Are YOU ready to Summer Up!?
Luis
Warhawk Summer Up! | Chicago Voyagers, Colorado Camping Experience
“You actually get to see what you’ve accomplished- hiking all the way to the top of the mountain,” Luis says, still excited to talk about his experience even weeks after returning home from from an extraordinary trip to the Rocky Mountains. “It was an amazing time- seeing the stars, seeing the beautiful mountains and landscape.”
With a big smile, Luis’ mom listens to the stories Luis shares. “My biggest concern was being away from him,” but she’s quick to say that her worries were nothing compared to what they both learned. “It taught me that there’s a lot of things out there that could help them grow and experiences that they can have– they just need to go out and find them.”
Visiting new places and learning new skills was rewarding, but it ended up that teamwork and leadership were what made the biggest impact on Luis. “It makes me feel great that I had this opportunity to go out and see the potential I have– and expressing it. Pushing myself. Being part of a family– our group.”
Ricky
Warhawk Summer Up! | Augustana College Experience
Ricky, who attended “The Amazing Brain” program at Augustana College as a rising junior, was amazed by the professors and the classes. It was school like he’d never seen it before. “They’re trying to teach you like a real college student. We did a lot of learning through listening, and the professor gave us time to talk in our groups. He was open-minded about everything. If we had a question, he would stop the class and answer our question. That was pretty impressive.”
It went beyond the classroom too. Everything about the place was a change in the way he was used to doing things. “You had to be in class on time and make sure you had everything. We didn’t use our phone to get places on time: we just used our brains.”
Life on a college campus had an impact on Ricky. “It’s a good learning experience. It teaches you how to be independent and to be a bigger person. I learned a lot, and I was open-minded about everything. I felt like a grown man there because we were so independent.”
Abigail
Warhawk Summer Up! | Internship, Cancer Treatment Centers of America
“I was born in Belize, the youngest of nine kids. I want to be a veterinarian. Sometimes my career choice switches. But I definitely want to be in the medical field, so I’m covering all my bases, not limiting myself. I think it’s helping me grow.”
“In the six-week internship, I learned how to adapt to hearing people’s stories. It made me better at understanding people. Sometimes it was hard talking to patients. You don’t really know what to say. You have to comfort them in a way that they know that you’re comforting them.”
“An opportunity like this is a big one, so appreciate it. Be humble working there, because we sometimes take our blessings and what we’re given for granted. I think I’ve grown. The more I worked there, the humbler I got. When you come to a place like CTCA, you realize, ‘Wow, the things that I was complaining about, they were nothing!’”
Bernice
Warhawk Summer Up! | Milwaukee School of Engineering College Experience
Berenice’s summer experience at the Milwaukee School of Engineering’s program “Focus on Nursing” cemented her interest in health care. She was one of 18 high schoolers– one of four from North Chicago– to get this unique taste of college and career.
“I think my freshman year, I really started looking into neonatal nursing.” Berenice’s niece was born premature, so this nursing specialty caught her attention. She felt lucky that a neonatal nurse came to talk to her group during her Summer Up! week at MSOE.
“My parents say, ‘If you go away to college, it’s going to be hard for us, but we will support you.’ They’re fully supportive of my decisions.”
