.

Changing Communities:

Summer Academy extends beyond the classroom. Before students arrived, teachers participated in professional learning focused on restorative practices, culturally relevant pedagogy, and creating affirming learning environments. Student U also partnered with Durham Tech and Project SIGHT to offer free eye exams and glasses to students and their family members, helping to increase access to vision care across the Durham community. Students who will be participating in athletics this school year also had the opportunity to receive free sports physicals right here at Durham Academy.

Building Leaders:

Recent Student U graduate Sebastian Carrazco Badillo spent his summer as a 6th-grade ELA teacher. When asked about his experience, Sebastian said, “After all, Student U has given me a lot, so I wanted to give back.” In the fall, he will attend UNC-Chapel Hill with interests in law and environmental science.

MEET OUR TEACHERS!

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. This summer, we were 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. Every teacher understood the importance of education and was passionate about helping students succeed.

Development of Positive Academic Self-Concept:

Cooking club combined teamwork, creativity, and practical life skills in a fun, engaging environment. In sports clubs, students stayed active and engaged in friendly competitions. Activities like these helped students build confidence while showing them that learning can happen in many different ways.

“I really like being able to help people, going around and seeing what needs to be done, and being behind the scenes of Summer Academy.” -Kingston P.

Meaningful Academic Instruction & Practice:

Learning comes to life through hands-on experiences across Summer Academy. In Engineering class, students worked together to solve design challenges, test creative ideas, and strengthen problem-solving skills through real-world projects. These experiences encouraged collaboration and perseverance.

Relationship & Community Building:

Strong relationships are at the heart of Summer Academy. From Family Day to Morning Joy Lines, students built meaningful connections with teachers, mentors, classmates, and staff throughout the summer. Electives and clubs gave students another opportunity to encourage one another outside the classroom. Electives and grade-level activities also created spaces where students could collaborate, celebrate successes, and try new things together. These everyday moments helped create a community where students felt welcomed, supported, and challenged to grow.

Looking Ahead:

Summer Academy is just one part of Student U’s year-round commitment to students and their families. The relationships built this summer will continue throughout the school year as students recieve academic support, college advisiing, leadership opportunities, and mentoring.

Thank you for investing in students, believing in their potential, and making another incredible summer possible.