By Raymond Costanzo ’20

Each year, Chaminade offers a variety of academic summer camps to any interested Long Island students. This year promises to expand the already robust Flyers summer programs with exciting new additions.  Chaminade teachers incorporate their insight and perspective into teaching eager students in an engaging atmosphere, using cutting-edge equipment and organizing trips to many different places.

Among the variety of experiences, the Bloomberg Business Workshop has quickly become one of the most popular summer camps at Chaminade. Offered to students in seventh to tenth grade, this workshop teaches campers real-world knowledge while also introducing the basics of stocks. Utilizing Chaminade’s 16 Bloomberg financial terminals, students are able to gain experience on the same equipment used on Wall Street. They develop strategic thinking and vital decision-making skills to apply to numerous careers, including asset management and stock brokerage.

In addition to the Bloomberg Business Workshop, the Computer Science Camp is another academic summer camp open to students in grades sixth through ninth. Students learn the fundamentals of the growing Computer Science field, especially pertaining to computer programming. Specifically, Apple’s coding language, Swift, bolsters their understanding of this critical skill in modern times. They partake in creative projects with programmable robots, like Sphero, and even design their own apps.

Speech and Debate Camp was recently introduced to acquaint students with the basics of one of Chaminade’s most successful clubs. Taught by Chaminade’s debate coaches and some of their nationally-acclaimed debaters, students at this camp learn to research evidence for case-writing, discovering imperative skills to rebut arguments and conduct cross-examinations along the way. At the end of the session, these newly acquired abilities are put to the test in a debate tournament.

Other areas of exploration include camps focused on historical topics and sports careers. Bro. Lawrence Syriac, S.M., teaches two courses on the Civil War and Revolutionary War for boys entering seventh through tenth grades. These camp sessions include full-day field trips to historic sites, such as the Battlefield at Manassas in Virginia and Philadelphia’s Revolutionary War Museum, and guest speakers. Additionally, Mr. Patrick Reichart coordinates a Sports Broadcasting Camp and Careers in Sports Camp, both of which cater to students considering careers in sports management.  Guest speakers from both disciplines help participants develop broadcasting skills.  Another favorite camp, Chaminade’s Culinary Arts Camp, provides a means of exploring new recipes and discovering the cultural backgrounds of foods.  The College Essay Writing Workshop is geared towards rising seniors beginning the college application process.

As Trevor Wallace ’20 exclaims, “The camps at Chaminade are the best summer camps I have ever been to.  I was able to make friends and learn about some interesting topics.”

Chaminade’s academic summer camps grant opportunities for students to investigate many areas of interest.