Workshops spark intellectual curiosity for gifted children through hands-on learning of unique subjects working with expert instructors in specialized fields. Offered online and onsite in Pasadena, they provide a flexible option (1-4 class meetings) for families supplementing current enrollment or unable to commit to a full session of classes.
Available year-round for ages 6–14 (For high school see EXPLORE). Tuition varies, and financial aid is available.
More details soon.
Ages: 11-14 years old
Date: Wednesday, January 21st 4:00pm-5:30pm PT
Time: 90-minute duration
Location: Online
Instructor: Dalton Deneen, Civil Engineering Masters student and alumna of Academy and Yunasa
How do Los Angeles and New York City, two different cities with unique transportation challenges, utilize their civil engineering infrastructure to move millions of people every day? Civil Engineering Masters student Dalton Deneen (Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ) will explain the details of roads, subways, trains and elevators that move people through New York and Los Angeles at incredibly efficient speeds in an intricate network of transportation vehicles. Dalton lived in Los Angeles before moving to New York and is a former IEA Academy and Yunasa student.
Ages: 10–14 years old
Date and Time: Saturday, November 9th from 12:00-2:00pm
Tuition: $75 including materials
Location: In-person at 540 S Marengo Ave, Pasadena CA 91101
Instructor: Alex Carter
Dive into the world of self-expression in our Zine Workshop! This workshop will guide students through the history and process of creating a zine—a self-published mini-magazine filled with students’ unique content. From brainstorming ideas to designing eye-catching layouts, students will explore every aspect of zine-making. By the end of the course, students will have created unique zines to share and cherish, while having the tools to continue to create their own zines.
Ages: 9-12 years old
Dates: Saturdays, June 15, 22, and 29, 2024
Time: 10 AM – noon and 1-3 PM* (12 hours of instruction total)
Location: In-person
Do you want to learn how to combine LEGOs and Scratch programming to make robots? Students will learn to program LEGO Mindstorms EV3 robots with the widely-used Scratch visual programming language and assemble appropriate combinations of motors and mechanisms to complete different challenges. We will explore how robots work, and ways to use the mechanisms available to perform tasks. This workshop will be aimed for students a little younger than the Mindstorms class in Academy’s Summer Session 3 and will assume that most students have limited exposure to block programming.
Ages: 8-10
Dates: Saturdays, March 9, 16, 23 and 30 from 2:00-3:30pm
Location: In-person
Instructor: Carla Collier
Students will first learn about how cells work through designing a “Cell City” and studying how the different parts of a cell work together. Then they’ll learn about cell differentiation and the remarkable healing abilities of stem cells by coming up with their own stem cell superhero. In the third meeting, students will discover how stem cells can address real-world challenges. They’ll learn about stem cells’ potential to heal and regenerate, using them as tools to solve environmental issues by navigating challenges and solving puzzles inspired by real-world scenarios. In the final session, the class will conduct hands-on experiments to demystify the magic of stem cells and explore their fascinating properties! This workshop series is open to students age 8 to 10, regardless of background knowledge.
Ages: 10-14
Dates: April 2-4 (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) from 2:00-4:30pm each day
Location: In-person
In this award-winning program, students create simulated wastewater, clean it through a series of physical, chemical, and biological treatment processes, and test it for various water quality parameters. The program not only teaches how wastewater is treated but also links science and technology to environmental impacts and issues. The materials for this Academy workshop series will be provided by the LA County Sanitation Districts (LACSD) and led by IEA STEM Specialist and EXPLORE advisor Monica Barsever.
Ages: 9–12 years old
Date: Thursdays for 6 weeks March 20-April 24
Time: 4:00-5:00pm PST
Tuition: $200 (Partial Tuition Assistance packages and payment plans are available)
Location: Virtual
Instructor: Grayson Kent
What is considered normal and status quo is often in the eye of the beholder. From anomalous anatomy to senses that border on the supernatural, nature is full of all manner of bizarre and unusual beasties. In Animal Oddballs, a six-week online learning opportunity, students will get a chance to discover the secrets of some of the animal kingdom’s strangest denizens.
Ages: 10–14 years old
Date: Sunday, April 6th
Time: 10:00am-2:00pm (with a break for a packed lunch)
Tuition: $200 (tuition assistance is available)
Location: In-person at The Huntington Library
Students who love to crack codes, explore forensic science, and follow clues will have a blast in this learning opportunity at the Huntington Library! Through an interdisciplinary scavenger hunt across the Huntington grounds, students will learn about genetic fingerprints, art interpretation, botany, and more. They will have a lunch break around noon to enjoy their packed lunch outdoors and should also bring a water bottle and sun protection. Tuition includes admittance to the Huntington Library.
“Since there were only two other people in the class, we were able to learn more. I felt that I was in an environment with kids like me. This allowed me to be more challenged.”
– IEA Academy Student