High School Summer Programs

SuperCamp’s high school summer programs for students entering grades 9-12 in the upcoming fall are held at multiple school campuses across the U.S. Our high school summer camps provide students with the learning and life skills that will help them in high school and as they prepare for college.

Senior Forum is the name of our high school summer program. Students from throughout the country and around the world come together to be a part of our 10-day Senior Forum program each summer.

Students who attend our high school summer program once can return the next year and join Leadership Training Team, or L-Team, as we call it. High school students who participate in L-Team are able to further develop their skills in the following areas: communication, teamwork, mentoring, goal setting, personal motivation, peer counseling and support, and effective leadership styles

The next step after L-Team in our high school summer camp series is Leadership Forum. High school and first-year college students who have attended Senior Forum twice can enroll in Leadership Forum, which focuses entirely on the life skills component of our curriculum, with particular emphasis on advanced leadership, communication, mentoring, and relationship-building skills.

Senior Forum high school summer programs will be held at the following locations in 2010 (Leadership Training Team is available at all of these summer camp sessions):

Brown University
Cal State San Marcos
Colorado College
Lake Forest Academy
Stanford University
UCLA
University of Washington
Wake Forest University

Leadership Forum’s high school summer camp is located at Colorado College.

Take a look at the ten-day curriculum for our Senior Forum high school summer program.

What Parents Should Look for in a High School Summer Camp

Smiling Girls

Every year, parents are faced with the same question: how to make the summer both fun and constructive for their high school students. More families are turning to high school summer camps that offer some form of enrichment as a way of adding value to the summer camp experience.

But not all high school student camps are created equal. Here are some points to consider when evaluating high school summer programs for your son or daughter.

Does the area of enrichment have any practical application to your child’s academic future?
Several high school summer camps position themselves as “summer enrichment programs” when, in reality, they are glorified and expensive vacations for the students who attend. Do the kids like these camps? You bet. But before signing up, take a good look at the program’s schedule of activities. Close inspection may reveal that there’s far more downtime and unstructured free time than there is quality enrichment.

There’s nothing wrong with indulging your son or daughter in one of these programs, some of which are held in Europe, on cruise ships and in tropical locations. Just know that there may be little or no lasting value to the student or the parents in this investment.

What kind of training and expertise does the staff possess?
If a high school summer program bills itself as providing new skills to participants, then make a point to learn about the background of the staff who will teach these skills. Are the program leaders teachers themselves or experts in a particular field? Also, inquire as to the training they receive. Many high school student programs scramble at the last minute to hire summer staff and, as a result, the experience and training of some staff members may be lacking.

Is there a balance between learning and fun?

The last thing a student needs in a high school summer program is more high school. A good high school summer camp gives students the feeling that they’re at camp, not back at high school. While some programs try to combine learning and fun by giving the campers adequate free time, the best camps incorporate fun right into the learning. When a student enjoys the learning process, the brain does a better job of assimilating and retaining the new information.

In what ways can a high school summer program enrich a student’s life?
When most people hear “summer enrichment” they think of academic enrichment. Clearly, when students are able to acquire new skills in such areas as creative writing, reading comprehension, problem solving and critical thinking, they benefit. But if a high school summer camp offers them growth in life skills areas that build their confidence, motivation and self-esteem, as well as their communication and leadership skills, then you’ve found a summer enrichment program that can help a student grow in school and in life.

What’s a good length of time for a high school summer camp?
There is no set length that is best. Students do benefit from some downtime in the summer, so a program that runs three or more weeks may be excessive and expensive. On the other hand, camps that last just a few days will have limited value. Similarly, day camps don’t have the same impact as residential enrichment camps, where students get to stay on-site for the duration of the program. Teens, in particular, are nocturnal. Some of the best learning can come in the evening sessions of high school summer programs.

In summary, SuperCamp provides high school students with a positive and productive 10-day experience that can pay long-term dividends for the entire family. Newly acquired academic skills, increased motivation or added confidence can translate into better grades, as well as new academic and personal interests. In turn, this growth can lead to better colleges, college scholarships and rewarding careers.

Check out our complete line-up of high school summer programs for this year and learn more about our high school pre-college programs.