By Sama Allam, Violeta Panayotova, Sam Goodykoontz, and Sanjana Thimmidi

Joaquin Bustoz Math-Science Honors Program

Senior Tykiera Jordan went to the Joaquin Bustoz Math-Science Honors Program at ASU for six weeks. After taking a placement test, she ending up taking college algebra, which gave her 3 college credits. While learning college algebra, she also had a research project that she worked on with two other students. At the end, they presented them all at a symposium. She learned how to “be independent, manage money and manage time.” She was a little scared at first but she ended up loving it. She recommends that if you love math and science you look into this program.

Junior Annie Meacham also went to this program. In her own words, “The program … was a life-changing program! It was amazing to spend an entire summer with people as excited to learn about math and science as I am. The program allowed me to step outside of my comfortable bubble and meet a lot of people. The class I participated in was the applied math and life science class which consisted of nine students in total. Because of our class size, we became a very close group. These are some of the best people I’ve met and I wouldn’t have met them without the opportunity to attend the program. The program was full of fun and exciting memories, such as going to memorial union and feeling the real college experience. I feel as though this program gave me a preview into what college will be like as well as giving me friends that I still keep in touch with!”

Sing a Mile High Festival

Many people think of choir as only being a school-related activity. However, junior Kylie Klassen went to the Sing a Mile High Festival in Denver, Colorado this summer with the Phoenix Children’s Chorus, which she is a part of. When asked about some of the fun things she did while there, Kylie responded, “We went to rehearsals with the famous composer and choir director Rollo Dillworth.” She added that she “learned new breathing techniques and how the meaning of the lyrics correlate to the music itself. We even sang some of the songs we composed and we all got insight into the mind of an esteemed composer.” At the end of the trip, she said that the chorus “performed alongside a bunch of other children’s choirs across the country.” Kylie’s trip proves that you can still have fun during the summer while being productive by learning new vocal techniques and vocal lessons. Fun should not have to mean no productivity, and productivity should not have to mean no fun, and Kylie showed that through her choir trip.

Southwest Speech and Debate Institute Summer Camp

Sharing a dorm with someone else is not always easy. Figuring out when to turn off the lights, discussing when and where each one of the people is and who is locking and when and who is going to use the bathroom first are just a few challenges that some Tempe Prep students got to experience while attending the Southwest Speech and Debate Institute over the summer.

Sophomore Elizabeth Hollmann explains that “SWSDI was simultaneously the most stressful week of my life and the most fun week.” This does not mean that she did not enjoy her time in the dorms, learning how to debate more eloquently and learning some new facts about our favorite philosophers. The week that she spent there was “educational” and made her fall in love with Speech and Debate. She learned valuable skills such as how to communicate with others and create friendships that will last a lifetime, and how to get around in a debate even when she does not know what to say.

When attending this camp each event has its own coaches that just graduated or have been part of the Speech and Debate community for quite a long time. Elizabeth explains that although at first they seemed intimidating” because they are the people every newcomer strives to be, she learned that “they were college students, they were really chill and we had huge conversations about politics and we can see that even they don’t have it all figured out.”

Although the camp seems like a lot of work and time and dedication, it is not that strict. Participants can walk around and enjoy some time alone as long as one of the coaches knows where one is. The overall camp makes one feel more grown-up, independent, and all of this while learning important life lessons such as “don’t spend all of your money on coffee.”

HOBY

Being a leader has never been an easy job, but the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Summer Program helps students lead the way into a successful future. Junior Kelly Clark states that “once you go, it becomes a part of you forever.” Whether it is the people one meets or the guest speakers one hears from, HOBY has a way of changing one’s perspective on the way people view community service and leadership. HOBY is a four-day program whose goal is “to inspire future leaders and encourage you to take the next step,” according to Junior Clara Moffitt.

The program provides participants with a variety of activities and lectures that “work on corroboration where you identify your strengths as a leader and your weaknesses and how to develop them,” Clara explains. The program left the students inspired to pursue more community service and to make sure that others are presented with the same opportunity. This is why they created the SOLS, Summer of Leadership Service, which helps Tempe Prep students to be inspired and see the fun and benefits of community service.

Kelly, on the other hand, is using the skills she learned during the summer. “It reminds me to check my privilege and to listen more than I talk. It has helped me in my HL discussions and will help me in any future conversations.” Participating in class and expressing one’s opinion may seem scary, however, HOBY helped those students to learn how to communicate better and to really understand others’ opinions. Overall, being a leader does not have to be hard as long as one can have fun while learning new life lessons.

Global Citizenship and Yale Young Global Scholars

Over the summer Tempe Prep students seized their opportunities and spent their breaks productively. Two Tempe Prep juniors, Clara Moffitt and Kelly Clark, traveled out of state to attend summer programs.

Kelly traveled all the way north to Ontario, Canada, where she participated in the Global Citizenship program at the University of Toronto. The point of the program was to discuss and tackle global issues, with their main focus this past summer being homelessness and fundamental human rights. This objective was accomplished through essay writing, round-table discussions, and presentations of solutions. Kelly reveals the motivation behind her choice of this summer program: “I’m very passionate about human rights, and about global issues, so that was something I really liked hearing from other people about.” Kelly highly recommends this program to those who share similar interests as well.

In Connecticut, Clara participated in the Yale Young Global Scholars program. There, Clara participated in the literature, philosophy, and culture program where she attended the Islamic philosophy and culture and ethics of enhancement (i.e. bioengineering) seminars. “It was a grade-free environment. It was just for the purpose of discussion and learning more about what you think. . . I learned a lot about myself.” Much like Humane Letters at TPA, Clara shared her thoughts on the subject matter and listened in turn to her peers, immersing herself in the intricacies of such novel topics. If you’re looking to learn more about yourself, others, and the world around you, Clara suggests this program is for you.