National High School Institute Film and Video

WHO:  Rising seniors, so the summer after junior year.

WHAT:  Hands-on/intensive film and video course at a college campus

WHERE:  Northwestern University (Evanston, IL)

WHEN:  Over the summer (5 weeks)

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  April 13^th

FOR MORE INFO:  http://www.northwestern.edu/nhsi/film_video/index.html

Student Participant Summer 2011: Zoe Pressman ('12)

A Perspective from Zoe Pressman ('12):

NAME OF PROGRAM:  National High School Institute (NHSI) Film and Video

SHORT SUMMARY OF PROGRAM:  A five week intensive to learn all about film and video (majors in animation, screenwriting, or production) on the Northwestern Campus and facilities. The first three weeks learn about general knowledge, and the last two are spent making the final project (script, animation, or short film).

HIGHLIGHTS:  As a production student, you both work on other student’s sets and direct/edit/write your own five-minute film. Classed start at 8:00 and can last until 11:00 (including a screening). 

LOWS:  Low, there’s not a lot of time to go exploring Chicago/Evanston and you have to eat at a summer cafeteria… you’ll be dreaming of Acre’s food all day. Overall, best summer of my life!  

Note: there are also great courses for Theater (arguably their strongest), Debate, and Speech.

Feel free to contact me with questions about this program

Zoe Pressman zpressman@bayschoolsf.org

School Year Abroad

WHO:   

     - Year abroad programs: juniors (most commonly) and seniors; 

     - Summer programs: rising 10^th, 11^th, and 12^th graders; 

     - Vietnam: juniors and seniors; post-graduate

WHAT:   Study abroad opportunity

WHERE:  France, Spain, Italy, China, Vietnam

WHEN:  Yearlong; Semester-long; Summer programs (See above descriptions)

APPLICATION DEADLINE:   

     - Year abroad: rolling admission but spots go quickly—apply ASAP!, financial aid application due Feb 1st; 

     - Summer programs: rolling admission beginning on Jan 23^rd, until programs are full 

FOR MORE INFO: www.sya.org

Student Participant 2010-2011 academic year: Ava Hoffman ('12) 

A perspective from Ava Hoffman ('12):

NAME OF PROGRAM: School Year Abroad (SYA)

SHORT SUMMARY OF PROGRAM: SYA is a study abroad program placing students with host families while learning at the program’s school across the globe. Students are immersed for the entire academic year (August through May) in cities in their choice of four countries—France, Spain, Italy, China—with an additional semester-long and post-graduate program in Vietnam.  SYA also offers 5-week long summer programs in France, Spain, Italy, and China incorporating a home-stay in addition to guided travel throughout the country of choice.

HIGHLIGHTS: SYA is an amazing opportunity to learn a new language, learn about rich cultural traditions of a nation, building a connection with a host family, and experiencing a foreign country with a hands-on learning approach—all while completing academic credit from an American-designed academic curriculum at one of SYA’s five schools.

LOWS: I have no reservations about recommending SYA! It is important to note, however, that embarking abroad for such an extended period of time is a serious commitment and students should be certain that they are up to the challenge that comes along with adjusting to an entirely new lifestyle.

Feel free to contact me with questions about this program

Ava Hoffman ahoffman@bayschoolsf.org

Summer@Brown

WHO:  Students completing 9^th-12^th grades by June 2012
WHAT:   Residential summer school at Brown University
WHERE:  Providence, Rhode Island

WHEN: June 17 - August 10, 2012

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  No application deadline for most programs

FOR MORE INFO (website): http://brown.edu/ce/pre-college/pre-college-courses.php

Student Participants Summer 2011: Will Sano ('12), Jesse Greenfield ('12), Robin Casset-Johnstone ('12)
A perspective from Will Sano ('12): 

NAME OF PROGRAM: Summer@Brown

SHORT SUMMARY OF PROGRAM: Summer@Brown is a summer academy for high school students that takes over the campus of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. The experience is meant to allow students to enroll in college-level classes while simultaneously enjoying their summer in the company of their intellectual peers. The length of the program depends on which classes you sign up for; some classes, like the Existentialist Literature class, last just a week, while others, like the intensive Pre-Med class, last almost seven. Class typically lasts about four hours per day, but this again depends on which classes you sign up for.

HIGHLIGHTS: I took a class entitled Laboratory Techniques in Biomedicine, and what I found most rewarding about this class was that I got to do experimental procedures and protocols too advanced for my high school curriculum. I also really enjoyed the activities Summer@Brown provided me outside the classroom, like a trip to Boston, a beach day in Newport, and a party on the last night. The quality and variety of the food options around Brown is excellent. I found myself returning to places like Kabob and Curry, East Side Pockets, and Mama Kim’s Korean Food Truck whenever possible. Though you might expect kids who go to summer school voluntarily to be insufferably intellectual and boring, I did not find this to be the case. Although I attended Summer@Brown with two of my friends from Bay, I met a whole group of kids who shared my interests with whom I could be myself and have fun.  

LOWS: This may be just a perceived low, but the classes at Summer@Brown do give out homework, and some even have tests and essays. While this does require you to spend some of your precious summer hours doing work, I can assure you it is work that you will enjoy. All of the classes at Summer@Brown are obviously elective, so your homework will likely interest you. Summer@Brown can also be very expensive, especially for those of us coming from the west coast who would require cross country airfare. Attendance for a two-week program (my suggested length of stay) is $3,540 for residential students, and $2,498 for students staying off campus. Scholarships are available, but are limited and competitive.

Feel free to contact me with questions about this program

Will Sano wsano@bayschoolsf.org