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Writer's pictureYelena Kadeykina

Teen summer programs that you will remember forever

Updated: Jan 22, 2019


Hotchkiss School, Summer 2018

Continuing our blog from January 15th 2019, let's talk about some specific examples of how to spend the summer. First of all, it’s very important to determine the purpose of the program! Do you want to strengthen your application portfolio? Deepen your child's knowledge in a particular area? Or do you want to help him/her choose the school/university of their dreams?

If your priority is to enroll in an elite boarding school, it makes sense to spend the summer at one! For example, students in grades 7-11 can spend five weeks from the end of June to the end of July at Choate Rosemary Hall (Connecticut), the alma mater of President John F. Kennedy. Their selective “Academic Enrichment” program provides a wide range of classes, from robotics to oratory.

Alex Kalvarsky at Choate Rosemary Hall (acting Summer 2017, acting program)

Many, many programs are also offered by top American universities. Those who are fluent in English can take part in the famous Great Books program on the campus of one of the best universities in the world: Amherst College. While discussing works of world literature, children in 6th to 12th grade discover critical reading and analytical thinking, learn to develop ideas, and hone the art of defending their point of view and listening to others. Similar programs are now available on the campuses of two other leading American universities: Stanford University and University of Chicago (the latter is among the top five in the world in terms of the number of Nobel laureates among graduates and professors).


Our student, Diana Asadova, with her peers at a prestigious science summer program at Smith College

Girls entering grades 9-12 in the fall who are interested in science and medicine have a wonderful opportunity to spend four weeks from early July to early August at the Summer Science and Engineering Program (SSEP) on the beautiful campus of Smith College, one of the country's best colleges for young women. Located in central Massachusetts, Smith College is a member of a special union of five Massachusetts universities called “the consortium” — which includes Amherst College — that allows students to choose classes in any of these five universities. SSEP participants must enroll in 2 of the 14 proposed two-week courses. Among the classes offered are Introduction to Genetics, Neurology, Robotics, Sports Physiology, and Bioethics. Over 100 girls from all over the world participate in the program — and it’s easy to make friends with similar interests.


There is a number of interesting options in Florida, too. For example, the Summer Institute for the Gifted, which runs from late July to early August on the campus of the University of Miami (there are both residential and non-residential options), offers a wide choice of courses for children from 9-17 years old, ranging from painting to programming to creating a startup. This is a selective program, but if you are accepted, it will look great on any resume.

Students entering grades 9-11 in the fall who want to develop their leadership potential can spend two weeks from late June to early August on the campus of one of the members of the Ivy League: Brown University in Providence, a vibrant cultural center and the capital of the state of Rhode Island. The selective Brown Leadership Institute program provides a selection of 13 courses on leadership in all areas, from entrepreneurship to international relations to the environment. Participants spend two weeks intensively studying and discussing current issues, as well as developing their own “action plan,” which they bring to life during their return home. This could be a school group that collects groceries and donates them to those in need, a drama club which makes plays about and discusses respectful relations between boys and girls, or the creation of a tutoring network for students who need academic support. Such an experience is invaluable for students when they are applying to leading universities.

For students entering grades 7-10, Brown also offers the two-week STEM program (STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) with a wide choice of exciting courses from the natural and hard sciences, from astronomy to bio-engineering to artificial intelligence.


The Blueprint program for children entering grades 9-12 in the fall goes for either one or two weeks from the end of June to the end of July on the campus of the University of Florida, and offers a range of courses from architecture to criminology. The Dolphin Research Center (Dolphin Research Center) also gives children from 10 to 17 years old the opportunity to spend an unforgettable week with dolphins, communicate with them, and explore their behavior.

These are just a few examples from the huge number of existing programs.


At Hermiona Education, we understand that the scale of the American educational system is so much cast that it’s easy to feel as if you’re drowning. With that, we interview both parents and children — and together we define long-term goals and outline a strategy for achieving them. Our integrated approach allows the child not only to “have fun in the sun,” but also make crucial progress towards acceptance at a top university.




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