For the 16th straight year, NC State Juntos welcomed youth to campus to learn skills to help them graduate high school and pursue post-secondary opportunities. Attendees came from Juntos cohorts across North Carolina, and this year, Juntos students and staff from Prairie View A&M University, Washington State University, University of Idaho and Purdue University joined the North Carolina cohort.

This year’s annual Juntos Summer Academy, held June 22-27, saw 102 eighth through twelfth grade students gain valuable knowledge and build connections through field trips, research presentations, networking fairs and more. 

“For this week, you are a part of one community, you are a part of Juntos.”

Division of Academic and Student Affairs Associate Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean Kesha Reed welcomed students to campus on June 23, inspiring youth to embrace the “Together We Build the Future” theme for this year’s Academy. 

“For this week, you are a part of one community, you are a part of Juntos,” she said. “Stepping outside of your comfort zone is the key to growth. Things that scare us could help us to grow and to learn. Confidence isn’t something that we have before we participate – rather, it’s something that we build by participating.” 

This year’s summer academy brought in students from 11 different North Carolina counties – Catawba, Dunn, Orange, Wake, Lee, Greene, Sampson, Pender, Bladen, Wayne and Duplin. Additionally, for the first time, students from other Juntos consortium partner states – Texas, Indiana, Washington and Idaho – participated in the NC State Academy. 

“Hosting our National Juntos Consortium partner states was also an incredible addition to the programming this year,” said Lucía Planchón, associate director for NC State Juntos. “It was so special to be able to share our campus and NC State professional connections with them throughout the week. By attending academy, they participated in brand new experiences that could influence similar Juntos programming in their land-grant universities.”

Students were split into small groups throughout the week, and received mentorship from 21 team captains from universities across the country. 

“Participating in the Juntos Summer Academy was a defining moment in my education.”

Several of these team captains, such as Miriam Durazno-Campanilla, a student at Wake Tech on track to transfer to NC State in 2027, attended Juntos Summer Academy as a high school student. 

“Participating in the Juntos Summer Academy was a defining moment in my education,” Durazno-Campanilla said. “I connected with peers who shared my drive and built lasting bonds with both mentors and fellow students.”

On July 26, academy industry day, the students attended field trips at nine different locations, including BioGen, Cisco, Burt’s Bees, NALA Membranes, Red Hat, Plant Science Initiative, Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Poole College of Management. 

“I had the opportunity to visit the vet school at NC State,” Durazno-Campanilla said. “While on my visit, I was given a tour around the school, understanding what students do each day. For example, we had the opportunity to do a mock surgery. I believe that we did suturing on towels, which helped me grasp a better understanding of a technique that the students and professionals use. This experience was really fun and engaging. After that, we were able to talk to different professionals on the different situations they encounter and which animals they work with.”

Over 75 professionals and campus partners participated in some capacity in this year’s academy. 

“Having the support of NC State is so pivotal to our NC Juntos Summer Academy,” Planchón said. “This event happens every year on NC State’s campus and allows our young people to envision themselves in a four-year university for an entire week. As an NC State alumna, I know I would have benefited so much from an experience like Summer Academy, to better prepare myself for what it means to be away from family and community while at college, to understand the rigor of college classes and to learn to network with peers and professionals. For our students, coming to NC State for Summer Academy is the perfect closing to their school year with Juntos, providing an opportunity to celebrate their achievements and build excitement for the year to come.”

The theme for this year’s academy was “Together We Build the Future.” Students were split into builder teams and worked on a presentation throughout the week to detail why their specific builder team will have a pivotal role in building the future.These teams included educators, healers, innovators, changemakers, cultivators, storytellers, architects, explorers, connectors and trailblazers. 

“My time as a student exposed me to university life and professional routes I hadn’t previously considered, effectively clearing a path for my future,” Durazno-Campanilla said. “Transitioning into the role of team captain this year offered a fresh vantage point on the academy. It has been deeply fulfilling to provide the same mentorship and guidance that once helped me thrive. The academy is undoubtedly why I became so dedicated to Juntos. It pushed me to find my voice and excel in my studies, while also leading to roles at Wake Tech and within our program. Reflecting on this journey, from an attendee to a leader helping the next group navigate this life-changing week, is truly powerful.”

The keynote speaker for this year’s summer academy was Carla Mejia, the associate director of BioAgilytix and an NC State alumna. 

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

Mejia was born in Ecuador, and studied science there before moving to the United States, and attending Wake Tech and then NC State to receive a degree in Biochemistry. She aspired to be a scientist her whole life and talked about persistence and resilience on the road to achieving her dream.

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams,” Mejia said to the assembled students. “So if you have a dream, make it happen. It might take you five minutes, it might take you five years, it might take you 20 years. Keep working towards it, and make it happen.”

Students also participated in project time throughout the week, working with professionals who volunteer their time to lead projects. Students learned about plant pathology, genetics, storytelling, animal science and more. To close out the academy, the students presented their projects to judges, team captains, coordinators and other guests.

The first-place winner came from the Behind the Genes project, where students learned about corn genetics and later presented their findings to judges.

“Being part of the Behind the Genes project was one of the most enjoyable experiences during the Juntos Summer Academy,” said Ailynn Ramones, a student from the winning team. “Since biology has always been one of my favorite subjects, learning more about DNA editing and its potential to improve people’s lives made the project even more meaningful to me. Winning the poster presentation was incredible; I loved the opportunity to work on something that I really love and I am curious about. This experience made me realize that my dreams and goals are not impossible.”