St. Margaret’s campus was once again a lively place of learning, exploring and having fun this summer, as Summer at St. Margaret’s had something for students of all ages from unique programs to athletic camps to academic prep offerings and Upper School for-credit academic courses.

 

“Summer at St. Margaret’s was fully on campus this year, and our talented professional community brought so many unique and joyful opportunities for students to learn in new ways,” said Andrew Hammond, director of extension programs and special projects. “Their creativity and hard work created unforgettable summer experiences for so many.”

 

 

Summer at St. Margaret’s camp programs are open for all, not just St. Margaret’s students. St. Margaret’s expert professional community designed creative camp opportunities that expand beyond traditional school-year subjects.

 

This year had a few new options that proved to be big hits:

Southern California Adventures: Led by Middle School history teacher Katie Harris, middle school-aged campers went on a historical exploration of Southern California, visiting and learning about culturally and historically important sites locally in San Juan Capistrano as well as in San Diego, Los Angeles and Orange County.

 

History in Video Games: Taught by Upper School history teacher Danny Solarz, middle school-aged campers were enlightened by the historical points of interest that are scattered throughout some of their favorite video games, including Age of Empires II, Civilization V and Oregon Trail.

 

Cookie and Cake Decorating: Students had the opportunity to learn high-level cookie and cake decorating from expert Melissa Koch.

 

In addition, many of the Summer at St. Margaret’s favorites were back, including Carb-B-Q with teacher Chris Carbajal, Innovation Stage with the performing arts teachers, stand-up paddleboarding in Dana Point, chess, and athletic camps like cheerleading, basketball, soccer and more.

 

 

Lower School and Middle School students had the opportunity to take Gear Up courses to prepare academically for the upcoming school year.

 

Lower School Gear Up courses mimicked an entire week of the school schedule to provide a sneak peek of the year to come. Middle School Gear Up courses were full day and subject-specific, but all of them introduced a social-emotional element this year, where students had the chance to decompress and relax with their friends.

 

In the Upper School, current and incoming St. Margaret’s students took for-credit classes in subjects like chemistry, biology, physics, geometry, religion and health. Many Upper School student-athletes also took part in athletic camps to enhance their skills and build camaraderie with teammates.

 

 

Stay tuned for more information on Summer at St. Margaret’s 2023. Registration is expected to open in January for Lower School and Middle School options, and April for Upper School courses. In the meantime, interested families are welcome to contact Mr. Hammond with any questions about next summer’s programming. 

 

“Summer at St. Margaret’s continues to innovate every year, and 2023 will be no different,” Mr. Hammond said. “We are looking forward to putting together exciting opportunities and inviting students from all over to join us for another exciting summer.”