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PROGRAMS

CURRENT PROGRAMS

Summer Experiences 2025

All-Day, Two-Week, All Encompassing Experiences

Summer Experience 2025

Community Projects + Experiences + Skill-Building

 

Ages 5 – 18

$20 – $325 per week

See Summer Fee Sliding Scale for rate based on your income TIER

Ames High School

8:30 AM to 3:30 PM Monday through Friday

June 16 – 27, 2025

July 7 – 18, 2025

July 21 – Aug 1, 2025

During the Summer Experience 2025 sessions, participants will have amazing experiences, meet new friends and mentors, get out into the Ames High Prairie, explore Ioway Creek, learn about food insecurity in our community and work with partners to grow food to help meet the needs of our community, connect with our community, have fun, and make a difference.

The Community Academy students will collaborate with several local partners including The City of Ames, Reiman Gardens, and the Ames High School Garden on long-term projects that make a difference.

Participants will be involved in many types of experiences each week from hiking and canoeing to growing, harvesting, and preparing food. There will also be opportunities to personalize their day based on their preferences.

Experiences may include:

  • Long-term Collaborative Community Projects
    • Farm to Table – growing and harvesting food
    • Gardening, cooking, and food preparation
    • Foraging for local edibles
    • Improving Local Ecosystems
    • Monitoring wildlife at the Ames High Prairie (small and large mammals, birds, butterflies, dragonflies, etc.)
    • Collaborate with the City of Ames to plant Iowa Native Plants on public land
    • Learn to report news and create radio content as part of a collaboration with KHOI radio
    • Explore local history
    • Learn about local Native American culture
  • Exploring Nature
    • Wildlife viewing (frog calls, beaver ponds, owls, bats, etc.)
    • Hike woodland, water, and prairie trails
    • Explore wetlands
    • Explore and canoe rivers and water resources in our community (Peterson Pits, Ioway Creek)
  • Experiences
    • Indoor and outdoor mindfulness practice and reflection time
    • Creating art (Observational drawings, clay sculptures, sun art paper, etc.)
    • Visit public art and local art galleries
    • Get behind the scenes at local businesses
  •  

PAYMENT PLANS AVAILABLE

Email Mike Todd (mike@thecommunityacademy.org) for details.