Dear Parents and Campers:
For almost twenty-five years now, I have had the privilege to direct the St. Mark’s Summer Programs. During that time, one of the questions I am most frequently asked has always been: “Why don’t you have a ‘real’ summer school program?” I guess that is a logical question. After all, St. Mark’s is one of the top-tier independent schools in the United States, and it regularly graduates some of the most sought after students by many leading universities. But St. Mark’s has always realized that it takes more than focused academics to turn a student into a well-rounded adult. Especially when it comes to younger students, we recognize the vital role of play in their complete development. That’s why play and pure unadulterated fun are at the heart of all our Summer Programs.
Let me explain our philosophy a little more completely. Research shows a direct relationship between a young child’s play activity and their achievement and well being as they develop into adolescents and on into young adults. The advantages are physical, mental and emotional. The physical advantages of days filled with challenging activities are obvious. But the mental and developmental advantages of play are just as real. At young ages, learning the process of learning is one of the vital keys to future success and achievement. We design all our summer programs so they fill almost every minute your child is with us to stimulate them both physically and mentally. We go to great lengths (and expense) to ensure we have a staff qualified to do that. We ensure that every activity we have has a large amount of “camper appeal,” but we also ensure that they are challenged both physically and mentally by our activities. What’s the result? At the end of each camp day, the campers just think they had a great time; they never realize that their day of fun has helped prepare them for better health and success as they grow older. In short, they have had a learning experience without
ever knowing it.
We know you have lots of summer options for your children. If you have a specific need for a traditional academic summer school program, there are many excellent ones to choose from. On the other hand, if you seek the best all-around summer experience for your child, we sincerely believe that there is no better program available than the one we offer. Each year we review everything we do to be sure it continues to achieve what we want. Our campers’ smiles (and those of their parents) tell us every summer that we succeed. We would love to have your child join us this summer for all the fun and preparation for life that we can deliver.
Sincerely yours,
Stephanie Barta
Director of Summer Programs
Click here for the 2010 Summer Camps brochure.
The Brendan Court ’06 Summer Enrichment Camp will still be offered in the summer of 2010. For more information, please visit the Summer Programs – Community Outreach link or click here. A link to the camp's program is available here.
