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2025: This coming summer, the Aquetza program will be continuing our 2 week program from Friday July 11th through Friday, July 25th. Youth who are accepted are required to participate in both weeks of Aquetza programming.

  • The first week of the program, July 11-19th will take place in-person and on-campus in the dorms at CU-Boulder.  Housing and food will be provided all week.
  • The second week, July 21-25th will consist of daily in-person sessions in each of the different regions throughout Colorado. Food will be provided at meetings. 
  • On Saturday July 26th, we will share a video highlighting and celebrating the work done by students over the previous two weeks.
Aquetza Summer 2017
the Aquetza Story classroom lecture
AQUETZA Class of 2014'
AQUETZA scholars circle at CU Boulder
AQUETZA classroom at CU Boulder
AQUETZA high school men
three AQUETZA Scholars
AQUETZA high school women girls
Aquetza Scholars 2016
Aquetza Origins
Aquetza's Chicano Colorado flag
AQUETZA Scholars on CU Campus
AQUETZA Program logo

Bienvenidos!

Welcome to the home of the Aquetza: Youth, Leadership, Education and Community Empowerment Program at CU Boulder hosted by UMAS y MEXA de CU Boulder, a summer enrichment experience for Colorado youth.
 
Aquetza is a free, residential and community-based summer program that provides high school students with strong ties to Chicano/Latino communities from across Colorado with an interactive, academic enrichment experience focused on engaging Chican@/Latin@ youth in examining the history, literature, health science, and relevant social and political issues surrounding their cultural communities, through rigorous academic work in ethnic studies, writing, reading, and science. Through our programming, attendees will have opportunities to see themselves as scholars – as holders and producers of new and valuable knowledge – as well as a chance to develop the skills to become leaders in their communities.
 

Applications for 2025 are NOW OPEN! Applicants will be notified whether they are Accepted or Waitlisted before May 31st.

2025: All participants of the Aquetza program are required to attend both weeks of the program from Friday July 11th through Friday, July 26th.

  • The first week of the program, July 11-19th will take place in-person and on-campus at CU-Boulder. Students will remain on campus all week, housing and food will be provided.
  • The second week, July 21-25th will consist of daily in-person sessions in each of the different regions throughout Colorado. Students will attend sessions in their community during the day, food will be provided at meetings. 
  • On Saturday July 26th, we will be sharing a video highlighting and celebrating the work done by student participants over the past two weeks.

We accepts applications from Colorado high school students currently in grades 9, 10 and 11 to attend our program over the summer. There is no GPA requirement and no cost for the program.  Students with nontraditional academic and social backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applicants will be contacted regarding your acceptance status into the Aquetza Program by May 31st.

For further information or questions, please contact:

Jessica Valadez-Fraire
(720) 361-7541 (English, Spanish)    
jessica.ValadezFraire@colorado.edu 

Jason Romero Jr.
(719) 821-0762 (English)
jason.romerojr@colorado.edu