OUR VISION
A future where young people in Eastern Kentucky can grow their families, build their careers, and thrive right in the mountains that they call home.
MISSION
To empower Eastern Kentucky's youth by enhancing the education-to-workforce transition through career-connected learning and equipping students with the durable skills required for success in the 21st century.
GOALS
Rural Up, Inc. empowers Eastern Kentucky's youth by bridging education-to-workforce transition through career-connected learning for success in the 21st-century workplace. We collaborate with schools, community leaders, and local employers to offer work-based learning opportunities, including internships, mentorships, and durable skills training.
Provide Eastern Kentucky youth with the 21st century, real-world skills, industry-specific pathways, mentorship, and work-based learning opportunities needed to persist through school and envision postsecondary and career success.
Build a network of economic, educational, and civic leaders along with employer partners to support work-based learning opportunities that will advance the careers of youth entering the workforce.
Prepare our youth to participate in the economic transformation and digitization of the workplace through education, training, and employment in the digital economy.
AREAS OF FOCUS: Digital Equity & Career Pathways
In Digital Equity, we recognize the critical need to provide our young people with essential digital literacy skills required in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape. We provide K-12 coding camps, coding clubs, and regional competitions, and we are developing a mobile STEM bus to engage students where they are and help schools enhance hands-on, real-world STEM learning.
In Career Pathways, our emphasis on work-based learning opportunities, including internships and durable skill development, connects high school students with career-related learning experiences and mentorship opportunities with local and regional employers. For the many youths who want to remain in the region and be close to family, our investment in workforce development allows them to see opportunities in the place they call home.
Imagine if rural Eastern Kentucky and all of Appalachia are where the next great forward-thinking innovative ideas are birthed!
Summer 2024: Cyber Arcade Camp
Computer Programming & Making with micro:bit
Summer 2024: STEM Explorer Camp
The Exciting World of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math!
Summer 2024 Camps (For Rising 5th - 8th graders)
Join us abroad Explorer 7 - a Mobile STEM Lab Experience!
The newest innovation of the country’s mobile laboratory leader, Explorer7 is a flexible, multipurpose space designed to engage and excite students about science, technology, engineering, and math. The seventh vehicle in the Learning Undefeated fleet, Explorer7 features bold, colorful graphics inside and out and touchscreen televisions at each student workspace. We can’t wait to bring our camps to the region on board Learning Undefeated’s latest mobile lab!
STEM Explorer Camp
The STEM Explorer Camp is designed to ignite a passion for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The program engages students in hands-on activities, challenges, and other interactive learning experiences. Each day, students will be introduced to a different STEM topic to explore, including cybersecurity, Al, micropipettes, circuits, and much more!
June 24-28 | London Children’s Museum (Laurel County) | Monday - Friday, 9am-12pm daily
Includes daily admissions to the London Children’s Museum.
July 1-3 | Jackson County Public Library in McKee (Jackson County) | Monday - Wednesday, 10am-3pm daily
The fee is waived for all students who register; courtesy of the Library and Partners for Rural Impact (PRI).
July 8-12 | Harlan Independent High School (Harlan County) | Monday - Friday, 9am-12pm daily
July 15-18 | Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College, Barbourville (Knox County) | Monday - Thursday, 10am-3pm daily
Priority registration for Partners for Rural Impact (PRI) students. The fee is also waived for PRI students.
July 22-26 | EKU Manchester Campus (Clay County) | Monday - Friday, 9am-12pm daily
Cyber Arcade Camp with Micro:bit (Computer Coding)
Join us for a fun and creative introduction to computer science and hands-on making for makers with little to no experience in programming and 3D design. Using a Micro:bit (a pocket-sized computer) and MakeCode, young makers practice problem-solving and teamwork to create interactive arcade games. Makers have opportunities to develop knowledge in computer science, engineering, art, and game design, as well as gain exposure to real-world industry concepts.
June 24-28 | London Children’s Museum (Laurel County) | Monday - Friday, 1pm-4pm daily
Includes daily admissions to the Museum.
July 8-12 | Harlan Independent High School (Harlan County) | Monday - Friday, 1pm-4pm daily
July 22-26 | EKU Manchester Campus (Clay County) | Monday - Friday, 1pm-4pm daily
Details:
Campers should be rising 5th through 8th graders.
Registration fee is $30 per camp; sign up for both STEM and Cyber Arcade camps for a discounted $50 registration fee. Partners for Rural Impact students do NOT pay a registration fee.
Students who sign up for a morning camp and an afternoon camp may stay for the whole day.
Scholarship waivers are available - please email us at info@ruralup.org. We are committed to making sure all students have an opportunity to participate in our camps.
Snacks and drinks will be provided for all campers. Some locations will also provide lunches - we will provide updates closer to the start of camp.
At the end of each camp is a Demo Hour & Pizza Party for campers and their families to celebrate their learnings!
REGISTER TODAY! Space is limited.
Our Summer 2024 Camps are made possible thanks to the generous support from the Kloiber Foundation, the Marksbury Family Foundation, the Appalachian Impact Fund, Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR), and the kindness of our donors. Additionally, we would like to extend our gratitude to Learning Undefeated for their partnership, providing access to their mobile lab and STEM curriculum.
Send us a note:
You're also welcomed to email us @ info@ruralup.org
Or write us a snail mail:
Rural Up, Inc., P.O. Box 404, London, KY 40743