LA GRANDE — High school students have an opportunity to get a head start on earning college credit through several Early College Initiatives summer institutes at Eastern Oregon University.

The benefit of high school students attending summer institutes is not only to collect college credit. Students who participate in the summer institutes that take place on the EOU campus stay in residence halls and dine on campus, and the courses are taught by EOU faculty.

“High school students are more likely to go to college after attending a campus institute,” said Kathleen Brown, the associate director of Early College Initiatives. “Students can really determine if EOU is a good fit for them by seeing what college life is like at EOU through these institutes.”

Here are a few of the programs that will be offered this summer:

Eastern Oregon Teacher Academy

The Eastern Oregon Teacher Academy, June 25-29, features free seminars led by College of Education faculty members. The five-day institute is intended for students interested in pursuing a future career in education. The Teacher Academy has been going on for three years. In all, 24 spots are available, and applicants are selected based on a submitted essay. (Opportunities also exist for current paraprofessionals in the field to participate.) Application deadline: May 15.

Life: Past, Present, and Future

During the Life: Past, Present, and Future institute, which takes place July 23-28, students will learn about the past, present and future through hands-on learning experiences. Students pick one of three pathways to explore over the five-day institute. Students who choose the “past” path will examine a mammoth that was found in the area as well as turtle and oreodont fossils. Those who decide to explore the “present” will study disease transmission and tracking. Students who pick the “future” path will study pond snails and how they interact with the environment through their senses. This opportunity is first come, first served, and 30 spots are available. Application deadline: July 1.

Shark Tank

The Shark Tank, July 23-28, is a tailored experience for participants. The labs and facilities at EOU will be open for students to use during this institute. The purpose of Shark Tank is to connect future entrepreneurs to professionals in the student’s area of interest. In all, 30 first come, first served spots are available. To tailor the experience to students, Early College Initiatives staff members reach out to the students before the start of the institute. “The goal of Shark Tank is to help students develop a business model. Students interested in any subject, from art to science, will have an expert there to help them,” Brown said. Application deadline: July 1.

Prices, number of credits, and application deadlines vary. For more information, call the Early College Initiatives office at 541-962-3086 or email eci@eou.edu. There are more summer institutes available. Visit www.eou.edu/early-college-initiatives/summer-institutes for a complete list and full details.