Course Information & Sessions

From hamming it up on stage to studying the cultural phenomenon of “Hamilton,” scholars and artists in the academic discipline of Performance Studies look at performance across all aspects of everyday life. This course will help students cultivate their talents and interests in the fine A.R.T.S. (artistic representation and thinking skills). Students with interests in music, theatre, and world cultures will thrive in this course through participation in sessions focusing on music, acting, directing, performance technology, cultural history, choreography, and craftsmanship. Exciting, hands-on sessions include steel pan band, costume design staging, lighting, music, and movement. Students will work in a creative and collaborative environment to devise and develop a unique performance which will be presented at the end of the course. The experience will culminate with a trip to Houston to see the Tony award-winning Broadway show, Frozen, followed by a class performance of their own original material.

This program will introduce participants to what it takes to get into vet school, what it’s like once you are in, and what career options you have once you get out. Get a closer look at radiology, see if you can handle herpetology, and get a gut feeling about parasitology fields. Ruminate whether you can stomach a stomach as you get hands-on (and even hands-in) experience with large animals. Sew up your interest in the field by completing a small animal surgery using plush pets as patients. If you love learning about creatures that slither, crawl, bounce, and pounce, this class is for you!

The VizKids: Graphic Design course will provide experience with the concepts and techniques used in graphic design including typography, use of color, design principles, integration of type, graphic elements, and images. Working individually and as part of small teams for conceptual thinking and problem solving, students will mold and shape their illustrator skills as they build a foundational knowledge of Adobe and other design-centered software. Campers are not required to have past experience with technology or design, but will be expected to embrace both traditional and computer enabled processes.

Have you wondered how companies like 23andMe or AncestryDNA can tell you the story of your DNA using only your saliva? This class is designed to expose students to the modern world of Biotechnology. In this course, students will learn firsthand how to read and manipulate genetic code. During the week, students will participate in specially designed laboratories and demonstrations that will introduce students to the scientific principles behind several cutting-edge technologies in the field such as genetic profiling, molecular imaging, and DNA technology, all while obtaining hands-on experience with our state-of-the-art equipment and instrumentation that Texas A&M professors use in their research on campus. This course will go well beyond what can be learned in traditional teaching classrooms/laboratories and will highlight the exciting aspects of a career in the field of Biotechnology.

Got your head in the clouds dreaming about a career in Geosciences? Students enrolled in this course will gain the unique opportunity to work alongside top-notch geoscientists researching every aspect of our environment – from the heights of the atmosphere to the depths of the trenches on the ocean floor to even the extraterrestrial mountains on Mars! During the week, students will be immersed with hands-on instruction in the field and utilize state-of-the-art technology including launching and tracking their own weather balloon, operating the Aggie Doppler Radar (ADRAD), and operating the high-tech mobile radar (SMART-R). This class is for anyone who is (storm) chasing a dream job in the field of Geosciences!

Have a “sustained” interest in attending law school? In this class, you will take a case from the beginning all the way through the trial in front of a real judge in a courtroom! Students will learn the rules of evidence and criminal trial procedures as well as the substantive law applicable to your case. You’ll learn about the rules of professional responsibility required of ethical lawyers. Finally, be “briefed” on how to construct opening and closing arguments, interview and cross-examine witnesses, and tell a persuasive story to the jury. The verdict is in … through participating in this class, it will be “plaintiff” see if you have what it takes to be a trial lawyer!

Using the high-tech facilities at Texas A&M’s Health Science Center, students will be immersed in a simulated medical environment through specially designed laboratories and demonstrations. Learn basic surgical skills including suturing and stitching. Practice starting an IV and taking blood on synthetic limbs. Learn anatomy to properly read and analyze x-rays. Take vitals and work on your bedside manner as you diagnose and treat a robot patient who will voice their symptoms and complaints. All instruction is geared to give a real-life and hands-on glimpse into the field of medicine. This is your opportunity to determine if a career in medicine is right for you!

The VizKids: Animation course will provide students with experience with storytelling through animation giving students a “bit” of a look at what working at Pixar is all about. Using a variety of media, including hand-drawn and computer software, students will work individually and as part of small teams to develop animated shorts. They’ll learn how to create expressive character movement, stage cameras, convey emotion through timing and posing. Campers are not required to have past experience with technology or design, but will be expected to embrace both traditional and computer enabled processes.

Is it your desire to attend Texas A&M? Want to spend Saturday sawing ’em off at Kyle Field? Want to stroll through campus saying “Howdy” to your fellow Aggies? Dreamed about participating in traditions from Midnight Yell to Muster? If so, this class will help you meet your goal of getting into one of the preeminent universities in Texas and the most prestigious school in the SEC. Especially designed for rising 11th and 12th graders beginning the college application process, this course is structured to educate and equip students with the knowledge, skills, and resources to enhance their college readiness level and plan and prepare for entrance into higher education. This high-impact college readiness course includes: customized writing workshops; assistance in the development of resumes and generation of responses to the “Apply Texas” college application essays; personalized meetings with undergraduate academic advisors from several colleges on the TAMU campus; scholarship information; and in-depth camp activities and events that help students experience the “overall” Spirit of Aggieland.

Think you can swim with the sharks in the tank? Want to learn what the “big idea” is with Entrepreneurship? Learn about business by doing business with your own “startup” company in just five days! Startup Aggieland staff will introduce students to principles of creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship towards learning the methodology for developing businesses and products. You’ll learn the basics of creating an innovative product using consumer driven design principles. Participants will hone their presentation skills and pitch potential investors with guidance from Startup Aggieland’s network of mentors and student entrepreneurs. Through this class, you’ll learn how to launch a new venture, validate your market, and discover ways that you cann explore entrepreneurship on your own. Have fun learning how to make your ideas stand out by “Starting Up!”

True to the nature of the forensics fields, students will learn to use anthropological, biological, chemical, and mechanical procedures to analyze a crime scene and determine the nature and cause of a crime. Trace evidence collection procedures (dusting for prints, shoe tread and type, document analysis, etc.) will be combined with advanced criminal techniques (blood spatter analysis, black light technology) to help students work on a crime scene where students must piece together the evidence and crack the case!

This class will give students a Dwight “Look” into the College of Engineering here at Texas A&M University. Explore the systems design process and see your creations come to life through brainstorming, collaborative sketching, and 3D modeling. Learn the principles of reverse engineering as you build up your visualization skills. Get your mind in gear with hardware and software development to perform mechanical tasks.  Explore virtual elements of design in the state of the art Fischer Engineering Design Center and end the week with autonomous vehicles to see if your interests are “steered” towards automotive engineering.  This class allows students to “plug” into a variety of fields to see if they “spark” an interest in Mechanical Engineering as a career!

In this “smashing” course, students will get a closer (microscopic) look at the chemistry behind particle collision. When most people think about doing chemistry, they often picture a scientist mixing solutions, or heating things over a flame to cause them to react, but it turns out that another way to make molecules react is to dramatically crush them together! This type of chemistry is called Mechano-chemistry, where the application of mechanical force can be used to drive chemical reactions without adding heat, and without the use of toxic solvents, making it a more efficient and safer way to create new materials. Students will learn how to “use the force” to make chemistry happen and will gain hands on experience with the equipment used for carrying out and studying Mechanochemical reactions ranging from simple mechanical mills to advanced microscopes, such as atomic force and confocal fluorescence microscopes, that allow us to see how molecules change when we “put the hammer down.”

Campers in the VizKids: Game Design course will collaborate in a small team to design and create their own video game! Campers will develop all aspects of their game including the game theme, art, game mechanics, and interaction design through an easy-to-learn game engine. A willingness to embrace technology is essential. Experience as an artist and/or programming skill is helpful but not required. The most important criteria is that campers are intrigued by the pursuit of making fun and creative interactive experiences.