Summer Camps 2023
Academic Talent Development Program (ATDP)
Academic Talent Development Program (ATDP)
70 University Hall #1160, Berkeley CA 94720-1160
Phone (510) 642-8308
Fax (510) 642-0510
atdp.berkeley.edu
Elementary Division
ATDP’s Elementary Division offers exciting three-week academic enrichment courses in mathematics, science, writing, computers, and more for students completing grades K-6.
Dates: July 10 - July 28
Location: Choose in-person at Washington Elementary School in Point Richmond OR online
Times: Morning (8:30 am - noon) or afternoon (1 - 4:30 pm.) For an extra fee, ATDP students can also attend an on-site half-day sports camp sponsored by Rec Sports.
Level: Grades K-6
Tuition and Program Fees: $710 - 760*
Application deadlines
Early applications due: Wed., Mar. 1*
Standard applications due: Wed., Mar. 29*
Extended applications accepted on a rolling basis through June 1**
Secondary Division
ATDP’s SD offers 6-week enrichment and accelerated academic courses in writing, fine arts, languages, math, computer science, social science, and natural science for students completing grades 7-11. Courses are equivalent to a half year or full year of high school curricula. Many courses are approved to count towards UC & CSU A-G college entrance requirements. Tailor-made programs are also offered for international groups.
Dates: June 20 - July 28
Level: Grades 7 - 11
Location: Choose in-person on the UC Berkeley campus OR online
Times: Morning (8:30 am - noon) or afternoon (1 - 4:30 pm)
Weekly schedule: 2 or 3 days a week (varied)
Tuition and Program Fee: $710 - $1,190*
Application deadlines
Early applications due: Wed., Feb. 15*
Standard applications due : Wed., Mar. 15*
Extended applications accepted on a rolling basis through May 26**
*ATDP offers limited need-based financial aid to qualified candidates.
** No financial aid is available for extended applications.
CAL Youth Camps
Registration opens Jan. 28 at 9 a.m. for Summer Camps 2023 (June 5 - Aug. 11)
We offer an entire summer’s worth of choices, from day camps to specialized sport and activity camps, led by experienced instructors. Pick camps and times that work for your family, whether it’s half-day camps or two-week sessions. Our extended care options, payment plans, easy re-enrollment and financial assistance program help families stress less and enjoy summer more.
Multi-Activity Day Camps
With our comprehensive recreational day camps, campers get to sample an array of activities appropriate for their age and interests, with lots of time for fun, silliness and time with friends.
| Name | Ages | About |
|---|---|---|
| Explorer Camp | 4.5-6 | Combines developmental sports, outdoor learning, exploratory science, arts and crafts, exploratory martial arts, and exploratory gymnastics. |
| Afternoon Adventures | 8-10 | Includes activities such as kayaking and stand up paddleboarding on the Bay, designing and flying your own kite, building and testing your own cardboard sailboat, and much more all packed into a half-day of adventure. |
| Blue Camp | 7-12 | Combines developmental sports, outdoor learning, science, and the arts to create a fun, well-rounded, diverse camp experience. |
| Discovery Camp | 10-12 | Paddle, observe, examine, and analyze a variety of Bay Area ecosystems – both on the water and on terra firma. |
| Eco Adventures | 12-14 | Gives campers the opportunity to observe, examine, and analyze a variety of Bay Area ecosystems – both on the water and on terra firma. |
Specialized Sports and Activity Camps
From screen time to hangtime, campers can try a new experience or advance from beginner to expert in our specialized camps.
| Name | Ages | About |
|---|---|---|
| Esports Camp | 12-14 | Gain new skills and learn about teamwork, leadership, and strategy in a high-tech, supportive, and inclusive environment centered around Esports: competitive, organized video gaming. |
| Media Production Camp | 12-14 | Explore the leading edge of digital media and video production, using professional equipment such as cameras and camcorders, computer editing software, audio recording software, lights, and more. |
| Cal Skateboard Camps | 8-16 | A nationally recognized program giving campers an opportunity to learn in a one-of-a-kind environment, with a variety of ramps and street obstacles. |
| Gymnastics Camp | 4-14 | Develop new gymnastics skills, play games, make new friends, and create lasting memories. |
| Martial Arts Camp | 6-16 | Quality instruction in martial arts, promoting fitness of mind and body. |
Cal Adventures Outdoor Camps
For campers who describe their summers with action verbs…Play. Climb. Sail. Explore. These camps are all about new adventures, getting outside, moving, and exploring the Bay Area’s natural wonders.
| Name | Ages | About |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoon Adventures | 8-10 | Includes activities such as kayaking and stand up paddleboarding on the Bay, designing and flying your own kite, building and testing your own cardboard sailboat, and much more all packed into a half-day of adventure. |
| Discovery Camp | 10-12 | Paddle, observe, examine, and analyze a variety of Bay Area ecosystems – both on the water and on terra firma. |
| Paddle Adventures | 9-12 | Split the day exploring the water and land! Play, craft and learn the fundamentals of stand-up paddleboarding and sit-on-top kayaking on the South Sailing Basin. |
| Rock Climbing Camp | 8-17 | Gain confidence in an exhilarating activity: rock climbing. Learn belay skills, knot-tying, top-rope climbing, and equipment care. |
| Sailing Camps | 10-17 | Learn and review the essentials of sailing on the beautiful San Francisco Bay, Campers are assigned to groups based on their skill level. |
| Sea Kayaking Camp | 10-17 | Learn the basics of sea kayaking, including: paddling technique, equipment, safety procedures, and rescue skills. |
| Windsurfing Camp | 10-17 | Provides campers with an introduction to the sport of windsurfing. |
EmbARC Summer Design Academy
Wurster Hall, College of Environmental Design, UC Berkeley, CA 94720
Phone: (510) 643-1188
Fax: (510) 643-4752
embARC Summer Design Academy(link is external)
Email: embarc@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail)
Web: https://bit.ly/embarc_summer2023
embARC is an immersive summer design program at UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design that brings together high school students from diverse backgrounds to explore architecture, urban design and sustainable city planning through integrated components: an Architecture + Urban Design Studio, a Sustainable City Planning Workshop, a Digital Design Workshop, an Environmental Design Conversation Series and a Materials Exploration Workshop.
Why Should I Attend?
- Explore architecture, urban design and city planning as possible college majors and careers
- Hone and develop skills through college-level coursework
- Immerse yourself in design studio culture and the college campus experience
- Work in a team environment with peers who have similar interests
- Build a design portfolio to use when applying to college
- Tackle real public policy issues and make a real impact on your world
- Earn a certificate of completion and 1 unit of credit on an official UC Berkeley transcript
- Utilize acquired skills and make an impact on a community issue by participating in an improvement project with a local non-profit
Ages: Students entering their junior or senior year of high school
Format: In-person
Dates: July 3 - July 28, 2023
To Apply
To be considered for the program, you must submit the following by May 1st, 2023:
Completed embARC online application with essay
$75 application fee
High school transcripts that include all grades from 9th grade through the fall semester preceding your application
Letter of recommendation from a high school guidance counselor, teacher, principal or community leader
We will review applications on a rolling basis beginning in mid-February, and welcome early submissions. Only complete applications will be reviewed.
Summer Tuition and Fees:
Domestic: $4,885
International: $7,665
Scholarships are available for domestic students.
“Thank you all for creating such a dynamic summer program. The [embARC] staff was nothing short of fantastic. Each day they arrived fully vested with awesome energy. Each week they continued to mentor and find ways to listen, help and motivate our student...Fabulous program! We hope you continue to expand, help, motivate, and enrich the summers for future students."
- Parent of embARC student
DISC (Design and Innovation for Sustainable Cities)
Email:summerdiscovery@berkeley.edu
Web: https://bit.ly/UCBerkeley_DISC2022
DISC is an immersive five-week summer program for undergraduates that explores an interdisciplinary and multi-scalar approach to design and analysis in the urban environment. Disc* participants engage in the discourses of urban innovation, and develop creative solutions to tackle the urgent challenges global cities face today. Disc* is open to eligible students from any college or university. No prior experience in design is necessary.
Ages: Current college students (must be 18 or older)
Dates: July 3 - August 1, 2023
Format: In-person
To Apply
To be considered for the program, you must submit the following by May 23, 2023:
Completed DISC online application with essay
$75 application fee
Resume or Curriculum Vitae
Current college transcripts
We will review applications on a rolling basis beginning in mid-February. Applications are reviewed in the order in which they are received; early submissions are encouraged. Only complete applications will be reviewed.
Summer Tuition and Fees:
Domestic: $4,885
International Students: $7,665
Summer [IN]STITUTE in Environmental Design
Email: summer-institutes@berkeley.edu
Web: https://bit.ly/UCBerkeleyCED_SummerInstitute_2023
The Summer [IN]STITUTE gives students the opportunity to test their enthusiasm for the material and culture of environmental design. The Institute consists of [IN]ARCH, [IN]LAND and [IN]CITY, three introductory programs in architecture, landscape architecture and sustainable city planning for post-baccalaureate students or senior-level undergraduates, as well as [IN]DESIGN, an an online eight-week architectural design studio program with a focus on architecture, landscape architecture and urbanism.
Students in the Summer Institute explore the methods and theories of the fields, experience the culture of design and planning studios, connect to top faculty and practitioners, and build a portfolio for graduate school application.
Ages: Participants must hold a Bachelors Degree
Dates: [IN]ARCH, [IN]LAND & [IN]CITY - July 3 - August 11, 2023
[IN]DESIGN - June 20, 2023 - August 11, 2023
Format: [IN]ARCH, [IN]LAND & [IN]CITY - In-person
[IN]DESIGN - Virtual only
To Apply
To be considered for the program, you must submit the following by May 15, 2023
Completed Summer [IN]STITUTE online application with essay
$75 application fee
Resume or Curriculum Vitae
Copy of most recent undergraduate transcript
We will review applications on a rolling basis beginning in mid-February. Applications are reviewed in the order in which they are received; early submissions are encouraged. Only complete applications will be reviewed.
Summer Tuition and Fees
Domestic: $4,885
International: $7,665
iD Tech Summer STEM Campus
Phone: (888) 709-8324
Email: info@iDTech.com
Register Online: https://www.idtech.com/locations/california-summer-camps/uc-berkeley(link is external)
This summer, your child can explore a prestigious campus, make friends as they master new tech skills, and join a community of 600,000 iD alumni who are changing the world with tech.
Level: Ages 7-17
Dates: June 12 - July 31, day & overnight options
Registration Deadline: NA, but courses are already selling out
Lawrence Hall of Science Camps
Calling all young scientists! Enriching hands-on camps are available for children entering first through sixth grade. Campers become budding engineers, biologists, and astronomers when they immerse themselves in our classrooms, exhibits, Planetarium, and other learning spaces. Each two-week camp session is jam-packed with fun projects and activities to inspire and engage. Register now to secure your spot.
BOOST@BerkeleyHass
Phone: (888) 709-8324
Email: info@iDTech.com
Register Online: https://www.idtech.com/locations/california-summer-camps/uc-berkeley(link is external)(link is external)
This summer, your child can explore a prestigious campus, make friends as they master new tech skills, and join a community of 600,000 iD alumni who are changing the world with tech.
Level: Ages 7-17
Dates: June 12 - July 31, day & overnight options
Registration Deadline: NA, but courses are already selling out
Berkeley Business Academy for Youth
Email:BBAY@Berkeley.edu
www.haas.berkeley.edu/businessacademy
For more information, please visit the web site www.haas.berkelehy.edu/businessacademy(link is external). Students are required to fill out an application, write an essay, provide teachers recommendation and two years of unofficial transcript.
Middle School Session: June 13 - June 24, 2023; 9 am - 3:30 pm
Level: Rising 7th-9th graders
Program Fee: see website
Application deadline: March 1
High School Session:
Session 1: July 10 - July 22
Session 2: July 22 - Aug. 5; 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Level: Rising 10th-12th graders
Residential Program Fee: see website
Application deadline: March 17, 2023
BBAY Academy Year High School Online Sessions:
Fall 2023 - Spring 2023
Monday/Wednesday 3:30 - 4:30 pm PST
Tuesday/Thursday 3:30 - 4:30 pm PST
Saturdays 10:00 am - 12:00 pm PST
Level: Rising 10th-12th graders
Residential Program Fee: see website
Application deadline: TBD
Berkeley Pre-College Scholars: Summer Commuter Program
Sign up for an online information session
Virtual Advising: See our virtual advising options
Email: precollege@berkeley.edu
Website:Precollege.berkeley.edu(link is external)
The Berkeley Pre-College Scholars: Summer Program offers international and domestic high school students the opportunity to join a community of scholars and pursue your academic goals at the world’s No. 1 public institution. Our Summer 2023 courses will allow you to earn Berkeley college credit and learn with Berkeley students and visitors from around the world. Choose from lower-division courses in Humanities, Social Sciences, ESL, STEM, and much more! Virtual, residential, commuter, and non-credit tracks are available.
The 2023 application period will open on Wednesday, February 1, 2023 for the Residential and Non-credit Tracks.
The 2023 application period will open on Wednesday, February 15, 2023 for the Commuter & Virtual Tracks.
For information on eligibility, activities, costs, and more visit our Pre-College webpagehttps://precollege.berkeley.edu/
Summer Camps at University Village
1123 Jackson St., Albany, CA 94706
Phone: (510) 524-4926
Fax: (510) 527-9934
Email: uvrec@berkeley.edu
Website: villagerecreation.berkeley.edu
Bay'r Explorers | Basketball | Baseball | Berkeley Chess School | Circus | Lego Engineering | Pacific Soccer Training | Skateboard | SummerBears | Stop-Motion Animation!
& More!
Plus Mini Camps for ages 3-7
Space is limited and early registration is highly recommended!
Ages: Generally 3-15 years
Dates: Summer 2022
Fees: Varies
Full Details & Registration At:
villagerecreation.berkeley.edu/summer-camps
UC Botanical Garden Green Stuff Day Camp
200 Centennial Drive, Berkeley, CA 94720-5045
Phone: (510) 643-2755
Email: greenstuffcamp@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail)
Website: http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/education/green-stuff(link is external)
Have your child spend a magical week at the UC Botanical Garden’s award-winning nature camp. Green Stuff camp is a fun hands-on science day camp for children entering Grades 1 to 4, with a special mixed ages “Sibling Week,” and “Alumni Week” for returning campers entering Grades 5 and 6. Examples of activities campers enjoy include:
- Go on a five senses tour of the Garden
- Learn about amazing plant adaptations and habitat diversity
- Collect seeds in our Crops of the World garden
- Become a young botanist and see plant parts up close under microscopes
- Keep a nature journal
- Experiment with growing your own seedlings
- Hunt for garden animals including birds, newts, lizards and compost critters
- Discover how Native Americans of California used plants
- Make art and crafts from plant material to take home
- Investigate in a different part of the Garden everyday!
Green Stuff is a wonderfully small camp, limited to 10 children per week with 2 counselors, where each child gets very personal attention. The two counselors are a team of one lead staff with a degree and experience in childhood education paired with a well-trained UC Berkeley undergraduate or graduate student in Plant Sciences, both of whom have experience and a love for sharing with young children the wonders of the natural world.
Ages: Sessions are grouped by Fall Grade Level
Times: Grades 1-2 hours 9:00 am - 2:00 pm; Grades 3-4, and 5-6 hours 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Dates: Week long sessions, June 5 - Aug. 11, check for Grade Levels
Bay Area Writing Project - Youth Summer Programming
Email: bawp@berkeley.edu
Fees vary see below (Scholarships are available - application is required and available on the website.)
- $50.00 discount is given to families who register more than one child.
- 20% discount given to current UC Berkeley Faculty, Staff or Student (staff or student id required.)
Remote Course: Your Imagination is Alive: Creative Fiction and Storytelling
June 5 – 16, 2023 (2 Weeks)
9:00 am – 12:00 pm PST
Grades 3rd – 8th
$650.00
Use your imagination to craft your story as you like it.… Maybe it’s a novel, poem, movie script, song or….. whatever! We’ll be here to support you with fiction and storytelling basics as you get to creatively write what you want on your summer writing adventure. Create something funny, or serious, or cute, or weird, or imaginative – something your own!
In this course we will provide writing prompts and direction, and investigate the elements that make great storytelling.
Remote Course: Science Fiction Journey: Exploring Space and Time
June 20 – 30, 2023 (2 Weeks – Starts 6/20)
9:00 am – 12:00 pm PST
Grades 3rd – 8th
$625.00
Are you ready to explore space and time? Whether you think technology is taking over the world or it’s the cure to our problems – this course was created for you! Design a world where time travel is possible, animals have developed the ability to talk, life can happen in dual realities, or people have evolved to be half human/ half robot (cell phone replacing the right hand – anyone?). The scope of your creativity is the only thing limiting you!
In this course we will touch upon many Sci-Fi themes that could include world building, space exploration, time travel, fantasy fiction, supernatural, and alternate forms of life.
Remote Course: Yes, You’re a Poet!
June 26 – 30, 2023 (1 Week)
9:00 am – 12:00 pm PST
Grades 6th – 8th Only
$350.00
The world is filled with poetry and we are all poets. A poet is a noticer, paying close attention to the world around them. In this course we’ll discover ways to sharpen our focus and be open to the invitation to write anytime, anywhere. Using artifacts, memories, and daily experiences, we’ll generate several drafts and learn how to mine our own work for poetry gold.
Kate Moore has been writing her entire life. A three-term Poet Laureate for the City of San Ramon, Moore infuses poetry into all her work. Her poetry has been featured in numerous journals, and she’s the author of two poetry collections as well as two middle grade novels. She has taught all grades from elementary school through graduate level courses, and currently teaches online writing courses. She always has a poem in her head.
Remote Course: Alternate Worlds: Fantasy Beyond the Orbit
July 10 – 21, 2023 (2 Weeks)
9:00 am – 12:00 pm PST
Grades 3rd – 8th
$650.00
Create wondrous new places and bring enchanting beings to life. What’s more exciting than having your character jump on a magic carpet and soar among the stars? What’s more fun than designing a quest for brave elves trying to save their forested home? Let your imagination take you beyond the known – we can’t wait to see where you take us!
In this course we will develop characters as they change, grow, and overcome obstacles on their Hero’s Quest or journey. Explore world building, developing compelling characters, and dip your writer’s pen into the world of fan fiction.
Remote Course: Superhuman: Marvel at Our Universe
July 24 – August 4, 2023 (2 Weeks)
9:00 am – 12:00 pm PST
Grades 3rd – 8th
$650.00
Have you ever wanted to create your own superhero? Now’s your chance to create marvelous adventures for superhumans – people (or beings we think are people) who can do exceptional things. Maybe your superhuman is like Usain Bolt and can run at superhuman speeds. Maybe your hero has super-strength like She-Hulk or is a master of martial arts like Black Panther. Maybe you want to join superforces and team up your super characters. We just hope you don’t scare us with stories of superhuman villains like Loki who can shape-shift (shudder).
In this course we will learn techniques that help us build our characters (heroes, villains, secret agents, space ninjas, etc.) and their worlds (world building, galaxies, multi-verse, etc.).
2023 In-Person Camps
In-Person Camp: The Art of Journaling
Park Day School Campus in Oakland, CA
June 12 – 23, 2023 (2 Weeks – No 6/19 to observe Juneteenth)
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Grades 3rd – 8th
$625.00
Welcome makers, artists, creatives, fun makers – come join this space to dabble and explore as you are prompted to write using words, imagery and color. For this hands-on camp each writer will receive a small package of supplies that we will use for creating and writing. Discover the joy of adding visual life to your writing!
In-Person Camp: Fan Fiction
Kent Middle School in Kentfield, CA
June 20 – 30, 2023 (2 Weeks – Starts 6/20)
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Grades 3rd – 8th
$625.00
You know what’s annoying? When you love a story but it’s missing something great or it ended too soon. Did you think The Mandalorian was awesome but the ending was a bit of a let-down? Write your own ending! Or maybe you think Harry Potter’s world of wizards needed more wizards of color. Or maybe a supporting character should have been the main character. The author Toni Morrison once said, “If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, you must be the one to write it.” Well what if the story has been told but you know how to tell it better?
In this camp we will use Fan Fiction to guide our creative writing but young authors can opt to write outside of the fan fiction genre.
In-Person Camp: Berkeley Writing Academy
UC Berkeley at 2121 Berkeley Way
July 10 – 21, 2023 (2 Weeks)
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Grades 3rd – 8th
$700.00
In this course we will blend the arts of arguing and persuading. Our focus will be demonstrating different methods of expressing your views on a subject. It will help you share your ideas and opinions in a constructive way, something you’ll rely on in your academic and personal life.
Knowing how to make the best use of these forms of nonfiction writing can help in many ways, such as writing school essays, writing letters advocating for a cause you are passionate about, writing a blog, or even writing that sci-fi fiction piece. So join us – let’s write!
In-Person Camp: Yin and Yang
California High School in San Ramon, CA
July 17 – 28, 2023 (2 Weeks)
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Grades 3rd – 8th
$700.00
In this camp we will explore creative writing under the umbrella of opposites. Yin and yang represent opposites yet they co-exist together in harmony. Perhaps we write about superheroes who struggle between right and wrong. Or maybe we step outside to write poetry about the way plants need both the sun and the moon to survive. We will provide the lessons and writing prompts to guide you on this exploration of up and down, left and right, day and night, water and fire, inside and outside – – – yin and yang.
In-Person Camp: SF Berkeley Writing Academy
St. Ignatius College Preparatory in San Francisco, CA
July 24 – August 4, 2023 (2 Weeks)
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Grades 3rd – 8th
$700.00
In this course we will blend the arts of arguing and persuading. Our focus will be demonstrating different methods of expressing your views on a subject. It will help you share your ideas and opinions in a constructive way, something you’ll rely on in your academic and personal life.
Knowing how to make the best use of these forms of nonfiction writing can help in many ways, such as writing school essays, writing letters advocating for a cause you are passionate about, writing a blog, or even writing that sci-fi fiction piece. So join us – let’s write!
June 12 – 23, 2023 (2 Weeks – No 6/19)
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
9th – 12th Grades
In person at UC Berkeley (Berkeley Way West Building)
$500.00
Instructor: Pirette McKamey
This is an intermediate level course and we recommend that participants come with some experience in creative writing.
In this 2-week creative writing class, you will write to a variety of prompts, learn techniques that can enliven your writing, share your work in small groups and receive specific, helpful feedback. At the end of the course, you will have at least one polished piece, and the opportunity to participate in a reading of your work. Additionally, you will learn about publishing and workshop opportunities for high school students. This past August at the Bread Loaf Writers Conference, the writer Maurice Carlos Ruffin told us that writing should be enjoyable. If it is not, he said, change something. Here is to building an enjoyable and sustainable writing practice!
Pirette McKamey was an English and history teacher in the SFUSD for 27 years and retired from her position as the principal of Mission High School in July 2022. She has published short stories and an article about anti-racist teaching in The Atlantic, “What Anti-racist Teachers Do Differently.” She is excited about this next phase of life, one that is spent writing, hiking with her dog and teaching, which she missed very much while being an administrator.
In-Person: InkSwarm
June 12 – 23, 2023 (2 Weeks – No 6/19)
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
9th – 12th Grades
In person at UC Berkeley (Berkeley Way West Building)
$600.00
Instructor: Aryn Faur
Inkswarm is a hive for creative writers of all stripes! Do you find it impossible to choose between poetry, flash fiction, creative nonfiction or art? Don’t choose! Join us! During the first week, students will play with many writing exercises to explore dialogue, setting, point of view, poetics, and other craft elements, along with lots of opportunities to develop writing friendships that can continue outside of camp. During the second week, they will workshop and revise a single piece they are most committed to. By the end of camp, each participant will have a scrapbook filled with their own work as well excerpts from the campers. We end with a camp celebration and reading. Bring a laptop, and your favorite writing utensils! We’ll try to get outside on the beautiful UC campus as much as possible.
Aryn Faur is an English teacher at Berkeley High who has taught creative writing for over a decade. She teaches a literary magazine elective and has also taught courses on short story and flash fiction. In her spare time, she dances on roller blades, gardens, reads page turners, and plants trees.
Remote Course: Introduction to Journalism
June 20 – 23, 2023 (1 Week – Course begins 6/20)
9:00 am – 12:00 pm PST
9th – 12th Grades
Remote Course
$275.00
Instructor: Brian Barr
Journalism is changing. No longer confined to a newsroom, journalists report from cafes, street corners, and sports venues and all over the world. Hone your skills in this class so that you are ready to report on the go. In this course we will explore the fundamentals of writing a strong article for the public eye. This includes developing reporting skills by learning to write breaking and hard news stories, personality profiles, and opinion pieces, such as columns, editorials and reviews.
Brian Barr has taught at California High School in San Ramon for the past 24 years. He teaches senior English and Sci-Fi/Fantasy and runs the school’s newspaper and mock trial programs. He also coaches the men’s and women’s golf teams at California High School and San Ramon Valley High. Before becoming a teacher, Brian was a professional journalist for nine years, working as a reporter and sports editor for several daily newspapers in the East Bay and San Joaquin Valley. Brian earned an undergraduate degree in political science from UC San Diego in 1992. He is a 1998 graduate of Central Catholic High School in Modesto.
Remote Course: Afrofuturism is Now!
June 20 – 30, 2023 (2 Weeks – Course begins 6/20)
10:00 am – 12:00 pm PST
9th – 12th Grades
Remote Course
$500.00
Instructor: Meilani Clay
Over the course of 2 weeks, students will explore themes and tropes of speculative fiction through the lens of Black writers (often referred to as Afrofuturist fiction). Closely related to science fiction, Afrofuturist fiction uses the real world as a launching point to explore social justice and social change through a lens of radical imagination. Afrofuturist fiction can feature magic, scientific innovation, and creatures not of this world as a means of getting the writer’s message across. Students will use the work of visionary authors such as Octavia Butler and adrienne maree brown to guide their own storytelling and understanding of the genre. By the end of the course, students will craft their own short fiction incorporating themes such as climate change, environmental justice, space exploration, and more.
Meilani Clay is a writer, mama, and educator from Oakland, CA. Her debut poetry collection, and the creek don’t rise, was the winner of the 2021 Michael Rubin Book Award from San Francisco State University’s Fourteen Hills Press. A graduate of Howard University, the University of San Francisco’s Urban Education and Social Justice program, and a current MFA Poetry candidate at SFSU, Meilani aspires to be in school forever, to bridge worlds with her words, and to one day build forts out of books written by Black folks.
Remote Course: Writing for Chills: How to Craft Scary Stories
June 20 – July 7, 2023 (3 Weeks – No Class 6/19 or 7/4)
1:00 pm (13 o’clock) – 4:00 pm PST
9th – 12th Grades
Remote Course
$600.00
Instructor: Emily Wilkinson
Join us as we explore the pages of strange and dark stories, listen to disturbing tales of delight, and watch a few flustering flicks as we craft our own horrific narratives, comics, and poetry. In this three-week course, students will read, discuss and compose their own suspenseful stories and/or screenplays of the strange, the horrific, and the supernatural. No prior experience in writing scary stories will be necessary, as we will explore the structures and oddities of the horror and sci-fi genres.
Emily Wilkinson is a life-long fan of the weird, ghastly, and horrific. When she’s not watching or reading something scary, she’s either writing or teaching writing to students of all ages as she works on her PhD in the Teaching of English at Teachers College, Columbia University. She loves giving students the power to scare with their scintillating tales of woe. She also recognizes horror as giving us the ability to confront and learn from our deepest fears and most terrifying experiences.
Remote Course: College Essay Writing
June 26 – 30, 2023 (1 Week)
9:30 am – 12:30 pm PST
11th – 12th Grades Only
Remote Course
$350.00
Instructor: Eric Gustafson
Good storytelling is a way to make your writing more engaging. In the course, you will first hone this craft by writing a profile article. We will begin by workshopping questions that elicit vivid storytelling and thoughtful reflection from your subject. Beginning with an anecdotal lead, the article you write will be focused on developing your subject as a character. With the second writing piece, the tables will be turned. You will become the subject of the article. Conveying who you are as a person is what college admission officers are looking for in an essay. This course will help you succeed in doing that. (Current UC/Common App prompts will be used.)
Eric Gustafson Bio Coming Soon
Remote Course: Mimicking and Copycatting: Improve Your Writing Through Emulation
July 10 – 21, 2023 (2 Weeks)
10:00 am – 12:00 pm PST
9th – 12th Grades
Remote Course
$550.00
Instructor: Prof. Lapriore
Ready to emulate the greats? First we have to decide who the “greats” are and what that means to us! We will read a selection of short stories and poems and discuss what makes them good (from both a personal stance and from a genre conventions stance). Then we will write scenes, stories, and poems emulating the style and language of those pieces. Boost your own creativity by writing outside of your own voice!
Professor Marci Lapriore teaches literature, creative writing, and transfer-level composition courses at Los Medanos College. She is a writer and has been teaching English for over 18 years, from 6th grade to college, and has participated and facilitated many writing workshops.
Remote Course: Star One: Charting Your Science Fiction Writing
July 10 – 21, 2023 (2 Weeks)
9:30 am – 12:30 pm PST
9th – 12th Graders
Remote Course
$650.00
Instructor: Terrance “TR” Amsler
OK, science fiction is really cool. You’ve got space ships, computers embedded in your brain, life on meteorites, and maybe even aliens. Climate fiction, with its flooded cities and fallen governments, can be cool in an apocalyptic, ‘let’s try to avoid that’ kind of way. Science Fiction is often the escape hatch a reader and writer are looking for. But what if these genres also reflect our hopes and fears? What if they actually help us better understand race, migration, climate change and politics? From Afro-futurism to zombies, we’ll have a chance to write about what matters to us, and what matters to our future.
T.R. Amsler (he/him) has taught, coached and learned from young people in the Bay Area for 20 years. He’s especially loved teaching narrative, fiction, journalism, debate and poetry ever since receiving his MA in education from UC Berkeley. Besides being a passionate reader, he loves to spend time outdoors on his bike, at a baseball field or with his kids. He currently teaches at June Jordan School for Equity on the ancestral and current land of the Raymatush Ohlone, third planet of the Solar System and currently called San Francisco.
Remote Course: Introduction to Creative Writing
July 10 – 28, 2023 (3 Weeks)
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm PST
9th – 12th Grades
Remote Course
$700.00
Instructor: Emily Wilkinson
Do you have stories to tell? Characters in your head? A notebook full of scenes? This summer, join other creative writers in reading short stories and creative nonfiction that breaks the rules, and discover how to write your own story. In this course you’ll have the opportunity to hack the techniques published writers use to tell their stories, like building unforgettable characters, unexpected scenes, and beautiful detail, and practice using these techniques yourself. We’ll spend time reading, writing, and workshopping together.
Emily Wilkinson is an educator and writer based in Northern California. She recently completed her PhD at Columbia University where she studied emotions and their impact on teaching and learning. Though she has taught many subjects and students of all ages, she spends a good portion of her school year daydreaming about the summer when she can lead campers into the fields and forests of creative writing. The fact that this will be her fifth year teaching a BAWP summer course makes her feel a bit old, but she swears that each year’s camp has been better than the last and predicts that 2023 will be the finest “vintage” yet.
In-Person: The Art of Argument: A Process of Paying Attention
July 17 – 21, 2023 (1 Week)
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
9th – 12th Graders
In person at UC Berkeley (Berkeley Way West Building)
$350.00
Instructor: Nichole Vaughan
Being able to create an effective argument is a nuanced practice. It requires knowledge, empathy, and acuity. Join us in this class where we’ll practice and hone our use of these skills to effectively create a claim and address counterclaims, both written and spoken.
Nichole Vaughan is a high school English teacher in Redwood City at Sequoia High School. She has experience teaching IB English Language and Literature and AP Language. Education and language pop the batteries in her back and get her going. She loves participating in the process of learning and is driven by curiosity. She likes to bring literature to life by connecting books to pop culture and art. She was a BAWP fellow in 2021 and is excited to be a part of the summer programs.
Remote Course: Playing With Language: Finding Your Voice and Sharing It
July 17 – 21, 2023 (1 Week)
9:00 am – 12:00 pm PST
9th – 12th Grades
Remote Course
$350.00
Instructor: Sarah Trott
Playing with Language: In this workshop, students will experiment with language and storytelling to create new work and find new ways to express themselves. They will look at different platforms to share their voices, including personal zines, broadsides and digital formats. Participants will engage in daily creative writing exercises, including flash fiction and poetry, learn to make a one page zine and a broadside featuring one of their own pieces of writing.
Sarah Trott teaches high school creative writing and English in Richmond. The author of a book of poetry, Planned (There Press, 2009), Sarah studied poetry and book arts at Mills College and writing at USF. Sarah’s writing has also been published in Digital Paper, Cricket Online Review and Feral Press.
In-Person: College Essay Writing
July 24 – 28, 2023 (1 Week)
9:30 am – 12:30 pm
11th – 12th Grades Only
In person at UC Berkeley (Berkeley Way West Building)
$350.00
Instructor: Eric Gustafson
Good storytelling is a way to make your writing more engaging. In the course, you will first hone this craft by writing a profile article. We will begin by workshopping questions that elicit vivid storytelling and thoughtful reflection from your subject. Beginning with an anecdotal lead, the article you write will be focused on developing your subject as a character. With the second writing piece, the tables will be turned. You will become the subject of the article. Conveying who you are as a person is what college admission officers are looking for in an essay. This course will help you succeed in doing that. (Current UC/Common App prompts will be used.)
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