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Elon Academy students, both new and returning, came together for cool, sweet treats on Scott Plaza, during the program’s annual Ice Cream Social on June 22.

Elon Academy, housed in Elon’s Center for Access and Success, is a multi-phase program for academically promising high school students in Alamance County with a financial need and/or no family history of college. The Summer Academy, happening now, includes three consecutive summer residential experiences before the sophomore, junior and senior years of high school, as well as year-round Saturday programs for students and families.

The program is now entering its 20th year and welcoming the largest cohort in its history: the Phi cohort. 

As students mingled with Elon faculty, staff and friends of the university, they reflected on their experiences on campus and in the Elon Academy program.

Jeffrey Johnson

North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics / Elon Academy Upsilon cohort

“If I wasn’t here, I would not be talking to this many people. (The program) forces you to, in the best way possible, foster relationships with people and get to know one another,” Johnson said. “I think my favorite part is the support systems that it offers you because when I applied, I knew I wanted to go to college, but I didn’t know if it would be as easy as it would be. Even though it’ll probably still be hard, working with Elon Academy makes it feel possible.”

Jean Carlos

Western High School / Elon Academy Phi Cohort

“My favorite part is definitely the community. I’ve made so many friends just in the first week here, and everyone is so supportive. I have so many resources here, so I feel like that’s definitely the best part of being in Elon Academy,” Carlos said. “My favorite part of the programming is all the collaborative activities they have us doing. They usually have us do something that involves all of us together, and that really helps with involvement. No one gets left out.”

Dylan Giordano

River Mill Academy / Elon Academy Phi Cohort

“My cohort is full of really great people. They’re all here for a reason, and everybody I interact with makes it a really good experience,” Giordano said. “There’s a lot of collaboration between different cohorts, staff and mentors. It feels like everybody is equal and we’re all working toward preparing us for college. It doesn’t feel like the teachers are above us. They’re supportive instead of authoritative.”

Xavier Chavez

River Mill Academy / Elon Academy Phi cohort

“Everyone here is amazing. It’s not just our cohort. It’s the staff, the mentors — they do an amazing job, and it’s truly amazing. We all work together. We’re all in this together,” Chavez said. “My favorite part of the programming is the EA 101 class. It’s not just about preparing us for college. It’s helping us find ourselves — our values, our purpose, our likes and dislikes. I like how they help us find ourselves before they put us out into the real world.”

Alexa DeAlto

Clover Garden School / Elon Academy Upsilon cohort

“My favorite part is the opportunities, both with school and meeting people. I wouldn’t have met the people I’ve met if it wasn’t for Elon,” DeAlton said. “My favorite part of Elon Academy is how much we’re able to give back to the community through community service and the resources we have. It shows people that we’re thankful for what they do for us.”

Zipporah Freeman

Southeast Alamance High School / Elon Academy Tau cohort

“My favorite part of Elon Academy right now is seeing our cohort come together. We struggled with that during the first two years, but this year everybody is communicating and working together,” Freeman said. “I’m a very extroverted person, so I love talking to people and meeting new people in the community.”

Ruby Elgin

Clover Garden Charter School / Elon Academy Tau cohort

“Being here on campus is great because it’s such a beautiful campus. I love getting the opportunity to explore all the amenities and see what the campus has to offer. Every year feels like a new tour because I get to see different buildings and learn something new,” said Elgin. “My favorite part of Elon Academy is being able to expand socially and academically at the same time. We get to do community service, network with people and get a jump start on the college process. Not everybody gets an opportunity like this, so I’m really thankful to be able to take advantage of a program like this.”