Summer is here, and that means ACES Family Academies is back on campus. Taking place at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, ACES Family Academies is a two-day interactive and educational event held July 10-12, 2024, that gives families and kids (ages 8-13) a glimpse into being part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at Illinois. ACES alumni are invited to register by June 16.

Attendees will learn about ACES majors, programs, and research through fun, interactive lessons and demonstrations. Participants stay in an on-campus residence hall and eat in the Ikenberry Dining Center for an authentic taste of college life. The cost to attend is $200 per participant.

“Participants learn everything about all the majors of study within our diverse ACES curriculum,” said Meghan Clodfelter, ACES Family Academies organizer and coordinator of alumni engagement for ACES. “We have courses dedicated to teaching all the different things a College of ACES education offers to college students but formulated for the 8-to-13 age range.”

Courses for the summer of 2024 include topics such as food and health, smart agriculture, the science behind popcorn and bread, and many more. Family Academies participants will be able to enroll in familiar favorites such as “Sausage 101,” where they will learn how to make their own sausage from preparation to plate — to new additions like “Storytelling through Agricultural Communications,” where students learn how to craft a compelling narrative and transform their parent into a brand ambassador.

ACES Family Academies is supported by the College of ACES Alumni Association.

For more details, visit the ACES Family Academies web page and register by June 16.