The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has opened applications for two summer opportunities: the Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy (AEA) and the Appalachian STEM Academy at Oak Ridge. Both programs, planned for Summer 2022, are free intensive learning experiences specifically for the Region’s high school and/or middle school students and teachers. Northeast Georgia students and teachers from Barrow, Elbert, Jackson, and Madison counties are eligible to participate. (Applications for both opportunities are due March 4, 2022.)
The Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy (AEA), developed in partnership with Appalachian State University, EntreEd, and STEM West, prepares the next generation of regional entrepreneurial leaders and thinkers. High school students from across Appalachia will be selected to participate in an intensive learning curriculum designed to cultivate creativity, sharpen business acumen, and develop skills essential for entrepreneurial success. AEA will be held from July 9-23, 2022. If COVID restrictions allow, the program will be held in person at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. More information and application materials are available at www.arc.gov/AEA.
The Appalachian STEM Academy is a hands-on learning experience for Appalachia’s middle and high school students, as well as high school teachers in STEM-related fields. Hosted by Oak Ridge Associated Universities in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, this program is a gateway to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in the Appalachian Region. Working with award-winning scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, high school and middle school students conduct guided group science, math, and computer science technology research projects, while high school teachers work with science practitioners to develop STEM-related curriculum. Many students gain their first exposure to applied science and STEM education through this experience. This program will be held from July 9-22, 2022, for high school students and teachers, and July 16-22, 2022, for middle school students. If COVID restrictions allow, the program will be held in person in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. More information and application materials are available at www.arc.gov/STEM.
Applications for both opportunities are due March 4, 2022.
“The future of our region depends upon the next generation of Appalachian leaders,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “The Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy and Appalachian STEM Academy provide opportunities for students to not only nurture their existing skills, but to amplify their voices as catalysts for positive change in their communities.”
About the Appalachian Regional Commission
The Appalachian Regional Commission is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the Region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation. Barrow, Elbert, Jackson, and Madison are the four Northeast Georgia counties located within the Appalachian Region.
