Saturday Academy

Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom and a reminder that freedom only means something when paired with access and opportunity.

At Saturday Academy, we believe every young person deserves the tools to imagine, build, and shape what comes next. Today we honor the past, celebrate progress, and remember that the fight for freedom and justice is not over.

Happy Juneteenth from the Saturday Academy team.

📍 SA offices are closed today in observance of the holiday.

High School Summer Programs are back! 🎉

Introducing Solar Futures: Clean Energy Engineering for students in grades 9-12. This summer class offers flexibility with sessions twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM — July 28 to August 6.

Students will delve into solar energy, sustainable materials, energy efficiency, recycling, and the environmental impact of everyday technologies through hands-on projects at PSU's Maseeh College of Engineering & Computer Science.

It’s the perfect opportunity for your high schooler to explore their passions and make the most of their summer!

Register today: bit.ly/4vbtkG7

That’s a wrap on educator orientation 🥳

It was great seeing familiar faces and welcoming our new educators. We’re so excited for what this summer has in store!

What do you care about? How can you create a business that supports your passions?

Those are the questions at the heart of our Entrepreneurial Creators: Social Impact Lab camp for grades 6-8 the week of July 6 - 10. And we're being joined by two incredible guest educators to help campers find their answers!

Yalda Moshiri, Angel Program Director at Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN), joins us Monday (July 6) to share her journey as a founder. Cara Turano, Executive Director at OEN, joins us Thursday (July 9) to lead a pitch workshop and give feedback on campers' nonprofit ideas!

This camp is part of a two-week series. Attend one week or both. Spots are still available -> bit.ly/26-SA-Summer

Summer camps begin in 7 days!

We spent today getting set up at Central Catholic High School (Portland, OR) and prepping rooms for next Monday's kickoff. We can't wait to see you there.

A few spots still available ->bit.ly/26-SA-Summer

STEAM has always been LGBTQ+.

Alan Turing. Sally Ride. Ben Barres. Sara Josephine Baker. Wendy Carlos. The list goes on.

LGBTQ+ people have always, and will always, be at the heart of innovation in science, in technology, in engineering, in art, in mathematics. Even when forced to hide it or prosecuted for simply being.

This Pride Month, Saturday Academy is focused on what it means to build spaces where people can feel safe, feel heard, and just be.

Whether that’s through the two Affinity camps we offered last summer for grades 6-8 or the thoughtful efforts Allison and Rey put into Apprenticeships in STEAM Exploration to make sure the underrepresented are represented. It’s one thing to talk about it, it’s another to do it.

We don’t believe belonging is a side note. We believe it’s a pillar and it’s how we do STEAM.

Happy Pride Month from our team.

‪Last week, our team prepped 20 biomedical engineering kits for over 60 students in our Link.ed in-school residency at Laurelhurst Elementary, including simulated tumor removal kits and kits to build your own extraction tools. Thank you Josh and Kylee!‬

One 4th grade student said it best: "My favorite thing about the Biomedical Engineering lessons so far was the surgery. We used our own creations to get the fake tumors out. They were rocks, cotton balls, and squares. It made me feel like I could save people!"

Help make moments like this happen. Supply prep is a great way to support our mission and we’d love your help resetting our LEGO Robotics Kits for the summer. This is a great activity for an individual or a group — just 1–2 hours, and we'll guide you along the way!

If interested in volunteering, email our Operations Manager at [email protected].

Passionate about transforming lives through STEAM?

Saturday Academy is searching for our next Executive Director. An entrepreneurial leader ready to build on 43 years of hands-on learning. If you're a passionate STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) and nonprofit leader ready to make a lasting impact for Portland's K–12 students, we want to hear from you.

Learn more and apply -> bit.ly/SA-Openings

"I have watched our work deepen identity, seed belonging, and foster a joyful outlook for a diverse range of students." - Brianna McCoy

We couldn't have said it better. After four wonderful years, we celebrated our Executive Director Brianna at her going-away party last Monday. Thank you, Brianna. For the programs, the partnerships, the mentorship, the students, and the culture you helped build. We're cheering you on.

Saturday Academy is excited to share that Dylan McNamee will be our Interim Executive Director starting today, June 9!
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Dylan's connection to Saturday Academy runs deep. He came to Portland in 1997 to join the faculty of the Oregon Graduate Institute, where he also taught Lego Robotics through Saturday Academy. After a few startup ventures and two children, he became a Saturday Academy parent — and after attending the ASE Symposium for his daughter's summer internship, he found his way onto our board, where he served from 2018 to 2025, including as Board President for three years.

Stephanie Salomone, SA Board President, says of Dylan: "I am excited that Dylan has agreed to serve as Interim Executive Director of Saturday Academy. His deep institutional knowledge, problem-solving skills, and boundless energy and love of STEAM learning are exactly what we need in this transitional moment. I am looking forward to working alongside him."
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We have posted the full job description for the permanent Executive Director role on our website, with the goal of welcoming the new ED by October 1. Read the job description here: bit.ly/SA-Openings

Thank you for your continued support of Saturday Academy and the students we serve. We look forward to this next chapter.