School is out for the summer beginning this week and next (last week for some), and while teenagers such as 13-year-old Shelby Robinson of Southfield are grateful for the long summer break, they and their parents are also taking advantage of summer programming to advance their skills and prepare for the fall.

For Shelby, a Birney Middle School graduate, the Women in Engineering Training summer program at Wayne State University offers an opportunity to explore her interest in computers. “A lot of the stuff I’m learning here will help me out in school,” she says.

The four-week Wayne State engineering summer camp is offered to talented 14-year-olds entering high school next fall. “We want to motivate them before high school when their dreams are still strong,” says Gerald Thompkins, associate dean and director of the program. “Whatever they end up doing with their lives, they’ll have a better idea about what it might be like for them if they continue pursuing their interest in science and engineering. Meanwhile, they’re having fun and making friends with girls their age with similar interests.”

The girls are drawn from middle schools all across the Detroit metro area.

Women in Engineering Training, or WET for short, is like an engineering summer school with fun projects and Friday field trips. The girls attend computer class where they learn how to build their own websites. They take an aerospace class and learn about the Mars surface exploration projects while building model Mars Land Rovers and landscapes. They study algebra as well as communications.

On Fridays, the girls travel to nearby points of interest, including the Detroit Science Center, the Majestic Bowling Alley, the Detroit Institute of Arts, the WSU Planetarium, and the WSU Fitness Center, including its climbing wall.

The summer engineering program at Wayne State begins June 20. There are still a few openings. Female students currently in the 9th grade, with a minimum G.P.A. of 3.0 and a math or science teacher’s recommendation are encouraged to apply. Cost is $150. To apply, call 313 577-3813.

Engineering Training Institute for High Schoolers

Current high school students can get a head start on an engineering career by attending another Wayne State College of Engineering program called the High School Engineering Training Institute. Students learn hands-on engineering techniques and strengthen their academic competencies in math, science, computers and English. The program runs from June 20 to July 15. The hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost is $250. There are still a few openings. Call 313 577-3813.