Students performed a series of numbers for OCDE staff in attendance at Summer at the Center 2026. 
One student sings a solo at Summer at the Center 2026. 
OCDE staff packed out the Samueli Theater at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. 
Students sang, danced and acted in the Summer at the Center 2026 performance. 
Students performed three shows at the Samueli Theater over the course of two days.
Quick look: ACCESS and Connections students returned to Summer at the Center, a two-week program offered in partnership with the Segerstrom Center for the Arts where students learn from professional artists to sing, dance and act.
It would be hard to guess that the performers on stage had been rehearsing together for only two weeks.
Yet that was exactly the case as students from OCDE’s ACCESS and Connections programs took the stage for Summer at the Center 2026 at the Samueli Theater inside the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, delivering a seamless performance that showcased their growth in singing, dancing and acting.
Now celebrating its 35th anniversary, Summer at the Center is a partnership between the Orange County Department of Education and the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. The annual program gives students from OCDE’s alternative education programs the opportunity to work with professional teaching artists before culminating in a live performance for family, friends and staff.
“Summer at the Center reminds us that every young person has extraordinary potential when they are seen, supported and given the opportunity to shine,” said ACCESS Chief Dr. Maria Martinez-Poulin. “Watching our students step onto the stage with confidence, joy and pride is incredibly moving because many have overcome significant challenges to get there. Through the arts, they discover their voices, build confidence and begin to see new possibilities for their future.
Led by professional artists, students begin the program with interviews designed not to measure talent, but to ensure they are willing to step outside their comfort zones. Over the next two weeks, they develop the confidence to perform in front of an audience while building new relationships and learning new artistic skills.
“One of the most remarkable aspects of Summer at the Center is witnessing the transformation that takes place in just two weeks,” said Lisa Lanier, OCDE’s director of state and federal programs. “Students arrive on the first day with varying levels of confidence, many unsure of themselves or hesitant to perform in front of others. The final performances are more than the culmination of rehearsals — they are a visible reflection of the personal growth, courage and sense of belonging each student carries with them long after the lights go down.”
The performance featured musical numbers spanning a variety of genres before each student stepped forward to introduce themselves and share their future career aspirations. From astronauts to barbers, the students’ goals reflected both the diversity of the group and the confidence they had built throughout the program.
At the end of the show, students were invited to describe their experience in a single word. Responses such as “pride,” “excited” and even “family” highlighted the sense of community formed over the previous two weeks.
Students also reflected on the people who inspired them during the program, with many recognizing friends, family members, and ACCESS and Segerstrom staff.
“I’m just really happy to be here,” one student said after thanking his teachers. “They inspired me to do so much for the show and just commit to it.”