This June, Access Opportunity was able to get together for our week-long Summer Workshop with staff, speakers, volunteers, and ~85 students in attendance.
The AO Summer Workshop took place from June 14-18, 2023. The first two days of the workshop took place on the Auraria campus in Denver. Each student participated in sessions that applied directly to their grade-level (from 11th grade to seniors in college). We had 13 speakers from different companies and organizations who joined us throughout the beginning of the week, giving interactive lessons to our students on college admissions, social and emotional health, career readiness, community-building, leadership, and more.
We also held a speed-networking event with 25+ volunteers from different industries including Arts, Media, & Communications, Business & Finance, Criminal Justice, Law, & Politics, Education & Social Service, Engineering & Technology, and Healthcare. Students moved throughout the room and spoke to volunteers for over an hour to help them practice their networking skills.
The third day of the workshop began with a journey up to Cal-Wood Outdoor Education Center, where students and staff stayed for the remainder of the weekend. Everyone was able to have an unplugged experience in the wilderness, complete with team-building activities, hiking, campfire s'mores, archery, and more.
This portion of the workshop is usually one of the highlights for our students, and this year was no different. The trip provides opportunities for students from different stages in the program to bond and for our newest class of students to become comfortable within AO.
"I looked forward to the AO summer workshop because it gives me a chance to get to know my peers better. At Cal-Wood, we really get to learn about each other on a deeper level and find things we have in common."
-Jakiya, Class of 2028
