Fifty local eighth graders will get a chance to experience college life before going to high school as part of the CampUs(R) Las Vegas summer camp July 11-16 at UNLV.

Students in the After-School All-Stars Las Vegas program will get the full UNLV experience, from completing a mock college application to eating on campus and living in the dorms. Participants will learn the ins and outs of high school and college life from current students and attend career panels with elected officials and area business leaders. Clark County School District Superintendent Dwight Jones will meet with camp participants July 15.

CampUs(R) was created in response to America's severe high school dropout rate, with a focus on the transition from middle to high school, college readiness and career exploration. More than one million students drop out each year, one every 26 seconds, with a large percent dropping out during or after ninth grade.

CampUs(R) Las Vegas is hosted in partnership with After-School All-Stars Las Vegas and the UNLV Division of Educational Outreach. The Nevada System of Higher Education sponsors the camp as part of its continued effort to increase the number of new college entrants, particularly low-income, underrepresented and/or underserved students in the state.

Las Vegas is one of seven sites hosting CampUs(R) programs in 2011, joining with San Francisco, San Diego, South Florida, Hawaii, New York and Los Angeles. More than 400 youth throughout the country will participate in the program this year. CampUs(R) Las Vegas is funded by the Windsong Trust and Nevada College Access Challenge Grant.