Level Up College & Career Summer Excursion
This summer, 25 middle schoolers from the Level Up program stepped onto buses with curiosity, nerves, and big questions about their futures. By the end of the week, they weren’t just imagining their futures– they were mapping them out.
The Level-Up College & Career Summer Excursion, held June 23-27, 2025, offered a powerful, hands-on experience for students from underserved communities to explore pathways that will shape their lives. Over five days, these Littles explored college campuses, cutting-edge tech companies, courtrooms, radio stations, and construction sites, interacting with professionals who helped transform abstract dreams into tangible next steps.
Each day had a theme, from tech to law to trades, and each one unlocked new possibilities.
Day 1: Tech & Innovation day at Google
The week began at Google Atlanta, where students were greeted by a team of young professionals who looked and sounded like them. They toured the facility, listened to two powerful panels—“Navigating High School” and “The Journey to Google & Beyond”—and asked thoughtful, curious questions.
One student quietly raised her hand and asked, “What do I have to do to work at Google when I grow up?” That moment echoed through the group, what once felt like an untouchable dream now felt reachable. The energy shifted. Students left not just impressed by Google’s colorful hallways and catered lunch, but by the realization that people from backgrounds like theirs had made it there — and so could they.
Day 2 – College Exploration at Clark Atlanta & Kennesaw State
Tuesday brought a double dose of higher education. At Clark Atlanta University, students explored the rich legacy of HBCUs, talked with current students, and heard honest reflections on navigating college life. From there, they traveled to Kennesaw State University, where they met faculty and toured a modern public university campus. Along the way, they began to make connections — not just between the two schools, but between college and their own lives.
“I enjoyed seeing the campus and hearing from students like me who graduated,” one student said. Another started calculating her GPA goals after hearing what it takes to get into certain programs. College, once abstract and far away, began to take shape in their imaginations as something real, and maybe even exciting.
Day 3 – Law, Justice & Media at City Court & SiriusXM
Midweek brought a powerful shift in perspective. At the City of Atlanta Municipal Court, students stepped inside a real courtroom and sat in on a live hearing. They met judges, attorneys, and administrators who demystified the legal system and spoke about responsibility, leadership, and justice. One student said, “The court gave another perspective,” after realizing how many different roles exist in the courtroom—not just lawyers and judges, but people managing security, finances, and case administration.
Later, at SiriusXM, students swapped gavels for microphones. Over lunch and laughs, they spoke with producers, engineers, and analysts about music, creativity, and careers in media. “At SiriusXM, I learned about different types of music—and how much happens behind the scenes,” one student shared. Seeing such different worlds in one day helped them understand the wide range of careers available, and more importantly, that those careers are within reach.
Day 4 – Building Futures with Tools and Tech with The Super Group and Panasonic
Thursday was about working with their hands—and building confidence. At Superior Construction Group, students bent conduits, explored welding, and saw firsthand how math, precision, and problem-solving come together in skilled trades. Many discovered a new respect for construction and design. “We learned how to meld metal,” one student said proudly.
In the afternoon, thanks to Panasonic, AWIM, and the SAE Foundation, the group shifted into engineering mode. Students built circuits, tested their designs, and learned how sustainability is shaping the future of manufacturing. “I didn’t know I could build something like that,” one student remarked, surprised at her own ability. It was a day full of sparks—literal and figurative.
Day 5 – Fun Friday: Celebration & Vision for the Future
The final day was equal parts celebration and reflection. Students created “Vision Puzzles” for their future, shared their goals, laughed over games and nachos, and received certificates for their participation. As they completed post-program surveys, a common theme emerged: they didn’t want it to end. “I want to do this program for another week,” said one. “I would love to do this next year.”
The day ended not with goodbyes, but with students walking out the door already thinking about their next steps.
