The Rites of Passage summer academies at Lane Community College are designed to inform and inspire high school and middle school students of color in Lane County. Students representing four racial/ethnic groups are immersed in a five-week summer program focusing on their cultural history, literature, folklore, and traditions. These programs are based in an academic framework that promotes positive self-image and self-esteem. The four affinity-based programs include:

• African American Rites of Passage,
• Pan Asian American Rites of Passage,
• Umista Native American Rites of Passage, and
• Puertas Abiertas Latino/Latina Rites of Passage.

History
The Rites of Passage summer programs were founded in 1996 with the African American Rites of Passage summer academy. In 2001, the Pan Asian American summer academy was added. In 2002, the Umista Native American Rites of Passage and the Puertas Abiertas Latino/Latina Rites of Passage were initiated. Over the last decade, more than 250 students of color in Lane County have participated in the Rites of Passage programs at Lane Community College.

African American Rites of Passage Summer Academy
The African American Rites of Passage summer academy is designed to address the cultural, career, academic and social needs of high school and middle school African American and multicultural students of African descent in Lane County. The academy is crafted in an academic and cultural framework for the purpose of connecting these students with the history, literature, traditions and folklore of the experience of African people in western civilization.

Pan Asian American Rites of Passage Summer Academy
This summer academy provides experiential and culturally specific learning activities to assist Pan Asian American high school and middle school students in achieving success. The primary objectives are to promote and sustain cultural awareness, understand Pan Asian American issues, increase intercultural skills, and develop personal and community empowerment skills.

Umista Native American Rites of Passage Summer Institute
The Umista Native American Rites of Passage summer program is designed to teach appropriate indigenous principles of cooperative social interaction to Native American high school and middle school students. The Umista (“Something Precious that is Returned”) program is based in the tradition of honor and respect for all peoples, and students are informed about traditional ways of knowing. The program’s purpose is to increase cultural awareness among pre-college age Native youth that will lead to improved academic success and increased self-awareness in the college environment.

Puertas Abiertas Latino/Latina Rites of Passage Summer Academy
The Puertas Abiertas Latino/Latina Rites of Passage summer academy is an academic and cultural enrichment experience for Chicano/Latino high school and middle school students in Lane County. The primary goal of the program is to develop positive values and proactive habits that will maximize the students’ opportunities for success. In the Puertas Abiertas (“Open Doors”) academy, students learn about cultural history, how to excel in their classes, how to become a bicultural leader, and how to accomplish their goals. The program uses a cultural framework based on Mexican American, Latino/Latina, Caribbean and Hispanic experiences.

For more information:
Call Greg Evans at (541) 463-5340, or e-mail Greg at evansg@lanecc.edu.