Saturdays in the D 2024 Program
Youth Camps & Opportunities
Middle School camps
High School Camps
Adult Professional Development Opportunities
Saturdays in the D returns for another great summer of learning and enrichment for residents of Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park! A partnership between the University of Michigan and the city of Detroit, the 2024 Saturdays in the D program provides free access to high-quality learning experiences for Detroit middle school and high school students, as well as professional development opportunities for adult residents.
“We are thrilled that Detroit youths participating in the program this year will have the opportunity to experience higher learning on the campus of one of the world’s best universities,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “Adults in our community will also be introduced to enrichment courses as part of Saturdays in the D’s commitment to provide our residents with the tools and skills to succeed.”
The 2024 program will offer enrichment opportunities focused on STEM/STEAM camps offered by the University of Michigan that encourages learning and exposes students to new skills, interests, and potential career considerations.
Youth Camps & Opportunities
Saturdays in the D youth programming is focused on science, technology, engineering, and arts-based education to Detroit middle and high school students. Despite the name, not every program is offered on Saturdays! We strive to provide a range of different activities and structures to meet the various interests and needs of Detroit students.
What to know:
- Programs are offered by different units within the University of Michigan and will have their own unique schedule, set of activities, registration process and location.
- Participants must register for each camp individually but can register for more than one as long as they do not occur at the same time.
- Some may recur on Saturdays, others are one or two weeks long, and still others may be residential where students stay overnight on the U-M Ann Arbor campus.
- Some camps will list application and/or tuition fees. These program costs are free to residents of the city of Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park and will be covered by Saturdays in the D.
- Some camps are located within the city of Detroit; others may occur in Ann Arbor. For Detroit students interested in participating in those camps offered on the U-M Ann Arbor campus, free transportation can be provided through Saturdays in the D.
Middle School camps
Applying Physics in the D (Daycamp)
For 6-8th grade students
Dates: June 10 – June 21, 2024
Location: U-M Detroit Center
This two-week science camp is designed to ignite curiosity and passion for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) among young minds, fostering critical skills essential for success in the 21st-century workforce. Participants will be immersed in a dynamic learning environment where they will engage in exciting experiments, interactive workshops, and collaborative projects. Led by University of Michigan Graduate Students and professionals, the camp curriculum will cover a diverse range of topics, including robotics, coding, environmental science, entrepreneurship, and more. From electronic circuits to exploring Laser Physics, campers will have the opportunity to conduct exciting experiments that bring scientific concepts to life through hands-on experiments. Interactive workshops will include coding, scientific principles, and other STEM disciplines, empowering campers to develop practical skills and confidence in their abilities. Campers will also have the chance to visit real active laboratories at UofM, and interact with guest speakers to gain valuable insights into real-world applications of science and technology. Finally, campers will work together to tackle challenges, solve problems, and unleash their creativity, fostering teamwork and communication skills essential for success in STEM and beyond.
Thinkabit Lab Tech for Good Camp: 6-7th grade (Daycamp)
Current 6th & 7th grade students
Dates: August 5 – 9, 2024
Location: U-M Detroit Center
Qualcomm® Thinkabit Lab™ Camp is a one-week STEM camp for youth entering middle and high school, which provides hands-on engineering experience through Qualcomm Thinkabit Lab at the Michigan Engineering Zone in Detroit. Campers learn new skills while strengthening their scientific and mathematical understanding through hands-on engineering projects. They also meet professional engineers, learn about engineering tools and their applications, explore the engineering design process, build their own projects, and meet new friends!
Thinkabit Lab Tech for Good Camp: 7-8th grade (Daycamp)
Current 7th & 8th grade students
Dates: August 12 – 16, 2024
Location: U-M Detroit Center
Qualcomm® Thinkabit Lab™ Camp is a one-week STEM camp for youth entering middle and high school, which provides hands-on engineering experience through Qualcomm Thinkabit Lab at the Michigan Engineering Zone in Detroit. Campers learn new skills while strengthening their scientific and mathematical understanding through hands-on engineering projects. They also meet professional engineers, learn about engineering tools and their applications, explore the engineering design process, build their own projects, and meet new friends!
Engineering Academy (Residential)
Current 6th & 7th grade students
Dates: July 8 – August 2, 2024
Location: U-M Ann Arbor Campus
In partnership with the Engineering Society of Detroit, Engineering Academy empowers youth that are historically marginalized in STEM fields to live their best lives. The 4-week camp focuses on the whole person by integrating STEM learning with a student-centered, hands-on, and project-based activities. As STEM learners, participants are empowered to use STEM as a tool for personal and social change.
WISE GISE (Daycamp)
For 7th-8th grade students
Dates: June 17-21
Location: U-M Ann Arbor Campus
WISE GISE is a summer day camp for rising 7th and 8th grade students for a hands-on STEM experience that is both fun and challenging. Enjoy a week in some of the most advanced labs in the world learning from our world-class students and faculty. Campers choose a “major” to focus on in the mornings and spend afternoons exploring other disciplines. Campers will have lots of fun exploring the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor! Camp majors include: The Science of Stuff; Lab Trek; Wild Wonders; and Going Places in Engineering.
Galaxy Girls+ (Residential)
Current 8th & 9th grade students
Dates: July 14 – 19, 2024
Location: U-M Ann Arbor Campus
Galaxy is a 5-day program for current 8th and 9th-grade Michigan students. During the program, participants will become immersed in fundamental disciplines of Aerospace Engineering and space science at the nation’s oldest aerospace program. This program is run in partnership with the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP).
Applications for Galaxy Girls + will open in April 2024. Please fill out this form to be notified when applications are open
High School Camps
Intro to Entrepreneurship (Weekly on Saturday)
Current 9th-11th grade students
Date(s): 9am – Noon: June 1, June 8, June 15, June 22, June 29, and July 13
Location: U-M Detroit Center
This six-week course led by the Ross School of Business provides an introduction for early high school students interested in entrepreneurship. The program includes weekly workshops (9 am to noon) that feature classroom instruction, hands-on learning, and guest speakers. Those enrolled in this program will leave at the end of the six-week series with a certificate of completion and a better understanding of what it means to be an entrepreneur in our local ecosystem.
Career Connections in the Arts (Weekly on Saturday)
For 9-12th grade students
Dates: June 15, 22, and 29
Location: Detroit Center
Hosted by the Stamps Pre-College team, Career Connections will introduce participants to recent Stamps alumni based in Detroit. Through panel discussions and studio visits, participants learn about a wide array of creative careers that can be attained with an art and design degree. This professional development series will demystify the art and design field and demonstrate how a Stamps degree can help students reach their full potential after graduation. Participants who complete this program will receive:
- a complimentary t-shirt
- a certificate of completion
- fee waiver for a Common App to the Stamps School of Art & Design undergraduate program at the University of Michigan.
Applicants are required to participate in all three events. Career Connections is a FREE program.
Girls Who Code Summer Experience (Daycamp)
For 9-12th grade students
Date: July 22-26
Location: U-M Detroit Center
Girls Who Code Summer Experience is a five-day day camp from July 22-26 for high school students in the greater Detroit area, aimed at providing hands-on experience and exposure to computational data science in Python. The program is designed to help prepare participants for career possibilities in the field while reinforcing core programming and analytical concepts and encouraging community service. No prior programming experience is needed!
Intro to Data Science and AI (Daycamp)
For 11-12th grade students
This camp offers 2 separate sessions:
Dates: June 10-14, Location: U-M Detroit Center or
Dates: June 17-21, Location: U-M Ann Arbor Campus
Calling all highly-motivated rising juniors and seniors with a passion for STEM to join professors from the University of Michigan for a week-long crash course in data science and Al. Get a taste of analysis, visualization, coding, and fundamental concepts through hands-on projects and instruction. Learn what a ‘day in the life’ of a career data scientist looks like, talk to current U-M students, and discover how data and Al is shaping the future of our society. No prior coding knowledge necessary. Students should have successfully completed at least geometry and algebra Il, or comparable.
Detroit River Scholars (Daycamp)
For 9-12th grade students
Dates: July 29 – Aug 2
Location: U-M Detroit Center
In this one-week camp, students will have the chance to explore the connections, past and present, between the Detroit River and the communities that line its shores. Daily field trips to riverside parks, museums, and historical sites will offer engaging, hands-on learning opportunities focused on the river’s rich environmental and cultural heritage and related educational and career pathways. Program highlights include a three-hour sail aboard a tall ship on the Detroit River and a visit to river-themed project sites on U-M’s Ann Arbor campus.
WISE Python Bootcamp (Daycamp)
For 9-12th grade students
Dates: June 24-28
Location: U-M Ann Arbor Campus
The UM WISE Python Bootcamp is a summer day camp for students finishing grades 8 through 11 that introduces students to programming and computational thinking concepts in a fun and supportive environment. The camp is geared towards students with no prior coding experience and is planned and taught by University of Michigan staff and students. In addition to hands-on coding activities, campers will participate in fun group competitions and meet computer science professionals to learn about CS careers.
Harper Academy (Residential)
Current 11th grade students
Dates: June 30 – August 3, 2024
Location: U-M Ann Arbor Campus
Harper Academy is a 4-week residential program for current 11th graders that gives participants a glimpse into life as a Michigan Engineering student and the rapidly evolving field of nuclear engineering. Programming includes advanced math and science classes to help students be “college-ready” for undergraduate engineering courses, as well as support with starting their college applications.
Applications for 4F&E will open soon. Please fill out this form to be notified when applications are open.
NAF Future Ready Scholars (Residential)
Current 9th, 10th, & 11th grade students
Dates: July 21 – August 3, 2024
Location: U-M Ann Arbor Campus
NAF Future Ready Scholars at the University of Michigan is a multi-year, STEM-focused career and college readiness program. Participating students spend two weeks in an immersive summer camp at the U-M Ann Arbor, engaging in the Engineering Design Process to solve problems that matter to them. Additionally, students participate in college and career readiness sessions that help put them on a path toward post-secondary success through SAT prep, career exploration, and job shadowing opportunities. Programming continues during the school year through monthly Saturday Sessions, providing local and ongoing opportunities for career awareness, exploration, and preparation throughout their high school years.
Joy of Coding (Online)
For 9-12th grade students
Dates: June 19 – July 31
Location: Online only
Students use Python to learn how coding powers Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, and Siri…and even learn how to code their own Snapchat lenses! Our courses were created with high schoolers in mind. No prior coding experience required! All courses are online and self-paced, so you can fit them into your schedule. Upon completion of the course, students receive a certificate of accomplishment from University of Michigan ECE to include in college applications.
Adult Professional Development Opportunities
The Saturdays in the D adult learning program is focused on job skills around leadership, business, programming and emerging technology. Participants can sign up for one certificate course of their choosing, and also have access to short workshops around ChatGPT and project management.
The adult program will begin in late June. Course signups will be available in May. Please sign up here to be notified when registration opens.
