Precollege Programs

Summer Precollege Programs for High School Students

Our precollege programs are excellent preparation for high school students aspiring to be writers, debaters, entrepreneurs, dramatists, health leaders, and data journalists. Make the most of your summer by spending a week or more on the most beautiful college campus in the country while learning from experts and sharpening your skills. You’ll leave Lewis & Clark better prepared for your future and for life at college.

Earn at Least $20,000 in Scholarship Funds to Attend L&C

Students who complete a precollege summer program and are later admitted to L&C will get preferential consideration for merit-based aid and are guaranteed to receive a minimum of $20,000/year in renewable scholarship funding in the form of a Sequoia or Oregon Maple scholarship.

Sequoia or Oregon Maple academic merit scholarships granted at the time of admission will already take into account any participation in a Lewis & Clark precollege summer program. Students with strong academic credentials who attend a precollege summer program and are later admitted to Lewis & Clark may find they are eligible for a Sequoia or Oregon Maple scholarship that exceeds the $20,000/year guaranteed minimum!

Precollege Program Interest Form

Our Programs

Circular Innovation Challenge

An entrepreneurship program led by Lewis & Clark’s Bates Center for Entrepreneurship and Leadership, held from July 12–17, 2026.

Learn the processes for entrepreneurship and innovation for a more sustainable future. Throughout the week, you will be inspired by entrepreneurs, leaders, and college student mentors and learn strategies for ideation and innovation, including lean startup methodology and the business model canvas. We’ve built an inclusive and transformative experience that will include inspirational speakers, mentorship, activities and challenges, the Portland classics, and great (circular) prizes.

Data in Action: Sustainability, Science, and Storytelling

An immersive camp about the world of data science and data journalism focused on environmental issues, held from July 12–17, 2026.

Over the course of the week, you will learn how to analyze and communicate data through hands-on experience with environmental datasets. Guided by Lewis & Clark faculty, you will gain valuable insights into the tools and techniques used to create compelling data-driven stories. You will choose a topic you are passionate about and produce your own interactive piece of data journalism, sharpening your skills in data visualization, interpretation, and storytelling. With mentorship, guest speakers, and collaborative activities, this camp will empower you to use data as a powerful tool for understanding and advocating for a more sustainable future.

Fir Acres Writing Workshop

A premier residential summer creative writing program, held from June 21–July 4, 2026.

Since 1988, Fir Acres Writing Workshop has welcomed creative, talented students from across the country to learn and write under the guidance of dynamic, thoughtful, published faculty writers. Our program features daily writing workshops, weekly electives, and many Portland field trips. At night, participants socialize, meet and hear from distinguished visiting writers, and work on poetry, fiction, and creative prose, culminating in the creation of a workshop anthology and a passionate sense of creative community.

Future Health Leaders: Care Begins Here

A program for students interested in changing the world through health studies, held from June 21–26, 2026.

Discover the science behind health innovations by spending time in research labs at Lewis & Clark and nearby Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). Participating in this mini-med school will be an exciting way to dive into health care careers and receive certification in CPR. Spend your week making new friends, and leave camp with a number of personal and professional connections, new hands-on skills and leadership experiences, a deeper understanding of health care careers, and a leg up in your pursuit of health-related studies.

Immersive Summer Theatre Program

A creative theatre intensive for actors, directors, playwrights, and more, held from June 21–July 4, 2026.

Join other gifted high school theatre artists—from within our region and abroad—who have been selected to study and create work over the course of two immersive weeks at our renowned Fir Acres Theatre. You will attend workshops and masterclasses taught by professionals, audition for and rehearse a fully produced musical and cabaret, soak in campus life, and enjoy the artistic and cultural offerings of Portland, Oregon, and the Pacific Northwest.

Portland Speech and Debate Institute

An immersive speech and debate program for both residential and commuter students, held from July 12–25, 2026.

We welcome students of all levels, whether novice, varsity, or somewhere in between. Learn World Schools, Lincoln-Douglas, Parliamentary, Public Forum, or Policy speech and debate formats through drills, labs, and individualized attention from faculty. Our curriculum is designed to improve your debating skills on every level, from local to national circuits. We will also have games, picnics, movies, and a bunch of other fun activities that integrate the educational experience with entertainment.

Why Families Choose L&C’s Precollege Programs

Lewis & Clark’s six precollege summer programs offer unparalleled access to hands-on experiences for your high school student to gain the skills they will need to thrive in college and beyond. Through a robust schedule of on-campus activities and Portland excursions, your student will immerse themselves in the subject area of their camp while supported by like-minded peers and faculty mentors. Safety and student well-being are a top priority, and all programs are fully supervised by professional staff and trained residential advisors who live in the halls with participants. Our low student-to-staff/faculty ratio means every participant is known by name and supported from check-in to closing day. At the end of the program, your student will return home with stronger writing, communication, and leadership skills, which will help strengthen their college applications and help them find the right academic fit. 

What to Expect

Each program has its own schedule, but here’s a general idea of what you can expect.

• Breakfast in our gorgeous Fields Dining Hall, surrounded by your fellow program attendees and peers in other programs.
• Spend the day with hands-on learning and individualized attention from program experts, two hallmarks of each of our summer programs.
• Attend field trips off campus, exploring the engaging city of Portland: food trucks, rivers, hiking, and more.
• Socialize and bond with your new friends during fun evening activities, often led by your resident advisors in your hall!

FAQ

Facility Highlights

Other Summer Programming

There are several others types of summer programs offered at Lewis & Clark, including sports camps and coding and STEM camps.

Learn more