Editor’s Choice: UTSA summer camps to begin soon

A UTSA Summer Art Studio attendee builds a clay sculpture. The program offers eight weeks of unique classes for students between the ages of 7 and 18.

MAY 21, 2024 — As the traditional school year winds down, summer programs at UTSA are ramping up. Dozens of UTSA camp opportunities, many of them kicking off in June, are available to youth from kindergarten through high school as well as young adults.

UTSA camps cover a variety of interests, from science, engineering and architecture, to sports, music and writing. The camps offer participants a place to try something new while having fun and spending quality time with the university’s outstanding students, faculty and staff. The summer camps are also an opportunity for UTSA to bolster the city’s college-going culture by offering participants the chance to explore the university’s campuses.

Throughout the summer, UTSA will host half-day and full-day camps at its Main, Downtown and Southwest campuses. Some camps will last a few days while others will run from one to several weeks. Families and others interested can register by visiting the UTSA Summer Camp website.

This year’s summer camps include:

The Dr. Manuel P. Berriozabal Pre-freshman Engineering Program (PREP)

This academically rigorous mathematics-based summer enrichment program begins on Monday, June 10, and concludes on Wednesday, July 10, and prepares middle and high school students for advanced studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Participants learn about problem-solving systems, develop greater awareness of STEM careers, strengthen their research and study skills, and participate in special events.

Criminal Justice Summer Camp

The camp exposes rising high school juniors, rising seniors and incoming college freshman to the many facets of the criminal justice system. Students will have opportunities to learn the functions of police in society, apply scientific theories to criminal investigations by examining a mock crime scene, and visit the Federal and County Courthouses, Bexar County Emergency Management Office and SAPD Public Safety headquarters. Space is available in the second session, which runs from Monday, July 8, through Friday, July 12.

Cyber Warriors: A Comprehensive Introduction to Cybersecurity Tools and Techniques

This one-week virtual camp begins Monday, June 24, and concludes on Friday, June 28. The program introduces students to the world of white-hat hacking and penetration testing — two methods that cybersecurity researchers use to identify security vulnerabilities in an organization’s network. Students will receive a comprehensive introduction of foundational cybersecurity principles then learn about the approaches used to compromise and secure vulnerable computer and network systems, applications and protocols.

Archaeology 101 & 201 Summer Camps

Campers will participate in outdoor and indoor activities while exploring archaeological discoveries, methods, ethics and more. Running over two, one-week sessions, the camp will give students between the ages of 9 and 13 the chance to engage in a variety of topics.

Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design Camps

Join UTSA for a variety of engineering camps that engage high school students in engineering fields through workshops, faculty lectures, lab tours and weeklong competitions. Campers can choose from a variety of programs, including the Rocketry and Robotics Camp and a How It’s Made program for budding engineers. Plus, they will gain hands-on insight from UTSA’s faculty.

Monarch Butterfly Ecology Camp

The camp features indoor and outdoor activities that will teach participants how to identify plants and insects, monitor real life caterpillars, how to press plants and how to make their own insect collections.

Hydrology (All About Water) Camp

Students will discover the unique underground water systems in Bexar County while learning about ground water, water cycles, drinking water and the unique creatures that live in the Edwards Aquifer.

UTSA Sports and Athletics Camps

UTSA Athletics hosts a variety of age- and sport-specific camps for boys and girls. Offerings include baseball, basketball, football, soccer, softball, volleyball and cheer.

Youth Performance Program

This UTSA Campus Recreation camp brings young athletes between the ages of 12 and 17 closer to their goals through a four-week program that benefits sprinting, change of direction, body control and jumping skills.

Youth and Teen Summer Art Studios

The Summer Art Studio program is the most comprehensive summer arts experience for students in San Antonio, offering eight weeks of unique classes for students between the ages of 7 and 18. Activities include wheel throwing, photography, metalsmithing and sculpture.

Summer Band Institute

This camp offers a comprehensive music experience focused on developing the individual musician as well as offering a series of unique and fun opportunities. The camp is open to middle-school and high-school band students from across the country.

Percussion Camp

Students will be immersed in the exciting world of percussion to develop technique and musicality, improve their sight-reading abilities and learn new styles of music. Participants will attend interactive masterclasses, talks, music technology sessions and ensemble experiences led by UTSA faculty and guest instructors.

UTSA All-State Choir Camp

The UTSA All-State Choir Camp continues to be a leader in the Texas All-State Choir preparatory process. Clinicians from prominent Texas high school music programs, along with UTSA’s own superb conductors and faculty, will guide high school campers from across the state in an intensive study of the All-State audition process.

— Drew Vincent