CELEBRATING CULTURE | BUILDING COMMUNITY | SHARING KNOWLEDGE
PROGRAM DEADLINES
General Application (Students & Junior Counselors): TBD
THE PROGRAM
July 14 - 20, 2024 | GRADES 7 - 9
Academia Latina is a summer residential program for Latino/a/x Youth in southern Oregon. The program offers of a broad range of classes, lectures, cultural experiences, and recreational activities for Latino students who have completed grades 7 through 9. Students selected will live on campus at Southern Oregon University in Ashland. They will interact with other Latino/a/x students from throughout Oregon while being challenged by creative, imaginative instructors and activities.
Academia Latina was created when Southern Oregon University teamed up with the Jackson Educational Service District and Rogue Community College and held a Latino Planning Symposium in 1999 to develop an annual residential camp for Latino youth. For 20 years, Academia Latina has been shattering the barriers Latino/a/x youth face. Our mission is to positively impact all Latino/a/x youth in southern Oregon!
PARTICIPANT PREREQUISITES
Must have completed the following grades:

7th, 8th or 9th grade
Academic Transcript
Students can upload their transcript online (Ideal Logic Platform)
Recommendation Letter(s):
1 recommendation letter (Teacher, or community member)
DOWNLOAD RECOMMENDATION FORM
Note: Recommendators will need to fill out this form and email/mail to the person listed.
Essay
What do you hope to gain from participating in Academia Latina? Why do you want to participate? (250 words minimum)
Must have completed the following grades:

7th, 8th or 9th grade
Academic Transcript
Students can upload their transcript online (Ideal Logic Platform)
Recommendation Letter(s):
1 recommendation letter (Teacher, or community member)
DOWNLOAD RECOMMENDATION FORM
Note: Recommendators will need to fill out this form and email/mail to the person listed.
Essay
How has your culture shaped the person you are today? (250 minimum)
PROGRAM INFORMATION
COVID-19 POLICY FOR 2023: SOU continues to operate under protocols outlined by the Oregon Health Authority for in-person classes and on campus events to ensure community safety and compliance with current state and federal guidelines. Please note that students are currently not required, but may need to provide proof of vaccination.
Should vaccination status need to be proven, exemptions may be allowed, but will be handled on a case-by-case basis, and may require additional documentation. In the instance of an approved exemption families will most likely still need to provide proof of a negative COVID test taken no more than 24 hours before arrival at SOU for camp. Requirements for camp are subject to change pending state and federal guidelines. Final decisions about health and safety protocols will be made as we get closer to the start of camp.
- Masks are currently not required to participate in programs on campus, but are recommended.
SPONSORS
AWARDS
Southern Oregon University Youth Programs has been recognized on two occasions with international awards for our ACADEMIA LATINA residential program for Latino youth. This rapidly expanding program will be entering its twentieth year in 2020.
ACADEMIA LATINA was awarded the Western Association of Summer Session Administrators "Exemplary Program Award 2004" for non-credit programs. WASSA is an organization that represents the western United States, western Canada, and Mexico.
In addition, we received the North American Association of Summer Sessions "Creative and Innovative Program Award for the Most Outstanding Non-Credit Program 2004." NAASS is an association of deans and directors of college and university summer programs located throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.
PAST CLASSES
Art
Mural Art: Experience art indoors and outdoors and challenge your imagination as you learn new ways to express your artistic talents on murals. Instructor: Jose Rivera has an Art degree from Southern Oregon University and attended Academia Latina for three years as a student. He has worked for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival as a set painter. He is a returning Academia Latina instructor.
I-Manga Nation: Cartooning Plus!: Get ready for cartoon mania as you learn how to use classic drawing techniques to create your own Manga cartoons. Experiment with storylines, characters and design elements as you draw your way into the wonderful fantasy world of Manga and Anime-style stories and cartoons that are uniquely your own. Explore techniques to draw hair, eyes, noses, mouths and facial expressions while you work with a master teacher who will guide you along the way. Instructor: Craig Honeycutt has a Master’s in Art Education and is a professional artist and art educator with more than twenty years teaching experience.
Creative Writing/Literature
Creative Writing: Cage Freee Poetry: Explore the many ways you can express yourself through art and poetry using your own life experience
and your surroundings as your inspiration. You’ll discover that poetry takes many forms and that it does not have to rhyme! Instructor: Marcel D’Haem has taught for a variety of schools in Oregon since 2003. He currently teaches at Talent Middle School, is an avid outdoorsman and backpacker. He tries to play the ukulele.
Humanities/History
U.S. History through a Latino Lens: George Washington and Paul Revere are names that most people recognize from American history. Do the names Francisco de Miranda or Bernardo de Galavez mean anything to you? This exciting class will help you learn the roles of these and countless other Hispanics who helped to shape our history and also the stories of those who continue to have important roles and influence in the history of the United States of America. Instructor: Jorge Padilla is the Coordinator of the English Language Learner Program at Grants Pass School District #7 and is a returning Academia Latina instructor.
French Please: Become conversant in French by focusing on two fundamental language skills: listening, and speaking. Through daily practice, class activities, interactive discussion, and listening exercises, students will quickly gain confidence and increasing facility with their abilities to speak and understand both spoken and written French. Instructor: Betty Lopez is a recent graduate for Williams College where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, French Language & Literature. She is a former Senior Counselor and this is her first year as an instructor.
Math/Science
Geometry: What’s Your Angle?: Students will experience the examination of angles and their place in the real world. We will be exploring mathematical principles of angles and how to apply them. There will be drawing, construction, deduction, and of course calculation. Instructor: Dan Akita has ten years of experience teaching in both public and private schools but in both I have always loved math and science. I am looking forward to helping you see the wonder of science and the logic of math.
The World of Bubble-Ology (Science/Chemistry): Students will combine intense enjoyment with important concepts in chemistry and physics through imaginative experiments with soap bubbles. Students devise an ideal bubble-blowing instrument; test dishwashing brands to see which makes the biggest bubbles; determine the optimum amount of glycerin needed for the biggest bubbles; employ the Bernoulli principle to keep bubbles aloft; use color patterns to predict when a bubble will pop; and create bubbles that last for days. In the process, they learn about light and color, aerodynamics, chemical composition, surface tension, and even technology. Instructor: Charlie Bauer is the Migrant Education, ELL and Indian Education Coordinator for the Southern Oregon Education Service District. He has taught every grade level from kindergarten to high school. He has also lived in Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador and California.
Nursing Rocks!: Experience the rewards and challenges of nursing while you participate in various hands-on activities with simulations based on real patient care experiences. You are bound to come away with a better understanding of the skills needed to be a nurse. Instructors: Dr. Trish Kohn and a team of OHSU Ashland Nursing Faculty and Staff teach the nursing class at Academia Latina each year.
Nursing 2.0: This advance course will offer a variety of real-life experiences that included the importance of CPR, hands-on experience with new-born simulations and listen to a panel of nurses. You will also learn the next steps to volunteer. Instructor: Dr. Trish Kohn and a team of OHSU Ashland Nursing Faculty and Staff teach the nursing class at Academia Latina each year.
Disasters: Are U Ready?: Do you know what to do after a flood? During a fire? Or after an earthquake? Come learn how to prepare and survive after a natural disaster. This will be project-based class. Instructors: Dan Akita has ten years of experience teaching in both public and private schools but in both I have always loved math and science. I am looking forward to helping you see the wonder of science and the logic of math. Marcel D’Haem has taught for a variety of schools in Oregon since 2003. He currently teaches at Talent Middle School, is an avid outdoorsman and backpacker. He tries to play the ukulele.
Health & Wellness
Wat’z up Sista?: This is your chance to ask all of those questions you would like to ask but haven’t dared to ask. In this neutral, confidential environment, you will enjoy a frank and open discussion about the issues teenage girls face in today’s world including self-esteem, peer pressure, and body image. Instructor: Nancy McKinnis (Castillo) is a graduate of SOU and holds a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Sociology. She is currently the Health Educator for Cuidate, a program from Jackson County Public Health. Nancy has lived in the Rogue Valley for 25 years.
Wat'z up Bro?: Dude! What were you thinking? Let’s talk about the facts regarding all of the topics you think you have the answers to in a neutral, confidential environment. Come prepared for frank discussions, laughs and lots of new factual information. Instructor: Nancy McKinnis (Castillo) is a graduate of SOU and holds a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Sociology. She is currently the Health Educator for Cuidate, a program from Jackson County Public Health. Nancy has lived in the Rogue Valley for 25 years.
Business/Marketing
Shark Tank Academia Latina Style!: If the word Successful appeared in front of these titles, Business owner, Inventor, Entrepreneur… which one would interest you? If you have dreams of owning a business, engineering your own inventions or building a company from conception to production this is the class for you! Discover the questions you need to ask, how to find the right employees and how to think about the many aspects of being successful in business. During your last class, you will pitch your ideas to real-life successful business owners. Instructor: Sr. Jorge Padilla is the Coordinator of the English Language Learner Program at Grants Pass School District #7 and is a returning Academia Latina instructor.
PROGRAM RESULTS
For 19 years, Academia Latina has been shattering the barriers Latino youth face. Our mission is to positively impact all Latino youth in southern Oregon! We ingrain in all our participants that college is a posibility.
Below you will find our program's results:
PROGRAM STAFF
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Monserrat Alegria |
Genesis Beas |
Jonathan Chavez Baez, M.A. |
Juanita Ephraim |
SOU LATINO/A/X PROGRAMS | LATINOPROGRAMS@SOU.EDU | STAY CONNECTED!