Many people warned you it would happen. From the moment your son started talking about moving 18 hours away to the East coast for college, your friends and family said students tend to remain in the area where ever they go to college. A college 18 hours away, for example, would mean that your son would likely locate himself 18 hours away from home after he graduated. And here you are the summer after his first year receiving the phone call. He want to let you know that he will be remaining on the East coast for the summer. He will be working as a counselor at a summer camp.
You hate to admit that the warnings were valid and that you will be seeing your son for just a few days this summer. The days at the end of the summer when the camp is over and the college dorm rooms are not yet available. You want to ask yourself how you let this happen, but you already know. From the time he was starting preschool until his current freshman year in college at an Ivy League school, your son has always been reaching for the biggest challenge. This summer he found that challenge at an academic engineering camp for high school recruits from around the country.This time it is summer camp counseling, next summer he will likely find another opportunity to further his studies or leadership skills.
Private School Students Tend to Find Some of the Best Academic Opportunities in College
While public schools may the solution for many families, other parents decide that private school will provide the best opportunities for their children. From the time they begin the process of finding a good preschool, these parents have their eyes on the goal of a college Ivy League education and all of the benefits that can offer.
And while some working parents are content to have their children with nannies and babysitters in the summer, other families search out academically rich environments during the summer, as well as the school year.
The benefits of preschool are often the initial step that students take toward their high powered private school paths. Benefitting from qualified teachers who make learning seem fun and exciting, private preschool students arrive in kindergarten rooms ready to master the standards that private elementary schools expect. From there, these private school students, if they have been trained by talented and trained educators, will be ready for the most rigorous years of middle school. Following those years, these same students are ready to move onto a college preparatory high school experience.
While public schools in some parts of the country offer strong educational opportunities, other parts of the nation find classrooms that are overcrowded and taught by under qualified teachers and assistants. In some parts of the country, for instance, academic summer camps may be a child’s best opportunity to stay ahead of the national academic expectations if they spend their school months in under funded public schools.
Summer Camp Options Are as Varied as Student’s Interest
Every year more than 11 million children attend summer camp in America. For parents who decide to send their children to a summer camp offered by a private school, the most difficult choice may be deciding between all of the varied options:
- Engineering camps. As science, technology, engineering, and math focus continues to grow, summer engineering opportunities for elementary students grow as well. You do not need to be the parent of a middle school or high school student to take advantage of this latest trend in educational focus.
- Outdoor camps with academic options. Because only 20% of homes in America have parks within a half-mile of their front door, many summer camps offer important access to both structured and unstructured time to be outdoors. Elementary schools and their summer camp offerings address academic needs while at the same time focusing on fitness. Since only 20% of homes are close to a recreational or fitness center, many summer camp options incorporate outdoor fitness activities.
- Art camps. According to the American Camp Association, over 60% of children who learn new activities at camp will sustain an interest after camp is over. Summer camp is an opportunity explore new art interests.
