2026 SUU/BZI® Youth Engineering Academy Continues to Grow and Make a Positive Impact with K-12 STEM Students and Innovators of the Future

BZI® Commits to Another Three Years of Support for the Unique Program Empowering All Students to Realize Their Potential for Pursuing Careers in Engineering and STEM Fields.

SUU/BZI Youth Engineering Academy Has Reached More Than 2,500 Students in Four Years, Significantly Increasing Opportunities and Positive Influence on K-12 STEM and Engineering Innovators of the Future. The Educational Program Represents BZI Community Contributions Program’s Focus on STEM and Family Wellness

BZI® announced today that the SUU/BZI Youth Engineering Academy, in partnership with Southern Utah University and Southwest Technical College (SW Tech), continues to experience growth and significant impact on young students interested in engineering and STEM subjects. BZI also announced it has signed another sponsorship agreement to continue its support for the program for another three years.

Since the program’s start in the summer of 2023, the academy has reached more than 2,500 students and is offering eight weeks of camp and 37 classes. The program’s curriculum has grown into additional subjects such as public safety, health professions, welding, and automotive. Art was also integrated into the chemistry, biology and engineering courses for the first time this year.

Girls were also well represented in the camps, still making up more than 34% of the participating students – a higher percentage than the current number of women in several categories of U.S. STEM workplaces.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled with the growth and success of this year’s Youth Engineering Academy,” said Laurel Dodgion, Assistant Director of Southern Utah University STEM Center for Teaching and Learning. “The participation and experiences strongly present the positive future possibilities for our kids in engineering and STEM fields, and hopefully the construction and trade industries. We look forward to continuing our partnership with BZI to inspire our youth toward finding rewarding and fulfilling vocations.”

Four years ago, BZI teamed up with Southern Utah University’s College of Engineering and Computational Sciences to provide this specialized summer camp, which now offers half and full-day learning sessions each of the eight weeks. The SUU/BZI Youth Engineering Academy Summer Camps provide immersive and entertaining exercises and curriculum to encourage creativity, critical thinking and new methods of problem solving as they are applied to the art and science of engineering. Students also engaged in an extensive curriculum that included building robots, rockets, 3D printing and manufacturing, laser cutting, computer programming, multiple forms of coding and other types of engineering design.

With more camps, more participants, and a collaboration with Southwest Technical College, the companies say it was a really fun summer with these young scientists and engineers.

“The SUU/BZI Youth Engineering Academy is driven by BZI’s and SUU’s desire to foster excitement and future innovators in STEM fields. It’s rewarding to see the vision is not only continuing to gain momentum, but the academy is bringing growth opportunities to young students and their families, while helping to increase the level of future engineering talent in the marketplace,” said Spencer Douglas, Chief Marketing Officer at BZI and one of the BZI leaders behind the development of the unique rural educational program.

In line with BZI’s mission, vision, and values, the company has developed a national Community Contributions Program to give back in meaningful ways to communities where BZI conducts business. The company supports projects and organizations that contribute to the betterment of our communities and their residents by promoting education and literacy, humanitarian causes, health and wellness, and vocational development.

“Creating high-value opportunities and building thriving communities are core pillars at BZI. The SUU/BZI Youth Engineering Academy helps us to achieve both of these goals and in a way that will provide long-lasting benefits to the students, their communities and STEM industries,” said Megan Lamb, Director of Community Engagement at BZI.

For more information about BZI, visit bzi.com, email [email protected], or call 888.509.2280.