Summer finds Pacific Union College classrooms occupied with some particularly young students experiencing fun, intense learning and a flood of useful ideas.

The annual Publication Workshop brings academy students and their sponsors from as far as Hawaii and Arizona to PUC for two days of hands-on training in the media of yearbooks, newspapers, video yearbooks and radio podcasts.

This year’s nearly 200 attendees enrolled in “learning pods” focused on their roles as writers, editors, designers, photographers, podcasters or sponsors. Twenty-one experienced presenters taught the 40-plus sessions on vital publication skills.

Leticia Russell, coordinator of the workshop and a member of PUC’s Teaching and Learning Center team, sees the Publication Workshop as a chance for student staffs to bond, see other schools’ publications, and collect great ideas. “It puts them in a very rich creative environment,” she explains. “It also stretches them, because we haven’t watered down the program—they get to experience a professional-level workshop.”

Milbert Mariano, workshop director and chair of PUC’s visual arts department, sums up the program’s mission: “It is our hope that this Publication Workshop will provide these students with spiritual insight, leadership skills and the knowledge they need to enhance their school publications.”

Another annual program for young learners is PacificQuest, designed to challenge exceptional students entering eighth to tenth grades. Limiting the program to about 30 students ensures small, interactive classes as students learn from PUC professors, earn an hour of college credit, and enjoy recreation with each other.

This year’s PacificQuest theme was “Communicating with Style and Purpose,” and all the students took the core Communication Skills for Young Leaders class, which focused on key communication skills such as decoding nonverbal gestures and being a powerful listener and speaker.

Each student also chose an emphasis in either communication physics or Italian culture and language, exploring various communication techniques from smoke signals to fiber optics or experiencing Italian culture through language, cuisine and field trips.

PUC, which is once again ranked in the top tier for its category by U.S. News & World Report, often hosts groups of academy students for various activities from sports tournaments to choir festivals. These events provide an opportunity for high school students to become familiarized with college life and to interact with other young Adventists outside their immediate communities.

“It is our hope that each of these programs cultivates not only new ideas, but also new relationships,” says Julie Z. Lee, director of public relations. “It’s important for young people to connect with their broader Adventist community and see the great potential of our shared interests and talents.”