Kate Howard
Reporter
When school lets out June 22, some students will head off to work while others pack their swimsuits and flip flops and retreat to the beach. The short ten weeks of summer can be spent in a multitude ways: at home hanging with friends, involved in a college preparation class, honing language skills abroad, whipping out a paint brush in community service, or working for minimum wage as a Waveny Camp Counselor.
For those students looking to explore and experiment with their summer options, the College and Career Center offers many opportunities. “There are more programs than I can possibly count,” Susan Carroll, College and Career Center Coordinator, said. “We have a whole file drawer of information, and also on the College and Career Center website we highlight some programs under the link Summer Fun.”
A few of the programs Ms. Carroll recommended include Summer Discovery, a pre-college enrichment program at college campuses across the country; The Experiment in International Living, a program offering a chance to travel to another country and immerse yourself in its daily culture; and Rustic Pathways, adventure and service programs in the South Pacific, Latin America and Asia.
Last July, sophomore Sara Greene traveled to Costa Rica on a nine-day Rustic Pathways trip. She said it was a rewarding experience. “It was a mixture of adventure and community service,” she said. “I was able to not only practice my Spanish, but also give back to the community while having fun with a group of people I had never met before.”
According to Ms. Carroll, another reason to take advantage of these summer experiences is to get a taste of college life and break from the high school scene. “Most colleges have their own individual programs which can help students decide what they want to study in college, “ she said.
Senior Chris Laird, who participated in a three-week biology course at Brown University last year, said his experience was unique socially. “I learned a lot and got a good glimpse into the college life and had fun meeting people from all over. I would recommend the program, but the class itself was not my favorite part of the experience.”
If your summer plans include staying in New Canaan, the Youth Employment Service (Y.E.S) Board in the College and Career Center provide a list of paying jobs to look into such as camp counseling, waiting on tables, bussing at a country club, lifeguarding, and babysitting.
Senior Chris Freeman, after working on a construction site in Bridgeport last summer, said he planned on finding a job before heading off to college in the fall. “Working gave me the chance to do something different from my normal life and spend less time sitting on the couch doing nothing,” he said.
As June quickly approaches and summer plans are being finalized, Ms. Carroll advises students to make decisions based around their interests and not just to put in on their college application. “A student’s heart has to be in the right place,” she said. “A student should not be misguided enough to think that a summer experience would be the jumping board into getting into college.”
