Summer 2026 at AALEAD: A Summer in STEAM!
By Cameron Nguyen, AALEAD Communications Intern
One warm Tuesday morning, I arrived at the doors of Washington-Liberty High School with a speaker, a water bottle, and a freshly printed volunteer name tag. I followed signs in the hallways until I found the AALEAD Summer Programs classroom, where the youths’ paper-mâché face masks lay neatly on the floor along the wall, crafted just the day before.
It was the week of the arts at AALEAD’s Summer Programs. All throughout July, youth participants across DC, Virginia, and Maryland had been coming together to explore each pillar of STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math, through field trips and projects. Maryland’s youth visited the Botanic Gardens, explored printmaking and moss scapes, and workshopped skills like public speaking and financial literacy. Meanwhile, the DC Program had traveled around the capital. They went dragon boat racing, bonded at Dave & Buster’s, and welcomed the nonprofit Arrived (formerly AsylumWorks) as a guest to discuss cultural food traditions and diverse cuisines.
Arrived (formerly AsylumWorks) and AALEAD’s DC Summer Program youth pose in a photo.
The Virginia Program’s youth had been drying their art projects when I arrived. I knew the paper-mâché masks I saw would be on full display at the End of Summer Showcase, the Program’s final event across all three regions for youth to celebrate their artwork. I carefully stepped around the masks because there was no way I’d be caught damaging them, and greeted Eliesha and Joyce, the Virginia Youth Facilitation Coordinators. My role as a volunteer was to lead one of many guest workshops for the Program.
Paper-mâché face masks created by VA youth lay fully decorated.
I began my movement workshop with a dynamic warm-up with the youth. We got out some morning adrenaline and shared our favorite moves. I couldn’t help but laugh when I tried what the youth called the “seal dance,” but I was so touched by their enthusiasm! In exchange, I promised to teach them more iconic dance moves later.
After we warmed up, we began our main activity: a silent theater. Each team would pick a famous story or fairy tale and retell the story without words or sounds. I loved watching them build narrative mastery as they developed their characters and crafted a beginning, middle, and end. From Shrek to The Princess and the Frog, my youth worked together to bring their stories to life.
Our last activity was a lightning round of learning popular dances, like the moonwalk, the worm, and more! If the youths’ enthusiasm and humor hadn’t come out yet, it certainly did during this activity. The room was full of skidding shoes and admirable perseverance.
As the session wrapped up, Eliesha handed me a thank-you card signed by every youth. Their kind messages humbled me. I walked out of the school with renewed purpose and a deeper love for my work as a dance instructor. I’m grateful to have made memories with the Summer Program, and I can’t wait to witness everyone’s continued growth at AALEAD.
- Cameron Nguyen
I concluded my guest workshop at AALEAD’s VA Summer Program with a group photo.