FOCUS Academy
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2023 FOCUS Academy Dates:
July 31-August 4
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2023 FOCUS Academy Costs: $500 (includes program, food, and lodging)
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2023 Schedule (subject to change):
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8:00-9 am: Breakfast
9:30-10 am: Morning Group Session
10:15-11:45 am: STEM Workshop Session 1
12-1 pm: Lunch
1:15-2:45 pm: STEM Workshop Session 2
3-3:30 pm: Afternoon Group Session
3:30-4:00 pm: Afternoon Break
4:00-5 pm: Evening Workshop
5:00-6 pm: Dinner
6:00-7 pm: Evening Break in Dorm
7:00-9 pm: "The STEM Lounge" (Game night; movie
night, etc.)
9:00-10 pm: Back to rooms
10 pm: Room check
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FOCUS Academy*
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The FOCUS Academy was born out of the numerous requests from our FOCUS middle school camp alumni who loved the program so much that they wanted to continue through high school. After a short pilot in 2017, the official FOCUS Academy residential program* for high school students began in 2018. This program is designed to be more advanced and immersive in the college experience than the FOCUS middle school programs. The STEM workshops are longer and more advanced, but there are also many other enhancement sessions that are included such as college and SAT prep, goal setting, fitness classes, a farewell party, and more.
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The participants stay in suite-style upperclassmen dorms which have two rooms connected by a bathroom. Two participants reside in each room. The FOCUS Academy counselors and a dorm leader (graduate student or senior leadership) stay in single rooms on the same floor as the participants.
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Sample Schedule**
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Monday (Science Day):
Registration
Camp pre-assessment
Team building activities
Science workshop 1
Buffet lunch in university dining hall (included in camp price)
Science workshop 2
Team building activities and review
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Tuesday (Technology Day):
Team building activities
Technology workshop 1
Buffet lunch in university dining hall (included in camp price)
Technology workshop 2
Team building activities and review
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Wednesday (Engineering Day):
Team building activities
Engineering workshop 1
Buffet lunch in university dining hall (included in camp price)
Engineering workshop 2
Team building activities and review
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Thursday (Mathematics Day):
Team building activities
Mathematics workshop 1
Buffet lunch in university dining hall (included in camp price)
Mathematics workshop 2
Team building activities and review
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Friday:
STEM Leadership and Entrepreneurship workshop
Camp post-assessment
Preparation for poster presentations
Buffet lunch in university dining hall (included in camp price)
Poster presentations and closing ceremony
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*While the program is designed for girls, the program is open to all gender identities.
Examples of past workshops:
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Forensic Chemistry
Identification of Individuals using DNA Profiles
So You Want to Start a New Business? (Math with MITRE)
Bioinformatics
Virtual Reality and its Applications
Microscopy and Mitosis
Photographic Chemistry and Cyanotypes
HTML Programming
Meteorology with NBC's Veronica Johnson
Cybersecurity
Coding
Crime Scene Investigation
The Human Skeleton in Forensic Medicine
Forensic Entomology
Rockets & Satellites with The Aerospace Corporation
College preparation and Goal Setting
Forensic Chemistry
Polarized Light Microscopy
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FOCUS Academy Dormitory
Student Center Food Court Options (Other dining options include: Chick Fil-A, Dunkin Donuts, Einstein Bros Bagels, Subway, etc.)
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Sample Residential Schedule*
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Day One:
Check in and orientation
Camp pre-assessment
Team building activities
Lunch in university student center food court
STEM workshop
Campus tour & college admissions overview
Dinner in university student center court
Movie night
Room check
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Day Two:
Breakfast in university student center food court
STEM workshop 1
Lunch in university student center food court
STEM workshop 2
College prep and goal setting session
Dinner in university student center food court
Game night
Room check
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Day Three:
Breakfast in university student center food court
STEM workshop 1
Lunch in university student center food court
STEM workshop 2
Fitness class
Dinner in university student center food court
Movie night
Room check
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Day Four:
Breakfast in university student center food court
STEM workshop 1
Lunch in university student center food court
STEM workshop 2
Undergraduate student panel discussion
Dinner in university student center food court
Farewell Party
Room check
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Day Five:
Breakfast in university student center food court
STEM workshop 1
Lunch in university student center food court
Post-Assessment
Closing Ceremony
Check out
The 2019 FOCUS Academy participants attended the dedication of the Katherine G. Johnson Hall building on the George Mason University Science and Technology campus as VIP guests. Above they are pictured in front of the Katherine Johnson building with Ms. Johnson's daughters, Katherine Moore and Joylette Hylick, as well as Mason's President at the time, Ángel Cabrera.