Please feel free to contact our office at any time with any questions you may have. We have a fully-trained staff available to assist you Monday - Friday (8:00 am to 5:00 pm) with any of your needs.

• General Program Questions
• Transportation Questions
• Pre-program Questions
• Registration Questions
• Program Questions
• Health Questions

How many years have the programs been running?

Youth Programs began in 1972.

What is the fax number?

(906) 487-1136 (All of our contact information is available on our Contact page)

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Transportation Questions
(Visit Transportation & Accommodations for more detailed information.)

Is someone available to pick up students regardless of what time they are arriving or departing?

If a participant is arriving by public transportation in Houghton/Hancock (bus or airline), we will pick them up any time day or night as long if we are given prior notice of the method. We need to know the expected arrival time, and the flight or ticket number. Please make sure that we have all of the transportation details as soon as possible.

Participants are picked up/dropped off by someone from our counseling staff. Counselors will be wearing a staff polo shirt and an id tag. They will also be holding a sign for the designated program and will have a list of the participants they are picking up. If you need to put someone down as the pickup person for unaccompanied minor purposes, please contact our office for the contact information. The airport is relatively small; the terminal is only one room-not scary or intimidating for our participants.

Can a student arrive a day early, or leave a day late?

Prior approval must be obtained for either, so call our office to check. In most cases, we can accommodate either request, but there is a $75 per day charge for each extra day. This covers additional counselor supervision and meals. Important note: Late departure on July 31st is NOT AVAILABLE, as we no longer have access to the residence hall or the staff on payroll to supervise these participants!

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When does a specific program run?

Our programs start in mid-June and run through the first week in August. To find the dates of a specific program visit our Event Calendar or Exploration Descriptions & Availability for more information.

What are the ages of the students that are involved in this program?

Our programs are organized into four groups:

• Summer Camps: Explorations for current 6th - 8th grade students
• Career and Adventure Explorations: Current 9th - 11th grade students
• Competitive Scholarship Programs: Current 9th - 11th grade students
• Courses for College Credit: Current 10th & 11th grade students

When will we receive information regarding the programs?

For SYP, you will receive a Confirmation Packet approximately 2 weeks after we have processed the student's application and deposit.

For Competitive Scholarship Programs, we will notify each applicant that we have received their application within two weeks of applying. We will notify all applicants on who was accepted into the programs in mid-April.

When will we need to return our student's Health History and Community Standards and Parental Consent Forms?

For SYP and Competitive Scholarship Programs all forms will need to be returned to the SYP office by June 1st (See Applications & Forms). Participants must have a Health History and Community Standard and Parental Consent Form on file in order to attend. All forms that participants need to fill out will be sent with their Confirmation Packets.

When is the balance due?

For SYP, the remaining balance is due June 1st.

For Competitive Scholarship Programs, the registration fee is due 10 days after the participant receives their acceptance notification in order to complete their enrollment and guarantee their spot.

For Charter Bus Transportation, the balance is due within 10 days of purchase.

If a student is staying for more than one session, what happens over the weekend? Will they change rooms?

We provide weekend stayover activities for $75 per weekend (See Weekend Stayovers). This includes room and board and supervised activities. We will have counselors on duty to supervise participants and to organize activities and field trips for them on Saturday and Sunday. We try extremely hard to keep stayover participants in the same room from week to week; however, we cannot guarantee this.

How should money be sent with the student? How much money should be sent?

The amount is obviously up to you, but $30 to $40 dollars per week is our recommendation. Personal checks, money orders, and traveler's checks can be cashed at the Michigan Tech Cashier's Office ($100.00 limit); participants must be accompanied by a counselor if cashing a check. Spending money is not required but is strongly recommended. All instructional material is provided at no additional cost, but participants do have the opportunity to golf, bowl, see movies, buy pizza, and so on. To participate in some of these activities, or do some shopping at the University Bookstore or elsewhere in the area, some amount of spending money is encouraged. Extra money, airline tickets, and other valuables can be checked in at the reception desk for safekeeping.

What types of things do the students do within their classes?

An exploration is an intensive week-long look at a particular field or area of interest and is offered in six different categories designed to introduce students to a world of opportunities. Explorations allow them to learn new software, rappel, or perform diagnostic chemical tests. In other explorations they could fly a plane, produce a film, backpack through a scenic wilderness area, or cast molten metal. Learning is hands-on, through laboratories, field trips, group projects, meeting with role models, and other experimental and experiential activities.

Who teaches the classes, or explorations?

Michigan Technological University faculty, graduate students, or other specialists in that particular field teach the explorations. Instructors are trained to work with students of pre-college age and meet extensively with the Youth Programs coordinators to ensure their curriculum is age-appropriate, yet challenging.

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Do parents need to be there for registration days?

Although we certainly encourage parents to be there, for their own information, it is not necessary that they be present if all forms have been submitted, all signatures were included, and all information was correct.

What meals are provided on registration and check-out days?

For live-in participants, noon and evening meals are served during Sunday check-in, and only breakfast is served during Saturday check-out. Parents and commuters may also buy meals for themselves on these dates. We encourage parents to try a sample of the residence hall life that participants will experience during their stay with us.

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Program Questions
All participants must have a completed and signed Community Standards and Parental Consent Form on file prior to the start of their program.
(See Signature Page)

Where will the students be staying?

Students live in Douglas Houghton Hall. The floors are arranged by gender and age. Traditionally, girls are on the second floor and boys are on the third floor. Also, younger participants are at one end of the hallway and older students are at the other. (Because of this, participants will be roomed with someone their own age unless they have a roommate request.) Counselors are assigned to groups of approximately 6-10 participants, depending on how high the enrollment is for that week. Rooms have a capacity of 2 people ONLY. The only exception is quad rooms, which are only used during weeks with very high enrollment.

Can students request a roommate?

Yes, although we cannot guarantee the placement. Participants must both include each other's names on the application form and we will do our best to place them together.

Will the students be living with students of similar ages?

Yes, they are grouped by similar age for roommates and within their floor. Floors are divided by gender. No males are ever permitted on the female floor, or vice versa. No guests are allowed in the residence hall unless given prior approval from the coordinators.

Will there be college students in my child's dorm?

The residence hall we use (Douglass Houghton Hall) is reserved for only Youth Programs over the summer, for pre-college student residence.

Where is Douglass Houghton Hall relative to campus?

On the north side of US Highway 41, near the east side of campus.

What is the student's address to send a letter/ package/ money/ etc?

ATTN: (Student's Name)
Summer Youth Program
Douglass Houghton Hall (DHH)
Michigan Technological University
1700 Townsend Drive
Houghton, MI 49931-1194

Will the students have contact with students from other explorations?

Yes, all activities other than the time that participants are in their exploration (from 9:30 to 4:30, Monday through Friday) will be intermingled with all other participants.

Is anyone allowed to check out my child for the day/evening if they live around the area? Can the student leave by themselves?

Students are not allowed to leave campus without an adult. Personal friends or relatives not associated with SYP are only allowed to visit during evening recreation time (around 4:30-10:00pm) and also need to be listed on the participant's Health History Form in the Release of Student section. Participants must be signed out and back in with the Residence Hall Coordinator at the time of the visit. No guests may be upstairs, in participant rooms.

Who supervises the students in the residence hall?

Counselors, Residence Hall Coordinators, and Head Counselors. We hire undergraduate mentors after a comprehensive screening process, which includes intensive training in safety, age-appropriate activities, and diversity.

Is there always a chaperone with the students/do they have constant supervision?

Yes, participants are not permitted to leave the designated campus area without supervision. Any time they leave this area they must be accompanied by a counselor or instructor. During recreation times, they are permitted to walk around the campus, although they must sign out (and sign back in upon return) if they choose to do this.

What can you tell me about security in the residence halls?

• The residence halls are locked from 10 pm to 6:30 am.
• Individual rooms lock and participants have their own room keys.
• No one is allowed in the residence hall without a Youth Programs ID badge.
• Campus is patrolled by full-time police officers.
• While we rarely have a problem, we recognize the value of safe-keeping valuable possessions. Youth Programs provides a free "safe deposit" service where participants can store money and valuables such as CD players, laptops, or other items. These items or cash are individually stored where they can check them out or make a "withdrawal" at any time. Cash balances are tracked; participants initial each withdrawal.

Will my son/daughter be able to do laundry?

Yes! Laundry facilities are available on site. The washers are free, but dryers are 25 cents for 20 minutes. However, the dryers are very large and can hold multiple loads. Detergent is available for purchase in the office.

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Health Questions
All participants must have a completed and signed Health History Form on file prior to the start of their program. (See Health History Form)

My student has special dietary needs (lactose intolerant, allergies, unable to eat x, y, or z), will you be able to accommodate this?

Yes! Our dining hall (in DHH) has a variety of options, including salad & sandwich bar, made to order stir fry, pizza, burgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers, cereal bar, toast, bagels, fresh fruit, and desserts in addition to the hot dishes prepared for that day. Any of these needs should be noted on the participant's Health History Form. If we need any more details about their needs, one of the Residence Hall Coordinators will call prior to the program.

My student takes medication, what do we need to do?

Note any medications the participant is currently taking on the Health History Form, including when they take it and how much. All participants will need to turn their medication into the office with the exception of epi-pens & emergency inhalers - these are kept with the participant. We prefer that medication be in its original prescription bottle, but if it's more convenient for your son/daughter to have it in a day by day case or packed somewhere else, that's ok as long as we know which medications they are taking, how much, and when. Over the counter medicine is available and kept in the office for students, but we do not carry everything. If you choose to send over the counter medication with your student, it will also need to be turned into the office.

My student has a special medical condition, what do we need to do?

Note the condition on the participant's Health History Form. One of the Residence Hall Coordinators will contact you if necessary to ensure that we are prepare for their visit.

Where can my student receive health care?

During the day, YP participants can receive treatment for minor ailments and injuries at the Portage Medical Clinic, located on campus. Clinic staff members include physicians, nurses, and lab assistants. A fee will be charged for each visit and/or medication (cash, check, MasterCard, or VISA). Portage Hospital, located less than ten minutes from campus, is used after clinic hours and for emergencies.

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