What's New at Academy Summer

Program-Wide Enhancements

Academies Designed for Every Age

Our fully redesigned Academies provide developmentally aligned programming for rising Kindergarteners through high school students. Each grade-level Academy is intentionally structured to match the needs of its age group, blending hands‑on learning, creativity, and purposeful enrichment. Students build skills, gain confidence, and enjoy programs that are both engaging and appropriate for their stage of growth.

More Albany Academy Staff

Our programs feature many Albany Academy faculty and coaches, along with outstanding teachers and coaches from across the region and beyond. 

Expanded Pathways and Personalized Opportunities 

Trailblazers expands student choice with Specialty Academies in the arts, STEM, athletics, academics, writing and leadership. Students can follow a passion or try something new through flexible full‑day and half‑day options. Morning and afternoon sessions can stand alone or be paired to create a full‑day experience, giving every learner room to explore and grow at their own pace.

Early Morning Structure with Mindful Morning and Sports Start! 

Purposeful, teacher-led morning experiences that begin the day with calm, creativity, or movement options.

Extend the Day with the Four O’Clock Club

An engaging afternoon option beyond the regular summer day with activities and experiences planned by talented educators to extend the day in creative, engaging ways.

Intentional Daily Structure Maximum Summer Fun

Our reimagined daily structure blends purposeful enrichment with the excitement students look forward to every summer. Programs support academic confidence, creativity, and social development while keeping each day  engaging and fun, a balance that helps every child grow and feel connected.

Academic Enrichment & Skill‑Building in Our New Junior Academies

Purposeful Academics in Kickstart Academy (K) and  Discovery Academy (Grades 1–2)

Our Junior Academies programs now feature an intentionally designed, academically aligned, two-week structure that blends joyful summer experiences with real skill growth. Built around three developmentally designed sessions, Kickstart Academy (K) and Discovery Academy (Grades 1–2) integrate early literacy, numeracy, STEM thinking, social‑emotional learning, creativity, and fine‑motor development, led by skilled classroom educators. Together, these experiences strengthen foundational academic skills, build confidence, and support whole‑child growth while keeping each day lively, playful, and developmentally appropriate.

What this looks like each 2-week session:

• Literacy: journals, functional writing (lists, letters, labels), storytelling, vocabulary
• Math: measuring, comparing, sorting, graphing, shapes, symmetry, early mapping
• STEM: observing, asking questions, predicting, building, testing, reflecting
• SEL: belonging, cooperation, empathy, responsibility, perseverance, confidence
• Arts & Movement: visual art, music, dramatic play, outdoor exploration, purposeful play

Session Focus Across the Summer:

• Community & Belonging: roles in a community, Camp Cares service learning, thank‑you notes, simple maps and data, fairness and kindness through role play
• Exploring & Discovering Our World: nature study, animals and habitats, weather observations, maps and globes, inquiry journals, hands‑on investigations
• Creating, Building & Imagining: inventions and simple machines, building challenges, mixed‑media art, storytelling and design, collaborative projects

Growing Independence in Explorers Academy (Grades 3–4)

Explorers Academy is a unique, readiness‑building program that feels like Adventurers Academy, but intentionally curated for them to experience the most dynamic summer! Students spend the day in five different specialty classes taught by our Adventurers‑level teaching team, rotating through visual and performing arts, STEM, sports, culture and writing, leadership, community service with classes like morning yoga, tennis and swimming with our Varsity coaches, fiber arts, languages, and  more.

New topics each week provide a fresh focus for campers to get a taste of everything while building confidence and discovering new interests. The schedule is developmentally balanced with snacks, recess, lunch, and movement breaks. It’s an academically enriched experience that bridges early elementary to upper‑elementary readiness - structured, well-rounded, and designed just for Grades 3–4. 

Smooth Transition to our New Adventure Academy (Grades 5–8)

Adventure Academy introduces a more advanced enrichment model with four 90‑minute classes each day, giving students the time and depth to immerse themselves in subjects they love. Campers choose from a wide range of specialty offerings in arts, STEM, sports, writing, world cultures, leadership, and more, creating a personalized schedule that matches their interests and growing independence.