Behrend's College for Kids features storm-chasing, sandcasting and Swifties

ERIE, Pa. — Penn State Behrend’s summer College for Kids program cloaks learning in immersive play: Students become storm-chasers, champion cake-bakers, custom bookmakers and slime scientists.

This year’s courses, which began June 9, include a new “Made in America” class, which features sandcasting, 3D printing and molds made from melted chocolate. The class is part of Behrend’s new METAL program, a $4.4 million initiative sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense and the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation.

Other new classes include yoga, band and a course built on Taylor Swift’s “Eras” tour.

“Some of our most popular classes are about baking and making pizzas,” said Melanie Ford, director of Youth Education Outreach at Behrend. “What we don’t tell the kids is that they’re also working on their math skills, like fractions.”

Research shows that students who are not academically engaged during the summer months often regress in their learning. College for Kids courses are designed to both entertain and engage students between the ages of 6 and 14.

“The last thing most students want to do in the summer is go to school,” Ford said. “Our instructors do a fabulous job of offering fun, engaging topics that incorporate hands-on learning.”

Registration is still open for morning and afternoon sessions, which continue through July 25. A full schedule and descriptions of the weeklong courses are available at behrend.psu.edu/kids.

Summer enrichment courses do more than prevent a “summer slide,” said Jeff Barber, who coordinates College for Kids. They also can introduce students to new interests and accelerate learning.

“If a student is able to expand a specific skill set over the summer, they can return to school ahead of the curve,” Barber said. “It’s a win-win approach.”

Students who attend with friends tend to have even more fun, Barber said.

“Participating with their peers enhances the balance of fun with teaching useful concepts and makes it more exciting,” he said. “On top of that, they’re learning how to bake, cook, build and create things that are fun and exciting while learning how to measure, draw, paint and explain.”