Chaminade to Hold Academic Summer Camps

Story by Geoffrey Walter

Chaminade High School is expanding its menu of summer camps this year from simply the athletic to include academic offerings, including historical tours and drama workshops.

The Mineola-based Catholic school had previously only offered athletic camps, which have been notorious for filling up quickly after registration was opened. The school had offered sports camps for basketball, crew, lacrosse, track and field, baseball, wrestling, soccer, football, speed and agility, swimming and volleyball.

“It was really a no brainer,” Chaminade president Bro Thomas Cleary, S.M., said on instituting the new camp offerings. “We are known for our strong, college-preparatory academic programs – it was only a matter of time before we developed a dynamic academic camp program as well.”

Most of the camps begin the week of June 24 or the second or third week in July. All camps are for five days, the majority on weekdays. Drinks and snacks will be provided to campers each day. Camp fees run from $300-$450.

“We have a highly qualified, dynamic and passionate faculty and staff that are engaged with our summer camp programs,” Bro. Cleary said when asked what would make the school’s offerings unique over camps at other schools. “In addition, we have first class facilities.”

The school plans on offering five different academic camps:

Civil War Camp: The camp will concentrate on the 150th anniversaries of the Battles of Antietam and Gettysburg as well as explore the Emancipation Proclamation and participate in a reenactment. Students will also take a one-day trip to Gettysburg. Open to boys entering seventh, eighth and ninth grades. Fee: $450.

LI Heritage Camp: Campers will learn about Long Island history by visiting historically significant places including Sagamore Hill, the Whaling Museum, Aviation Museum and Walt Whitman’s Birthplace each day. Trips include guided tours by professionals. Open to boys entering eighth, ninth and 10th grade. Fee: $425

Science Camp: Students will expand their science skills in Earth Science, biology, chemistry and physics and participate in hands-on laboratory experiments each day. A science Olympiad competition/ science scavenger hunt will be held on the last day of camp. Fee: $350.

Writing Workshop: Students will have the opportunity to work on composition skills in expository, creative writing and journalism covering writing, editing, critical thinking, and active listening. The camp offers sessions for high school students focusing on college essay preparation, and writing for common core standards – open to boys and girls entering 10th, 11th and 12th grades; middle school students – open to boys and girls entering eighth and ninth grades. Fee: $300

Drama Camp: Disney-trained performers and Chaminade instructors will give students the opportunity to work on acting, voice and dance skills. They will also be able to perform songs, scenes and dances from various Disney productions. The camp offers sessions for high school students – open to boys and girls entering 10th, 11th and 12th grades; middle school students – open to boys and girls entering seventh, eighth and ninth grades; and group performance. Fee: $350, one session; $650, two sessions.

Chaminade also has a “unique” partnership with the Disney Company’s Theatrical Workshop for the two drama session workshops, as it is the only high school with which they have partnered.

“For several years now, we have brought students into the Disney on Broadway theater experience,” Bro Cleary said. “Through some of our connections, we reached out to the Disney Broadway people and asked could they bring their staff and their wealth of resources to Chaminade High School and engage with us in our theater camp program, which was started last year. It was a match that you might say was ‘magical!’”