2012 Summer Camp Registration
Available in March
Click here for the 2011 Summer Camps brochure.
Click here to register online.
Available in March
Click here for the 2011 Summer Camps brochure.
Click here to register online.
Dear Parents and Campers:
1986. Ronald Reagan was President. My twin sons, now about to turn thirty, were five years old. This year's St. Mark's seniors were still six or seven years away from being born. I was about to start my first year as Director of Summer Programs at St. Mark's. Now, I'm starting my twenty-fifth year - my Silver Anniversary.
The summer program I inherited back then was different in many ways from the one that this brochure invites you to be part of, but it had one thing that has alwaysbeen at the heart of our summer offerings: Fun. As it was then, St. Mark's is an academically demanding school - one that pushes extremely bright young men to achieve more than they believe they can. Therefore, I'm not surpirsed when I get asked "Why doesn't St. Mark's have a real academic summer program?" My answer is twofold.
First, we believe, as a core part of our educational philosophy, that play is an absolutely essential element in every child's healthy development. Today, it is far too easy, in the well-intentioned name of child development, to deny our children an adequate opportunity to play. Schoolwork, sports practices, music lessons, tutoring sessions, and other so-called enrichment programs can easily fill every minute of a child's day, leaving no time for the necessary opportunity to play. Our summer programs are carefully and thoughtfully designed to combat that porblem. We guarantee a program that is play centered - and one that Campers have found to be just plain fun for the last twenty-four years.
Second, while play and fun are our core goals, education goes on everyday in all our programs. In our Day Camp, learning is an essential part of what we do - even if Campers never know it's happening. Lessons in group dynamics, leadership, self-confidence, self-awareness, and self-reliance are part of every day at camp. Lessons in art, music, culture, and nature are carefully woven into every camp session. Campers emerge with life skills and knowledge that will benefit them for life - and generally have a great time doing it. Even our Science Camps are centered on fun. Science is made interesing in a hands-on way that transports camper sbeyond a class-like experience to a emersion in their subject. Every summer, we hear campers say, "I never knew science could be so much fun!" Those are sweet words. Science can be fun, and we design our camps to achieve that goal.
This year we are working as hard as ever to guarantee your son or daughter a wonderful camp experience. In twenty-four years I"ve learned a lot, but never forgotten that fun has to come first. Please join us this summer. We know you'll be as happy and satisfied as the twenty-four year's worth of parents and campers who have preceded you.
The summer program I inherited back then was different in many ways from the one that this brochure invites you to be part of, but it had one thing that has alwaysbeen at the heart of our summer offerings: Fun. As it was then, St. Mark's is an academically demanding school - one that pushes extremely bright young men to achieve more than they believe they can. Therefore, I'm not surpirsed when I get asked "Why doesn't St. Mark's have a real academic summer program?" My answer is twofold.
First, we believe, as a core part of our educational philosophy, that play is an absolutely essential element in every child's healthy development. Today, it is far too easy, in the well-intentioned name of child development, to deny our children an adequate opportunity to play. Schoolwork, sports practices, music lessons, tutoring sessions, and other so-called enrichment programs can easily fill every minute of a child's day, leaving no time for the necessary opportunity to play. Our summer programs are carefully and thoughtfully designed to combat that porblem. We guarantee a program that is play centered - and one that Campers have found to be just plain fun for the last twenty-four years.
Second, while play and fun are our core goals, education goes on everyday in all our programs. In our Day Camp, learning is an essential part of what we do - even if Campers never know it's happening. Lessons in group dynamics, leadership, self-confidence, self-awareness, and self-reliance are part of every day at camp. Lessons in art, music, culture, and nature are carefully woven into every camp session. Campers emerge with life skills and knowledge that will benefit them for life - and generally have a great time doing it. Even our Science Camps are centered on fun. Science is made interesing in a hands-on way that transports camper sbeyond a class-like experience to a emersion in their subject. Every summer, we hear campers say, "I never knew science could be so much fun!" Those are sweet words. Science can be fun, and we design our camps to achieve that goal.
This year we are working as hard as ever to guarantee your son or daughter a wonderful camp experience. In twenty-four years I"ve learned a lot, but never forgotten that fun has to come first. Please join us this summer. We know you'll be as happy and satisfied as the twenty-four year's worth of parents and campers who have preceded you.
Sincerely yours,
Stephanie Barta
Director of Summer Programs
Click here for the 2011 Summer Camps brochure.
Click here to register online.
