Summer programs for rising 9th

Parent Cafe
1

<p>I’m looking for a summer program for my rising 9th grader next summer. Before someone attacks me for pressuring my son, this has nothing to do with college applications. I am not looking for a resume builder, or a skill builder. I’m looking for a break.</p>

<p>I’m a single parent and somewhat of a workaholic. Other than one out of town wedding 9 years ago, and a couple of business trips, I haven’t had more than one kid free overnight in 13 years, and those single overnights are generally last minute sleepover invites where it’s too late to plan something.</p>

<p>Don’t get me wrong, I love my kid to death, but I’d also love a short “staycation” from parenting, and at 14 (next summer) I think he’ll be ready for a vacation from me too! </p>

<p>Things that would be ideal:</p>

<p>Not competitive: he’s just not a competitive kid by nature, and I think he’d enjoy something a little more laid back.</p>

<p>Airconditioned sleeping quarters (due to pretty significant outdoor allergies)</p>

<p>Within about 8 hours driving distance of DC.</p>

<p>Something he’s interested in: football, tech theater, TV/filmmaking, computer animation, forensic science/criminal justice, the law,politics, ancient history (especially Egypt), cooking, magic, fantasy literature, amusement parks and Arabic</p>

<p>Possibly a program at an HBCU. There’s a program at Morehouse that we’ll look at, but I’d love other suggestions.</p>

2

<p>CJ - Summer camp sounds like it would be a win/win at your house. </p>

<p>At that age my son was really energized by summer band camps. A little bit younger my daughter adored Space Camp, but she aspired for the older-kid camp too. Both of them had a great time at church camps in the mountains. Hopefully we’ll find some leads here that match your son’s interests. </p>

<p>There are many college campus programs, but if my memory serves me correctly most are for older hs kids. </p>

<p>Are there budget restrictions?</p>

3

<p>The issue with camp is the air conditioning. </p>

<p>A “camp like” program that makes use of a campus (college, boarding school, etc . . . ) would be great. It could be one that mixed up programming, or one where he focused on one subject most of the day as long as it wasn’t too intense. But due to allergies, if I send him to a traditional outdoorsy type summer camp he’ll be miserable. With the help of medication, he could probably manage a program which was outside even 12 hours a day, but not 24//7. </p>

<p>As far as prices, I could pay a few thousand. I’d rather not pay airfare on top of that.</p>

<p>To give you a sense, I think he might like this program if he could do the forensic science:</p>

<p>[Office</a> Of Extended Studies - University of Maryland](<a href=“Home | University of Maryland Extended Studies”>Home | University of Maryland Extended Studies)</p>

<p>We’ll also probably look at the football programs at the Naval Academy</p>

<p>But I’d like him to have some more choices to choose from.</p>

4

<p>Curious-my D is in the same grade as your S and I’ve been looking at HBCU summer programs-there are several, but you’ll need to go to each college website and look-there’s no list anywhere that I’ve found. Some are listed under “summer programs” others under non-traditional, and so forth. I know Howard has some, Tuskeegee does, Hampton, and as you noted, Morehouse. There are others too. D has one at Spelman in mind, but this summer we’re going on OUR first whole-family vacation so it will have to be after 9th grade.</p>

<p>You sure sound like you’re both ready for a break-hope you find one that suits the two of you.</p>

5

<p>Not sure how active this program is, as funding cuts have probably had an impact, but check out the Summer Centers sponsored by the Maryland Dept of Education (assuming you’re in Maryland).</p>

<p>[Summer</a> Centers](<a href=“http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/giftedtalented/centers]Summer”>http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/giftedtalented/centers)</p>

<p>I think that “gifted” can be defined/demonstrated various ways for eligibility. There is a technical theater program.</p>

<p>This might suit him as well.
<a href=“http://www.american.edu/soc/discover/[/url]”>http://www.american.edu/soc/discover/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

6

<p>have you considered CTY? They have classes in several of the areas he’s interested in. I would assume that Duke TIP does also, although I’m not familiar with their offerings. When my S went to CTY–on a campus they are no longer using–the girls’ dorms had AC but the boys’ didn’t. I would think it likely that they could accommodate him with a room unit, and the more southerly campuses may just have AC for everyone.</p>

<p>He would have to take the SAT or ACT, probably in December, to qualify.</p>

7

<p>There are searchable databases of academic summer programs by state at both Cogito and Hoagie’s.</p>

8

<p>I think CTY is out of her budget though. Also, Hoagies list nothing about HBCU programs. I had to find the ones I did on my own. It’s a great site but the only mention of African American youth is in the “at risk” section.</p>

9

<p>Thanks everyone,</p>

<p>I don’t think a CTY program is what we’re looking for. I think the atmosphere of a program that requires tests, and hand selects kids isn’t what we’re looking for for this particular kid at this particular time. I’ve been really pleased with the sort of relaxed challenge in the open enrollment, take all applicant type programs that we’ve done in the past. I just want him to spend the night.</p>

<p>I agree with Seamom that someone should make a listing that consolidates both programs at HBCUs and programs that target minority youth. </p>

<p>DeskPotato, the filmaking program at AU sounds perfect for him! Even if I decide I can’t justify paying thousands of dollars for him to sleep that close to home, we might look into it as a day program. Does anyone have experience with the AU programs?</p>

10

<p>When D was younger, I asked around cc for a recommendation for a summer film production program. Here was a response…"A superb 5 wk program that was reasonable enough to offset travel costs for my kid was at University of North Carolina School for the Arts. The program is housed at an arts college with a top 10 film program and the facilities and faculty are excellent. In the past, there was an advanced track. All of the students work in various capacities on other students’ films, but also write and direct their own films. "</p>

<p>It might fit your criteria. D did not do this program, did something local in CA, instead.</p>

11

<p>You might look around at the local boarding high schools. My kids went away to a camp that had lots of activities ranging from theatre and art to mountain biking and horseback riding. You got to pick what you were interested in. It wasn’t too expensive, I think it was the schools way of covering the costs of the year round skeleton staff. They slept in one building of the dorms.</p>

12

<p>Jane, our D spent a week last summer at just such a program-no testing in-you self-report as gifted, it’s not expensive, and it’s on a college campus. It’s called Satori and is at Eastern WA U. It’s only a week long and the kids choose from a wide range of classes, doing three a day, with plenty of free time in the afternoon to use the gym, the ice skating arena, and pool, etc. It’s for kids 12-18. It was under $1,000 and so many kids fly in that they have a system in place to pick up and drop off. I don’t believe the dorms had AC, but D has allergy-induced asthma and had no trouble at all. I can give you more details if you want in a PM. D loved it so much she’s offered to help pay to return next summer if we’re not on vacation that week. A lot of the kids go back until they age out. Not TOO diverse but D said for once the kids didn’t seem ignorant minorities as in some other majority-white experiences.</p>