By Zoe Lenz 

   What did you do this summer? 

   Maybe you traveled or hung out with friends, or like many TPA students, you may have attended a summer program. This year, several students spent their summers seizing opportunities and learning as much as they could while school was out of session. 

   Several TPA students attended the Joaquin Bustoz Math-Science Honors program, or JBMSHP, at ASU. Senior Kinglee Tham, who took the MAT265 Calculus for Engineers course, said, “My favorite part was meeting so many different people from diverse backgrounds.” The program is targeted at first-generation, low-income students and is designed to teach about college and mathematics, science or engineering through difficult lessons and rigorous college-level coursework. 

   Another senior, Connor Clark, attended Wharton’s Leadership in the Business World, a three-week program at the University of Pennsylvania  that teaches leadership, teamwork and communication skills. “I learned how to analyze business through the lens of finance, operations, marketing, and HR,” he said. Connor says that if students are interested in business, this program will help them prepare for “college and beyond.”     

   For the Boston University Summer Journalism Academy, junior Borislava Panayotova made her way to Boston for a week and a half to learn more about reporting, interviewing, producing original stories and the media world. She said, “I grew my ability to write and also met a ton of new people that I can call friends.” 

   Seniors Cami Wisneski and Annie Goodykoonrz attended American Legion Auxiliary’s Girls State, a program designed to teach high school girls about government and various political positions. Cami said, “There was a total of 150-200 young women who had the ability to run for positions, campaign, and work together to successfully run a mini government.” 

These are only a few of the numerous summer programs for students to learn more about and engage in their passions and interests. Be on the lookout for more information or applications regarding these exciting opportunities.