Program Description

Wyoming Seminary

Summer at Sem: The College Prep Institute, English as a Second Language Institute, Performing Arts Institute
Kingston, Pennsylvania


		Program Description Program Overview

For More Information, Contact
John R. Eidam
Dean of Admission and Director of Summer and International Programs
Wyoming Seminary
201 North Sprague Avenue
Kingston, Pennsylvania 18704-3593
570-270-2186
Fax: 570-270-2198
http://www.wyomingseminary.org/summer

Type of Program: Academic enrichment, English as a second language, and performing arts
Participants: Coeducational, through grade 12
Enrollment: 400
Program Dates: Late June, July, and August; length of each program varies
Head of Program: John R. Eidam, Director

Location

Wyoming Seminary, founded in 1844, is one of the nation’s oldest continuously coeducational college-preparatory schools. During the regular school year, it enrolls more than 400 students in prekindergarten through grade 8 on the Lower School campus in Forty Fort and 443 students in grade 9 through the postgraduate year on the Upper School campus in Kingston. Summer programs attract more than 400 students each year.
Summer programs are held on the 18-acre Kingston campus, set in a small-town residential area of northeastern Pennsylvania. Campus activities include concerts, films, picnics, and sports. The school is close to the recreational advantages of the Pocono region: mountains, lakes, and open space. Nearby cultural resources include professional performing arts venues, museums, and historic sites. Movie theaters, shopping, and restaurants are within walking distance. Kingston is approximately 2 hours from Philadelphia and New York City.

Background and Philosophy

Summer at Sem offers a seven-day-per-week boarding program for high school students. The College Prep Institute is led by experienced teachers, who lead monthlong classes in a variety of secondary subject areas. The English as a Second Language Institute is recognized worldwide and helps prepare international students for boarding school life in the United States. It combines focused classroom learning with travel and cultural and social opportunities. The institute is designed for students who have either studied some English as a foreign language or had some exposure to the English language. The Performing Arts Institute (founded in 1998) attracts extraordinarily talented students, who work with world-renowned faculty members and conductors.
The school’s faculty, recreational facilities, library resources, and small-town setting provide outstanding opportunities for growth in a safe and supportive environment.

Program Offerings

Summer at Sem’s three institutes are intended for academically talented, committed students. Each institute provides many academic, cultural, and recreational activities for residential and day students.
College Prep Institute Under the guidance of members of Sem’s seasoned teaching staff, the College Prep Institute offers students a summer of enrichment and academic challenge in courses ranging from American History on Film to Public Speaking to Studio Art. Many of the courses are also offered in the Wyoming Seminary school-year curriculum. The content of courses taught over the summer is equivalent to that of trimester courses. Students can combine courses to meet their own interests; they can register for either one or two half-day courses. Courses are 2½ hours, five days each week for four weeks.
English as a Second Language Institute Now in its sixteenth year, this program attracts students from Asia, South America, and Europe. Students may enroll for four, five, or nine weeks, depending on their own school’s calendar. Along with intensive study of the English language, students travel with teachers and chaperones to New York City, Philadelphia, and Maine. Exposure to American culture is an important part of Summer at Sem’s English as a Second Language Institute. Three sessions, taken separately or together, offer families flexibility in summer planning.
Performing Arts Institute (PAI) Students, teachers, and conductors from all over the world are attracted to this program. Intended for especially gifted musicians, actors, and dancers, PAI of Wyoming Seminary is a haven for young performing artists who are serious about developing their talents and who seek high-quality performance opportunities. Institute Director Nancy Sanderson brings twenty-four years of experience, talented faculty members, and professional associates to this creative endeavor. PAI for instrumentalists and vocalists is available to students from ages 12 to 18; PAI Dance for ages 10 to 18; PAI Musical Theater for ages 12 to 18; Young Artists Musical Theater for ages 10 to 13; Music Makers for ages 7 to 9; and Junior PAI for instrumentalists entering grades 5 through 8.

Enrollment

Summer programs enroll more than 400 boarding and day students: day students in grades 1–8 and boarding and day students in grades 9–12, including U.S. and international students. Students of all ethnic, racial, religious, and social backgrounds are welcome. Summer at Sem’s tradition of internationalization makes the Performing Arts Institute especially appealing to musicians and dancers from around the world.

Extra Opportunities and Activities

Field trips and travel opportunities using the resources of the Wyoming Valley and northeastern Pennsylvania—parks, museums, recreational facilities, and historical sites—are important to the summer program. Campus cookouts, films, dances, sports, and the many concerts and shows of the Performing Arts Institute play a key role in campus life.

Facilities

Campus facilities include four residence halls; fully equipped Macintosh computer labs; two performing arts centers, including music practice rooms, a 400-seat theater, a concert hall, and a scene shop; a science center with five laboratories; a 21,000-volume library that provides access to many Pennsylvania libraries; two gymnasiums with a fitness room and pool; a stadium, a new artificial-turf field, and tennis courts; studio art rooms and dance facilities; and a student center with lounges, games, and a wide-screen television.

Staff

Regular Wyoming Seminary faculty members are joined by adjunct faculty members from regional and international schools, colleges, and universities. More than 30 faculty members live on campus year-round in residence halls and school housing; they provide a 24-hour presence on campus. Dormitories are supervised by the director of residence. College students, most of them Seminary graduates, serve as resident assistants and tutors. Performing Arts Institute faculty members perform with symphony orchestras and/or teach at universities and conservatories during the year. Throughout the summer, they perform in recitals, coach chamber groups, and play side-by-side with students in large ensembles.

Medical Care

The school is served by an on-staff nurse and school physician and is less than 10 minutes from a fully accredited medical center. Students must complete health and health insurance forms prior to enrollment.

Religious Life

Wyoming Seminary, affiliated with the United Methodist Church, welcomes students of all denominations. During the summer session, no religious services are scheduled; churches and synagogues are, however, within walking distance of the campus.

Costs

In 2008, the application fee for secondary school academic programs was $50; the application fee for the English as a Second Language Institute was $100. Instructional fees were $600 for a four-week academic course. Boarding fees for four weeks were $2400 (seven days per week).
English as a second language course fees were as follows: Session I (four weeks), $3900; Session II (four weeks), $3700; and Session III (one week), $2150.
Performing Arts Institute fees for day students were $925 (three weeks), $1350 (four weeks), and $1850 (six weeks). For residential students, fees were $2500 (three weeks), $3450 (four weeks), and $4725 (six weeks). PAI Junior Division was $450, Young Artists Musical Theater was $450, and Music Makers was $450.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available on a limited basis for summer school programs.

Transportation

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP) at Avoca is served by US Airways, United, Delta, and Northwest airlines. Limousine service is available for the 20-minute ride to Wyoming Seminary. The school is 1 mile from downtown Wilkes-Barre, which is served by national bus lines and is easily accessible from Interstates 80 and 81 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Application Timetable

Applications and publications for the new season are available in early January, and applications are accepted until registration in June.