Campus is Busy This Summer
Greta Cunningham ‘23, Communications Apprentice
July 25, 2022
While school may be out for the summer, Cretin-Derham Hall is as busy as ever from June to August, ensuring campus, students, and teachers are prepped and ready for the following year.
Sports and Summer Training
“The summer is an important time of year for students to develop as athletes and prepare for the upcoming fall, winter, and spring sports seasons,” said Coach Ryan Bonikowske, who runs the summer Raider Strength and Speed program in collaboration with Training Haus.
Raider Strength and Speed is CDH’s summer training program for student-athletes. The sessions create a stronger foundation for season training, limit off-season regression, and lower the risk of sports injuries during the school year. Teams train together, allowing them to build familiarity and solidarity before their seasons begin. Strength and Speed is also available for middle school students, who train three days a week compared to high school students’ four.
“It's extremely beneficial to have middle school athletes start training before they get to high school so that they have a basic understanding of exercise and how to train for a competitive season,” said Coach Bonikowske. “It typically takes at least two years for athletes to fully understand how to do the exercises and work hard at them effectively. If they can address this before they get to high school, they have a huge advantage over other athletes in what they will accomplish over a four-year period.”
In addition to Strength and Speed, hockey teams have summer training programs at the Charles M. Schulz-Highland Arena, soccer teams have captains practices, and football can have 11 full pad practices. CDH hosts basketball and volleyball open gyms and tennis, lacrosse, volleyball, basketball, and soccer camps for various ages.
“The ultimate goal of our summer training programs is to build a greater sense of community through athletics and give our students the chance to grow and develop in the games they love,” said Matt Funk, Athletic Director and head coach of CDH Boys Hockey.
College Admissions Preparation
In addition to strengthening students for their athletic seasons, CDH also helps students prepare for the college admissions season.
For the last ten years, CDH has offered a College Application Boot Camp. The program is offered for one week in August with morning and afternoon sessions. This year, over 80 students are participating. Over four three-hour sessions, students learn about different parts of the college admissions folder, essay and resume writing, and scholarship applications.
“We started the boot camp because deadlines started moving up earlier and earlier. Now students don’t have all of their first trimester and Thanksgiving to finish their application,” said CDH college counselor, Joan O’Connell. “When they come back to school in the fall, they’re starting classes and have leadership responsibilities, so it can be hard for them to make time for their college applications. The boot camp gives them an opportunity to get started with supervision from people with experience before the school year even begins. It’s something we know really helps.”
Working on application essays is at the center of the program. On the first day of camp, CDH English teachers come in to present lessons. Students will have their first drafts by the second day of camp, so they have the opportunity for essay conferences with their college counselor throughout the week. By the end of boot camp, students have the confidence and knowledge to continue the application process.
Incoming 9th Graders Summer Classes
In addition to helping incoming seniors with essay writing, CDH teachers are also on campus offering classes for our incoming ninth graders. About 100 incoming ninth graders took Summer Health this June to learn about social, physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional wellbeing.
“We also offer guidance on school related issues, like course load, studying, and how to balance school with activities, friends, and family,” said Mark McGuire, Summer Health teacher and Campus Minister. “We do a lot of group work, so I love to see them form friendships with people they have never met before and watch those relationships carry forward into the school year.
Summer Human Geography classes are also offered to incoming ninth graders. Human Geography and Health are required, trimester-long courses during the school year, condensed into one week of eight-hour days during the summer. By taking them over the summer, students can have an additional elective during the school year, which is especially beneficial to students using an elective to take band, choir, or JROTC.
“It allows students to meet their classmates and feel comfortable in the building before they even start classes,” said McGuire.
By offering summer classes to incoming ninth graders, CDH hopes to acquaint students with their future peers and campus.
Student Summer Workers on Campus Maintenance and Landscaping
Ensuring campus is ready to welcome students back in the fall is an involved job. This year, a group of 15 students is working in the CDH summer student worker program to help with campus maintenance projects, such as preparing classrooms and landscaping.
“I think it's really important that we have a beautiful place for our students to go to school. It adds a level of peace, appreciation, and care for our community,” said Peggy Gilligan, Director of Annual Fund and coordinator of the summer student worker program.
The program employs an indoor and outdoor crew who work four to five days a week. Students have the option to be paid directly or have their paycheck applied to tuition. By offering employment on campus, students have the opportunity to build work experience and learn about being a good employee in a comfortable and familiar environment.
“One thing that I have learned working this summer is that it is extremely important to develop strong and positive relationships with your colleagues,” said Michael Nobrega ’25, a student summer worker in the outdoor crew. “The people who will be working with you are a source of knowledge, help, and potential friendship, so taking the time to get to know them is very important.”
Summer Teacher Academy
This sentiment is shared by Nobrega’s teachers, who value the Summer Teacher Academy every year as an opportunity for teachers to expand their knowledge and skills in a collaborative environment.
“I think it is a great way to work with other teachers to develop friendships and working relationships. During the year, we can be so busy that we don’t have the same opportunity to talk and bounce ideas off each other,” said Jessie Botello, a science teacher who is participating in this year’s Academy.
Teachers create a proposal for the kind of program they want and receive a stipend for attending. The Academy this August will be led by David Sobolewski of the technology department and former STEM Coordinator, now science teacher, Ellen Schafer, to show teachers how to use the STEM Center and facilitate brainstorming for incorporating it across the curriculum.
“CDH has a great history of offering summer academies to teachers. It’s a chance for us to try something outside of our normal classes or learn about a new topic in depth,” said Ann Marie Froehle, another science teacher who will be attending the August Academy. “The Ryan STEM Center offers an amazing opportunity to take my teaching up a notch and get kids out of the classroom and into working design learning.”
Between athletics, classes, campus maintenance, and teacher workshops, the summer is a valuable time for learning of all kinds, from workouts to nutrition to gardening to 3D printing. CDH, and all of its community members, will be ready to welcome the new school year at the end of August. Go Raiders!