25 Years

Odyssey’s five-week program not only boosts your child’s reading, writing, and math skills—helping reduce summer slide—but also gets them ahead for the new school year. Our engaging, cross-disciplinary curriculum connects robotics, art, math, and science, and even shows how civic engagement sparks creativity and innovation. At Odyssey, scholars take charge of their learning and solve real-world problems, making the experience both rewarding for parents and fun for students.

Odyssey’s applications are always free to fill out. Accepted or returning Odyssey scholars are charged a $35 enrollment fee for each student accepted into the program annually. The value for each student is significant. All additional costs, such as meals, transportation, and program expenses, are covered by generous donations from foundations, businesses, and individuals. In order to receive this massive scholarship, applicants must fill out an anonymous demographics questionnaire while filling out their online application.

Odyssey has a strict 2-day absence policy. Odyssey is an intensive summer program where every minute counts. Attendance is crucial—not only for individual success but also for group productivity. Since all program expenses are donated, we are contractually required to report attendance. Research shows that poor attendance hinders academic performance, and the same applies here in our project-based, rigorous environment. Scholars must adhere to attendance policies as strictly as they do in their schools. Late arrivals or early departures will impact attendance; excessive tardiness will jeopardize the scholar's standing.

Absences due to illness require an authorized doctor’s note; unsanctioned absences will not be excused. Please schedule doctor appointments, vacations, or any conflicting programs around Odyssey’s academic schedule. Finally, to ensure priority placement for future summers, a scholar must complete the entire program. Leaving early for vacations or other commitments will adversely affect their standing.

 The program is 5 weeks. (please note our program was formerly 6 weeks. However, due to the district’s school year being prolonged, and Odyssey’s consideration of the teaching staff, we are hosting the program for 5 weeks with additional engagements throughout the academic year.)

Odyssey is an Atlanta Public Schools partner, therefore, APS students have priority. However, there are students in the program from other surrounding counties/school districts; this includes homeschooled scholars.

Reminder: transportation is only provided within the perimeter.

Odyssey removes all barriers to education, including providing transportation.

Buses are provided within the perimeter to transport students to The Westminster Schools. Pick-up locations are determined by the geographic location of scholars attending each summer.

Parents may drop off/pick up their scholars on campus, and older students with a valid driver’s license are permitted to drive themselves. 

Odyssey does NOT authorize Uber/Lyft/taxi rides for scholars. Commissioning such a ride is not condoned by Odyssey or the host school Westminster. If parents determine to use these services, they are doing so at their own risk.

Odyssey does not discriminate against applicants with IEPs or failing grades.

Odyssey is an intense 5-week program.  Due to the fast-pace curriculum design, we are unable to slow the pace of learning for individual students. Each student receives accelerated instruction and countless hours of collaborative project-based work. If you believe your child can benefit from this particular learning environment, feel free to share any academic concerns in your application.

As part of their summer curriculum, Odyssey’s Seniors take an all-expenses-paid, out-of-state college tour to more than a half-dozen colleges and universities. These tours are not determined until the spring before the program but have historically included a diverse group of institutions, including HBCUs, state and private. These institutions are in addition to the local colleges and universities visited during day-trips experienced by all high school scholars. They may visit nearly a dozen colleges and universities during their time in the Odyssey program.

Odyssey’s Seniors will ride a charter bus to the out-of-state locations. Odyssey will cover all necessary costs of this trip including meals and accommodations. Scholars will stay in hotels, supervised by Odyssey counselors, to experience real-world expectations of college life. They will have countless opportunities to converse with current college students, admissions representatives, and more.

While Odyssey hosts its program during 5 weeks in the summer on the campus of The Westminster Schools, there are additional engagements, academic & social emotional supports, and activities that extend beyond our campus throughout the year.  We are committed to supporting our scholars to ensure a trajectory of success, a path “through” college.