About Aquetza

In Nahuatl, the language of the Mexica/Aztec indigenous people of central and northern Mexico,“aquetza” translates as “to lift your chin up.” This was chosen with great intention and embodies what the Aquetza summer program is all about: Empowering youth across Colorado to develop powerful connections between academics and community progress, begin to include a trajectory of higher education in their life plans, and to see themselves as scholars and community leaders.

Program Dates:

Thursday June 18th, 2026 – Thursday, June 28th, 2026

Other important dates and timelines include:

• Applications for 2026 are now opened.
• Application Deadline is May 5th.
• Notification of Acceptance, Waitlist, or Encouraged to Apply next year: May 12th

Program Background and Objectives:

The Aquetza: Youth Leadership, Education and Community Empowerment program is open to all and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, creed, religion, veteran status, marital status, political affiliation, political philosophy, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression in accordance with state, federal and Regent law. This program aims to provide youth with a unique, trans-disciplinary educational and community leadership experience through a virtual summer program.

Aquetza is designed to engage students in examining and exploring connections across the disciplines of history, literature, health, and environmental science. The program provides opportunities for students to develop academic skills, apply critical thinking, and understand how community assets and personal strengths can be leveraged to contribute constructively to their schools and communities. 

Our hope is for students to see the world as it is,
and imagine the world as it could be.

Who is Aquetza?

Aquetza is a joint project by UMAS y Mecha, members of Colorado's Chicana/o/x community, and the CU School of Education. Our staff includes distinguished faculty members in the Schools of Education and Ethnic Studies, doctoral and graduate students with extensive classroom and community organizing experience, and undergraduate student counselors from UMAS y Mecha de CU Boulder, and the CU School of Education. All of our staff have experience working with youth, have had extensive pedagogical and safety training, and will be providing both personal and academic guidance to youth attendees.

Staff members were selected for their history of work with youth and communities, their commitment to first generation and under-represented students, and their knowledge and expertise in our rigorous academic curricular topics, including literature, history, science, ethnic studies, and community organizing.

What Will We Do?

Aquetza will be an exciting experience where students will have the opportunity to see how the academic, the personal, the cultural, and the community can all exist together. Our instructors will:

1. Approach academic content from a trans-disciplinary perspective, making connections across subjects areas, and building from the knowledge and skills that participants bring to the classroom.
2. Take up the use of new-media tools, exploring how the everyday social practices of students (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, blogging) can become powerful tools for academic growth and civic action.
3. Engage with theatrical and performance art, particularly the distinctly Chicana/o and Latina/o traditions of spoken word, teatro, testimonio, and muralism, as means to academic development and civic problem-solving.
4. Employ a problem-posing pedagogy, which will allow youth participants to engage in all these tasks on their own terms, and in comfortable settings.

In addition to this curriculum, youth attendees with have ample opportunity to connect with staff and peers, enjoy life on CU Boulder’s campus, perform and share their work with community members, learn about the higher education application process, and develop into leaders ready to share their work with their home communities and schools.

Who Can Attend?

We are seeking 52 high school students from across Colorado who are interested in exploring community, culture, and interdisciplinary learning as program participants. Eligible applicants are students in 9th through 11th grade during the 2025-2026 school year who have shown potential or interest in leadership, creative expression, and a deep concern for the social/educational issues prevalent in their home communities. We are targeting a group of students who represent a diverse range of ages, genders, academic levels, and geographic locations throughout the state. Target regions include: the Denver/Aurora metro region, the North Metro region, Boulder Valley, Pueblo, Weld County and the Eastern Plains, the San Luis Valley and Alamosa, and the Western Slope.

Specifically, we hope to draw youth who: 

1. do not usually have the geographic privilege of visiting a university campus
2. who are in good academic standing but may not have been targeted by other collegiate recruitment efforts, or
3. who are highly involved leaders invested in their local communities, but perhaps not in leadership roles within institutional, education contexts.

How Can Students Apply?

Applying for Aquetza involves providing basic contact information, answering a few short application questions, and providing contact information for one academic recommendation (no letter is required). Interested students are encouraged to Apply Now.

Alternatively, students may contact the program for a paper application. The deadline to apply for youth participants is May 5th. We encourage students to complete applications early to ensure we receive it in time.

Summary

Aquetza is designed to support high school students from across Colorado in bringing their diverse perspectives and life experiences into an academic learning environment. Through a residential summer program hosted at CU Boulder, students engage in interdisciplinary academic experiences that support college readiness, intellectual growth, and informed exploration of higher education pathways.

The program provides structured opportunities for students, undergraduate counselors, and instructional staff to build meaningful relationships, strengthen academic skills, and engage in collaborative learning. Participants explore topics related to history, literature, civic participation, and community contexts while developing critical thinking, communication, and scholarly inquiry skills.

Through engagement with historical and contemporary perspectives, as well as applied learning experiences in writing, research, and creative expression, Aquetza supports students in developing a deeper understanding of how academic knowledge connects to real-world contexts. The program emphasizes transferable skills that prepare students for future academic success and constructive participation in their schools and communities.

By the conclusion of the program, students leave Aquetza with increased academic confidence, experience producing original work, and a clearer understanding of how higher education can support their personal, educational, and professional goals. These outcomes align with the program’s broader aim of supporting students as they navigate educational pathways and consider their roles within school, community, and civic settings.