Virtual Summer Programmes for Indian High School Students - A blessing in disguise

Looking at the current situation of self-isolation and social distancing, outdoor activities are a strict no-no for children. Evenings, which were mostly fun for them-- enjoying in parks and playing outdoor sports, have got boring and mundane. To utilize this free time of young brains, just like classes going online, summer programmes are also going virtual this time.

Schools are expected to continue digitally this year however, getting your kids involved in digital programmes along with regular learning, helps kids polish their talent and learn new skill-sets. Meeting new people, helps them share their interests & develop their minds on a broader scale. As most parents are also working from home, the global pandemic has brought an urgent need to keep kids engaged in different activities and learn at home. As a solution, plenty of opportunities have emerged to not only boost children’s learning but also to help them enjoy their time. Here are some of the summer programmes that are helping kids to learn & keep them engaged during their summer vacation:

1. Supreme Incubator’s startup summer programme – ‘Rocket Lab’: Rocket Lab by Supreme Incubator is a startup summer programme aimed at engrossing high school students or pre-college students in high energy, high risk and dynamic world of building a startup. The initiative aims to enhance and build a strong foundation for students by enabling them with entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial skills. RocketLab is a unique programme where the students will get a chance to build a startup in five weeks working alongside global peers. It will be a virtual camp starting from mid-June 2021 where the students would spend the time talking to potential customers, building logos & websites; will be pitching to global investors and brainstorming with peers from around the world.

2. Ashoka University’s ‘Young Scholars Programme’(YSP): Young Scholar Programme by Ashoka University is a unique summer programme that introduces high school students to liberal arts and sciences education every year. This year Ashoka University is offering YSP as an online certified, five-day-long programme where students will be exposed to different disciplines through writing, academic work and multimedia learning. YSP involves a range of activities including faculty presentations, creative workshops and discussion with peer groups all in a virtual model. The programme is for high-calibre school students studying in classes 9 to 12 in June 2021. With its unique interdisciplinary coursework taught by world-class faculty, the programme is an excellent introduction to the pedagogy of liberal arts and sciences.

3. FLAME University’s ‘Summer Immersion Programme’: FLAME University, the pioneer of liberal education in India, will begin its online Summer Immersion Program (FU-SIP) 2021 for high school students in June. Through the FU-SIP 2021, the university intends to broaden the horizons for high school students by having them experience university life, interdisciplinary academics and learn from world-class faculty. The programme is scheduled to begin on June 21, 2021, and will end on June 26, 2021. The application deadline for enrolling in the programme is June 14, 2021. The courses under the FU-SIP 2021 have been designed to be contemporary and relevant, with content and delivery which go beyond traditional high school classroom training, to help students strengthen their skills through a mix of exciting academic and non-academic courses which provide a strong foundation to succeed in college, and beyond.