Aspire! Grades 11-12
Too grown-up for summer camp? Starting to think about college?
Aspire! may be for you...
Registration opens January 22nd at 8 am. You can register online or by calling 704-687-8900.
Online Registration
You can register with just the DEPOSIT or with the FULL amount.
Aspire! is a week-long residential program for rising 11th - 12th graders* who want a "sneak preview" of college life. This year, we have 7 academic strands – Law, Lab Skills 101, Motorsports Engineering, Linux, Health, The Business of DIY, Computer Forensics and Robotics 401: Exploring Engineering and Robotic Careers. During the day, you work with your own group; evening activities include advice from the Admissions office about your college application; meeting with a representative of the College Foundation of North Carolina, for an informational session covering college applications, career advice, scholarship opportunities, etc.; and meetings with students and faculty from departments of interest to you. Of course, there's also swimming, and other recreational activities, and the usual (in)famous Talent Show!
Aspire! Law Week 1
11 & 12
June 10, 2013 - June 14, 2013
If you think you might be interested in a legal career, or are just fascinated by the law, this week’s Aspire! Law program is right for you. Play the role of a prosecuting attorney or defense lawyer, an expert witness or a criminal investigator, as you attempt to unravel the truth in a homicide* trial. Learn the basics of courtroom procedure with the help of “Judge” Jeri Guido. See if you can put together a case to convince the jury your client is innocent, or to obtain a conviction.
Aspire! Lab Skills 101 Week 2
11 & 12
June 17, 2013 - June 21, 2013
Become a lab expert by brushing up your science laboratory skills. You will use inquiry to design your own experiments using sophisticated equipment such as gel electrophoresis and titration and then apply your findings to technology such as Bioinformatics, Geocaching and Satellite tracking. By the time you leave, you'll be well-versed in lab skills in Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Earth Science.
Aspire! Motorsports Engineering Week 2
Grades 11-12 Application Deadline was April 30, 2013
June 17, 2013 - June 21, 2013
If you have an interest in Science and Motorsports Engineering, then this Aspire! program is designed for you. In Charlotte, the racing capital of the world, you’ll get an introduction to Mechanical, Electrical, and Civil Engineering by doing in-depth work on a race car project in the UNC Charlotte Race Shop (a.k.a. The Alan Kulwicki Race Shop) and our Motorsports Research Building; we also typically study micro-electronics fabrication in a clean room and research racetrack structures. The Thursday activities will include a field trip to a racetrack and/or race team. Friday is for wrapping up projects followed up with a presentation and award program.
Click here for the UNC Charlotte Motorsports website.
Application Deadline was April 30, 2013
Aspire! Linux: The Other Operating System Week 3
11 & 12
June 24, 2013 - June 28, 2013
Microsoft Windows and Apple OS X are the well known operating systems on personal and corporate computers now days. But there is another OS: Linux. Linux comes in many flavors, from general use by the public to specialized servers for businesses. Linux can be a personal workstation, a Web server, a file server, etc. This camp will a quick introduction to Linux: how to install it, how configure it to your needs and how to maintain it. We will also do some cool network services on it such as a creating a Web server, setting up secure internet transactions through tunnelling and more!
Aspire! Health Week 4
11 & 12
July 8, 2013 - July 12, 2013
With over 400 career opportunities, Healthcare is a great career choice! Meet various professionals in the medical field who will answer questions and share inside knowledge about their careers. Tour the UNC Charlotte Student Health Center for a behind-the-scenes look at medical equipment and health services. Explore health education training. Learn medical terminology, discover primary healthcare trends, and study nutrition & exercise. Take a field trip to PIT (Performance Instruction & Training), the award winning facility for motorsports-related training and team-building. Practice healthcare skills such as measuring blood pressure, using a stethoscope, and giving injections. This comprehensive, hands-on program offers students the opportunity to expand their knowledge about health and careers in the healthcare field. It is an “outside the box” experience that will get your wheels spinning!
Aspire! The Business of DIY Week 5
11 & 12
July 15, 2013 - July 19, 2013
Do you like to make stuff? Are you interested in starting your own business? Create several DIY projects, learn the mathematics of business, and the basics of entrepreneurial law. Is becoming the next Bill Gates in your future?
Aspire! Computer Forensics Week 6
11 & 12
July 22, 2013 - July 26, 2013
Computer forensics is the acquisition, examination, and reporting of information found on computers and networks for a criminal or civil investigation. As you see on TV crime shows like CSI, nearly everything done on a computer or network leaves traces — from deleted files and registry entries to the Internet history cache and automatic Word backup files. You will work in our Department of Software and Information Systems with the very same FTK Forensic Toolkit used by law enforcement to solve a (made-up!) kidnapping crime by following digital data clues. If you have an affinity for how computers really work, this week will show you that SOLVING crimes is a more exciting and rewarding job than committing them!
Aspire! Robotics 401: Exploring Engineering and Robots Careers Week 7 **FULL**
11 & 12
July 29, 2013 - August 2, 2013
**FULL**
Electrical, Computer, and Mechanical Engineers work together to design and build today's industrial robots and robotic vehicles. In this camp you will learn more about these fields of engineering and robotic design. You will learn by using the same tools that engineers in the field use. Different robotic platforms will be used, including an underwater robot!
Click here to join the wait list.
