Every summer has its own story. At KIPP WAYS Summer University, ours began with excitement, nervous energy, and a shared hope that every participant would leave four weeks later feeling more confident, connected, and prepared for the next chapter.

Disney-inspired themes featuring Cinderella, Mulan, Princess Tiana, and Encanto helped guide each week, but it was the people inside the building who brought the story to life.

A Team That Showed Up

Seven Program Facilitators and six She Works interns worked together to create an environment where every young person felt valued. Staff became encouragers, role models, problem-solvers, and dependable supporters. They celebrated breakthroughs, offered patience on difficult days, and made time for participants who simply needed to feel heard.

That commitment helped transform the program into a community. New friendships formed, hesitant participants became more comfortable contributing, and young people began encouraging one another rather than measuring success only through competition.

Learning Through Connection and Expression

Community partners added meaningful dimensions to the summer experience. Students from Morehouse School of Medicine connected with participants and shared strategies for improving focus and self-regulation while demonstrating that learning can happen in many different ways.

Ms. Wise from I Am Arts transformed an ordinary day through drumming and dance. As participants learned rhythms and moved together, some who were usually quiet became fully engaged, while others stepped naturally into leadership by encouraging their peers. The experience showed how creativity can give young people new ways to communicate, connect, and build confidence.

Conversations That Mattered

Middle school participants also engaged in thoughtful conversations about relationships, decision-making, social media, and the themes explored in Angie Thomas’s novel On the Come Up. They asked questions, shared personal perspectives, and practiced listening respectfully to viewpoints different from their own.

Watching them become more comfortable expressing their opinions while creating room for others to do the same was one of the clearest examples of growth throughout the program.

The moments that stayed with us were the ones when young people discovered that their ideas mattered—and that they could use their voices to encourage others.

Looking back, it is not the schedule that stands out most. It is the participant who proudly shared something she created because she believed in herself. It is hearing young people cheer each other on. It is watching new friendships form and seeing hesitant participants grow into leaders, helpers, and encouragers.

As KIPP WAYS students turn toward a new school year, they carry more than summer memories. They carry stronger relationships, greater confidence, the courage to try something new, and the understanding that they belong exactly as they are.