Turn Your Summer Into a Startup.

Ycenter Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Summer Camp

(YESS) Camp at Ashland University

A 1-week residential accelerator where high schoolers earn college credits, master AI, and launch real startups.

The Summer that gets you ready for College and

the Real World.

Most summer camps are about passing time. YESS! is about accelerating your future.

We don't teach from textbooks. We drop you into a high-intensity innovation environment. You will live on a college campus, learn from university professors, and build a project that proves to college admissions officers that you are not just a student—you are a World-Class Problem Solver.

  • Arrive on campus on Sunday evening for getting to know your summer friends, your facilitators and the game plan for the week.

  • Put on the headset. We use Virtual Reality to transport you to the frontlines of global challenges. You won't just read about climate change or poverty; you will feel it. This is where great ideas begin.

  • Choose your fight. Align your project with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Whether it's Clean Water or Zero Hunger, you solve a real problem, not a made-up one.

  • You don't need to know Python to build an app. We teach you "Vibe Coding"—using the latest GenAI tools to turn your natural language instructions into working code and prototypes.

  • Storytelling is your superpower. You will learn to craft a pitch deck and present your startup to a panel of judges, professors, and investors.

Live the College Life.

Hosted at Ashland University, Ohio.

The Credit: Walk away with 1 College Credit transferable to your future university degree.

The Learning: Morning lectures from Ashland’s top faculty in Business and STEM.

The Experience: Sleep in the dorms. Eat in the dining halls. Experience independence in a safe, guided environment.

More Than Just Memories.

Build Real Skills & Learn by Doing

  • STEM + Entrepreneurship: A hybrid curriculum that prepares students for the modern economy.

  • Portfolio Asset: Students leave with a pitch deck and a prototype—a powerful addition to any college application.

  • Global Certification: Receive the Ycenter/UN-aligned Design Thinking Certification.

The Details

Dates: June 14 - 18, 2026

Location: Ashland University, Ashland, OH

Eligibility: High School Students

Tuition: $600 USD (Includes Housing, Meals, Credits, & Materials)

Scholarship Note: Limited partial scholarships available based on merit and need.

Your Future Starts This Summer.

Cohort size is strictly limited to maintain a low student-to-mentor ratio.

Apply Now