Our son, Mackenzie, is a 14-year-old Freshman at Abington Senior High School, where he is enrolled in all Honors classes and has consistently earned straight A’s since middle school. He is a sweet, generous, respectful teen who stays out of trouble and hardly ever asks us for anything. When his invitation to the University of Michigan’s week-long residential engineering program arrived in the mail, he was so excited—his hard work and dedication finally felt acknowledged. There was no way we were going to let money be the reason he couldn’t go.

He wants to become an Engineer, and this summer program is an incredible opportunity for him to gain hands-on experience, learn alongside peers from across the country, and explore his career and life interests in a supportive environment. He’s always been curious about how things work, and this program will give him the chance to dive deeper into engineering and connect with others who share his passion.

Finances are challenging for our family as we work hard to make ends meet in this struggling economy. While we want nothing more than to see our son grow and thrive through experiences like this, the cost is an additional hardship. The tuition, travel, and living expenses for the 8-day experience are significant, and we are currently on a payment plan to try and make things work as best we can. Your support would help cover these costs and ensure he doesn’t miss out on this life-changing opportunity.

As parents, we want to provide the best possible educational and real-world experiences for our child—experiences that will shape his future college and career choices. Sometimes, it takes the kindness of a village—family, friends, and even strangers—to help lighten the financial burden. Any support makes a difference in helping our son have a summer experience of a lifetime!