Summer Camps & Programs

Program Description

Choate Rosemary Hall

Summer Programs
Wallingford, Connecticut

		Program Description Program Overview Visit Web Site Get Free Info See Photos

For More Information, Contact
Monique Neal, Director of Admissions
Choate Rosemary Hall Summer Programs
333 Christian Street
Wallingford, Connecticut 06492
203-697-2365
Fax: 203-697-2519
http://www.choate.edu/summer
E-mail: marnold@choate.edu

Type of Program: College-preparatory academic enrichment/credit for residential and day students
Participants: Coeducational, students who have completed grades 6–8 and 9–12
Enrollment: 500
Program Dates: June 28 to July 31, 2009
Head of Program: Amy Foster, Interim Director

Location

The 450-acre campus of Choate Rosemary Hall is in the center of Wallingford, a town 12 miles north of New Haven and 20 miles south of Hartford. It is a 2-hour drive from Boston and New York City.

Background and Philosophy

The Choate Rosemary Hall Summer Programs were established in 1916. The mission is to encourage, support, and challenge each student’s potential while making the learning experience productive, rewarding, and enjoyable. This is accomplished not only in the classroom, but also in the dormitory, through sports and social activities, and by sharing life in a residential community.

Program Offerings

Students in each program are fully integrated into all athletic, extracurricular, and social activities on campus.

For high school students (grades 9–12)
    Summer Session Course offerings give students the opportunity for advancement, credit, and preparation for courses for the next school year. All courses stress skills in reading, writing, computation, and analytical thought. The average class size is 12.
English Language Institute (ELI) This program is designed to help students improve their English in a supportive yet challenging academic environment. Students develop their ability in language skills, including writing, speaking, listening, and reading.
John F. Kennedy Institute in Government Students take three courses on the formation of political ideas, the foundation and workings of the American government, and current domestic issues. A trip to Washington, D.C., is a highlight of the program, as students meet members of Congress, lobbyists, and journalists.
The Writing Project In this intensive two-week program (offered in two different sessions), students receive daily writing and reading assignments and an introduction to computer-assisted writing and gain confidence in their writing skill.
Immersion Courses Students may enroll in one of the following courses: first-year French, Latin, or Spanish; algebra I; geometry; trigonometry/precalculus; or physics. Credit is granted by the student’s school.
Math and Science Workshops Similar to the Writing Project, these two-week programs aim to give students a “leg up” on the material for regular-year classes. Classes include Algebra Review, Topics in Algebra II, Topics in Precalculus, Topics in Calculus, Topics in Chemistry, and Topics in Physics.

For middle school students (grades 6–8)
    FOCUS Program This four-week program parallels the Summer Session but stresses cooperative learning, the use of technology in the classroom, problem-solving skills, effective communication, hands-on projects, and research skills. Small classes and experienced dorm advisers encourage personal growth and self-awareness. Enrollment is limited to 75 students.
Math/Science Institute for Girls (CONNECT) (for students completing grades 6–8) Experiments, building models, developing and testing hypotheses, and using technology are integral components of the curriculum. This four-week program is an opportunity for students to discover the natural and logical relationship between math and science.
Beginning Writers Workshop (for students completing grades 5 or 6) Interactive assignments, fun, camaraderie, peer support, and individual conferences are integral teaching strategies in this program. The workshop develops and builds skills for effective reading, writing, and speaking.
Young Writers Workshop This two-week workshop uses both the critical and creative writing methods to instill confidence, develop understanding, and suggest strategies to improve writing skills. Class discussions, exercises, and individual conferences develop a supportive, cohesive group in which students can produce their best writing.
FOCUS English Language Institute Similar to the ELI program, this four-week program is open to students who have studied English for at least two years in their home school. Social activities are planned with the other grade 6–8 programs. Enrollment is limited to 30 students.

Enrollment

Each summer, 500 students from nearly fifty-five states and countries attend the summer programs. Students come from such countries as France, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Korea, Turkey, and Argentina. Adding strength to the student body are 30 highly motivated students (Connecticut Scholars) from Connecticut’s urban public school systems.

Daily Schedule

Classes meet Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:15 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. and Wednesday and Saturday from 8:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Athletics are held from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. All programs have 2 hours of evening study.

Extra Opportunities and Activities

A variety of activities are offered on and off campus. Trips are scheduled on Wednesday afternoons and on weekends and usually include visits to Boston, New York City, shopping malls, movie theaters, professional sporting events, and nearby college campuses.

Facilities

Choate’s academic and athletic facilities are among the best in the country. The campus resembles those of many small liberal arts colleges. The Science Center includes twenty-two air-conditioned classrooms and laboratories and a 150-seat auditorium. The Humanities Center houses thirty air-conditioned classrooms, an audiovisual viewing room, a computer center, and photographic studios. The dining hall is air conditioned.
    The Andrew Mellon Library has more than 97,000 titles, 6,750 reels of microfilm, more than 2,100 CDs, English and foreign language periodicals and newspapers, and the latest library research technology, as well as wireless Internet access. The Archives hold school memorabilia, including the papers of such distinguished alumni as John F. Kennedy, ’35; Adlai Stevenson, ’18; Alan Jay Lerner, ’36; Glenn Close, ’65; Jamie Lee Curtis, ’76; and Michael Douglas, ’63.
    The International Learning Center includes a thirty-two-station language laboratory and allows for individual instruction and practice for the English Language Institute and foreign language classes. The Paul Mellon Arts Center houses two theaters, a recital hall, music classrooms and practice rooms, art studios, dance and film facilities, and an art gallery. The renovated Johnson Athletic Center houses three basketball and three volleyball courts and weight-training and Nautilus rooms. There are twenty outdoor tennis courts, thirteen athletic fields, and a 25-meter, eight-lane indoor swimming pool with an electronic timing system. The social hub is the John Joseph Activities Center, which has games, a snack shop, and several televisions with VCRs.

Staff

Many of the faculty members are teachers in Choate Rosemary Hall’s regular session. Additional faculty members come from other independent secondary and public schools and from colleges and universities. Thirty teaching interns from select colleges and universities complement the program.

Medical Care

The infirmary is open daily, and overnight care is available. The school physician is in residence and can be paged for emergencies. Parents must have some form of insurance for their child. Each student is required by Connecticut law to submit a health form before enrolling.

Costs

In 2008, tuition, room, and board for the summer session were $5630. Day student costs ranged from $940 to $1730 per class. Costs for the Kennedy Institute were $5630, with an additional $460 for the Washington, D.C., trip. Costs for the English Language Institute were $6190, with an additional $410 for the long-weekend trip. Boarding students in the two-week Writing Project paid $2330, and day students paid $1770. Boarding students in the CONNECT program paid $4820, and day students paid $3490. For the Young Writers Workshop, boarding students paid $2330, and day students paid $1770. Students boarding in Beginning Writers Workshop paid $2330; day students paid $1770. Boarding students in the Immersion Courses paid $5350, and day students paid $4100.

Financial Aid

Need-based financial aid is available; applications should be submitted by March 6. Candidates are notified of their acceptance and financial aid awards by April 1.

Application Timetable

Early application is encouraged. Students are strongly encouraged to apply by May 1. Admission is on a rolling basis. Acceptance decisions are made within two weeks of receiving a completed application.