Accepted Summer Discovery Students

Everything is provided, but we strongly recommend bringing a water bottle. Additionally, consider bringing a backpack/bag, notebook, and pen/pencil for your convenience.

Every day at Summer Discovery is unique! Our program includes a blend of on-site workshops, off-site visits, and whole group activities:

• On-site days: Begin with a keynote speaker who will talk about their personal and professional pathway, followed by a summer-long design challenge activity and lunch. After lunch, local organizations will lead workshops related to the week’s focus areas (like education and counseling, technology and AI, green/renewable energy and sustainability, health care and mental health, and social entrepreneurship and civic engagement).
• Off-site days: Travel to various local businesses, community organizations, or college campuses to explore community and career opportunities firsthand.
• Whole group days: All cohorts will gather for special workshops, activities, or group trips to local attractions or college campuses.

No need to dress up—what you’d wear to school is fine, but make sure to keep it appropriate. Also, it’s always good to bring a jacket or sweatshirt as some locations turn up the AC in the summer. 

All students selected for Summer Discovery are split into smaller groups (aka cohorts) to help foster connection, collaboration, and a more personalized experience. There will be two regional cohorts: one based in Bedford/Blair and one in Cambria/Somerset.

Cohorts are intentionally designed to bring together students from a variety of schools, backgrounds, and interests to encourage diverse perspectives and meaningful conversations. Each cohort will be supported by dedicated instructors and junior instructors who will guide and mentor students throughout the program.

We provide bus transportation to and from off-site locations and group trips. Students are responsible for their daily commute to their designated program location.

You will be paid via check in four separate payments throughout the summer. 

Yes! Lunch and snacks will be provided every day of the program. If you have food allergies that you did not share with us in your registration forms, please contact Juliana Gabany immediately. 

Students must follow the Medication Procedure and provide and self-administer all medications, including over-the-counter (OTC) meds.

• Prescription medication must be provided in its original pharmacy container labeled with the participant’s name, medicine name, dosage, and timing of consumption. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications must be provided in the manufacturers’ container.
• Staff may not provide or purchase any medications, including OTC (e.g., Tylenol, Advil, cough medicine).
• EpiPens, inhalers, and cough drops may be carried by the participant during activities.
• Unclaimed medications at the end of the program cannot be mailed and will be destroyed by the program manager.

Before Program Start:

• Print and complete the Daily Medication Log, including a current student photo and parent/guardian signature, and bring it to check-in.
• If medication requires refrigeration, notify Juliana Gabany at jrg6029@psu.edu.

Daily Procedure:

• Upon arrival on day 1, student goes to the medication table and gives their medications and completed log to a staff member. Medications and log are placed in a program-provided zip-lock bag, labeled with the student’s name, and stored in a lockbox.
• At the end of each day, the student receives the bag with medication. Staff retains the signed Daily Medication Log.
• Each day after day 1, student brings zip-lock bag to the medication table upon arrival, staff matches medication to the log, places the log in the bag with the medication, and secures it in the lockbox.

When Medication Is Needed:

• Student asks staff to retrieve their bag from the lockbox.
• Student self-administers medication (staff do not administer medication).
• Staff initials the log with time of administration, student returns all items to the bag, staff returns the bag to the lockbox.

Medical Treatment and Insurance:

• Penn State does not provide medical insurance for youth participants. In case of medical need, students will be taken to a local facility. Parents/guardians are responsible for notifying their insurance provider, as some policies require notification within a short timeframe.