Virtual STEM Academy for rising 7th grade students

June 28-July 16, 2021

The mission of the Tomorrow Project academies is to increase the number of graduating high school seniors who meet college academic admission requirements; to increase the number of local youth attending Pacific and other universities by at least 10%; and to build a network of sustained support to guide our young people toward high school graduation. Each academically focused academy serves as a pipeline to higher education, and each uses a slightly different and oftentimes combined approach (e.g. college readiness, STEM, social justice, etc.).  

Reach for the Stars is a collaborative partnership between Sacramento City Unified School District, SMUD, and University of the Pacific.

Students using mini solar panels outside
Register now

Spots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Register now this summer and you can claim your seat for next summer also. 

The academy will be in-person in Oak Park in Summer 2022.

What we do

The RFTS academy builds a community around the importance of STEM. The curriculum emphasizes the development of abstract reasoning and problem solving. The Academy incorporates several instructional strategies including problem solving, project based learning, career opportunity awareness, research and study, teamwork, oral and written communication as well as field trips. The program is prepared to increase student academic achievement and decrease “summer learning loss.”

The academy incorporates a combination of two curricula: 1) STEMscopes a leading curriculum for innovative STEM education in digital, project kits, and print, resources that are CCSS and NGSS aligned; 2) PREP USA STEM, a pre-engineering college level curriculum, modeled after the very successful TexPREP programs in Texas and the San Antonio PREP programs. Curriculum is delivered via project-based activities.