COLLEGE CRUSADE: The College Crusade of Rhode Island announces the start of its summer programs, which offer young people from disadvantaged urban communities many opportunities to keep moving forward on the path to college.

The mission of The College Crusade is to increase educational and career success for youths in Rhode Island’s low-income urban communities. Approximately 3,800 middle school and high school students in Rhode Island are members of the organization. The majority attend public schools in Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence and Woonsocket. Membership in The College Crusade provides each student with sustained adult mentorship and seven years of free college-readiness programs and services from grade 6 through high school graduation.

Programs available to members of The College Crusade this summer are:

Bridge to Success Summer Institute — June 20-30: A 10-day residency on the Roger Williams University campus in Bristol for high school students. The program focuses on SAT preparation and includes college-readiness workshops, outdoor activities and field trips.

Tech Camp — June 24-26: A three-day, hands-on technology class for high school juniors and graduating seniors. Offers an opportunity to explore today’s top technical careers. It’s held at the New England Institute of Technology in Warwick.

Brown Summer High School – June 30 to July 25: A four-week innovative learning environment where high school students work in small groups, participate in discussions, conduct laboratory experiments and engage in numerous hands-on activities.

SPIRIT Summer Program – June 30-Aug. 6: A six-week program for middle school students that develops writing and communication skills using projects based on the study of a central theme in the wider community. Classes are held weekdays on the campuses of Wheeler School, Lincoln School and Moses Brown School in Providence.

Johnson & Wales University Career Explorations 2008 — June to August: A series of three-day weekend programs for high school students entering their junior or senior year. Participants explore what it is like to work in business, culinary arts, hospitality or technology careers. It’s held at Johnson & Wales University in Providence.

Wheeler Summer Camp — July 7-25: A three-week program for middle school students that provides hands-on learning experiences, practice in teamwork and social skills, and instruction in sports, arts and crafts, and cooking. Classes are weekdays at Wheeler School in Providence and Wheeler Farm in Seekonk, Mass.

Ways to A’s — July 7 to Aug. 14: A specially designed curriculum that introduces Crusaders entering 6th grade and 9th grade to the academic, social and personal challenges of middle school and high school. Includes exercises in preparing to study, reading for success, report writing and test taking. The program instructors are Crusade alumni who are in college or have just completed college. The four-day intensives are held at the Community College of Rhode Island, Providence campus.

CAAP (Crusade Adventure and Academic Program) — July 7 to Aug. 15: A program in adventure education for middle school students that improves self-esteem and develops skills in problem solving, team building and healthy risk taking. It includes a literacy component and is held at Roger Williams Middle School in Providence in two-week sessions through July and August.

URI Summer Transportation Institute — July 7-18 and Aug. 4-15: A two-week program that introduces 7th-, 8th- and 9th-grade students to the transportation industry, covering topics such as highway and bridge design, road maintenance and construction and safety. Included are computer training, academics and field trips. It’s held at the University of Rhode Island, Kingston campus.

Crusade Summer Experience — July 28 to Aug. 15: A series of weeklong leadership programs for high school Crusaders during which participants develop skills in public speaking, team building, project planning and facilitation. The classes meet weekdays at Roger Williams University in Bristol.