Summer is a great time for high school students to explore pre-college options

Summer is a great time for high school-age students to explore their creative interests, build studio skills – and, in many cases, earn some college credit at the same time. 

The Center for Creative Exploration, at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design, has 17 multi-session classes and single-session workshops open to 9th- through 12th-graders this July. From writing to traditional and digital arts to figure drawing, graphic design, branding, and more, there’s a wide variety of options that enable teens to stay creatively active and engaged. 

More intensive, multi-session classes not only provide that outlet: they also carry with them college-level credit, giving those students a leg up when they apply or enroll in colleges in the future. In this summer session, credit-bearing classes include Introduction to Digital Painting, Introduction to Figure Drawing, Introduction to Observational Painting, Introduction to Observational Drawing, Creative Writing: Finding Your Voice, Introduction to Screen Printing, Introduction to Stop Motion Animation, Visual Branding and Graphic Design, Color Lab: Exploration of Color, Fantasy Digital Illustration, Introduction to Digital Photography, Introduction to Oil Painting, and Introduction to Short Story Writing. These credit-bearing classes offer a taste of a full college art course experience, with the added benefit of connecting with classmates who have similar skills, interests, and ambitions. All of this goes toward better preparing students for the next step in their education. 

Don’t have a week or two free to take a longer-term class? Check out single-session workshops that can spark a new interest: Landscapes and Environmental Design for Games and Digital Media (online), Getting Started With Digital Painting (online), LifeWriting: A Memoir Writing Workshop for Young Voices Ages 12-18, and Intergenerational Studio: Exploring BEAT Poetry Ages 14-Adult. 

“The wide range of classes we are offering this summer are designed to give students the opportunity to develop their creative skills and explore a variety of artistic practices,” said CCE Pre-College & Adult Enrichment Program Coordinator Rachel Yinger. “These credit-bearing classes are a great way to build a college portfolio and to get a taste of what it would be like to attend PCA&D as a college student.”

Over the past 30 years, the College’s Center for Creative Exploration has given thousands of students of all ages a way to expand their knowledge, practice their craft, and grow in their creativity and practical skills. Reflecting the community’s wants and needs, CCE has become a valuable home to Lancaster’s creative community.