Holland Hall News
Summer Programs at Holland Hall Offer Variety
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By Greg Dean, Public Relations Intern
Educational, athletic and just good old fashioned fun are three ways to describe Holland Hall’s summer courses. Holland Hall offers unrivaled variety for kids who are looking to spend their summer doing something besides watching T.V. Kids can choose to hone their skills in the sport of their choice, learn to be a better student in the classroom or exercise their ability to be creative and use their imagination.
In Cooking Class kids learn how to buy the best food for their money in the Cooking Class Grocery Store experience. Kids learn that not all food comes from a box, and that healthy food can be tasty food. Kids can also be creative as they join magical and futuristic worlds in the Star Wars and Harry potter classes where they can make edible light sabers, fight off Dementors, destroy the Death Star and learn to brew their own potions.
“Summer courses allow kids to enjoy themselves how they want to,” said Blake Martin, a teaching assistant in the Primary School. “We have such a variety here that everyone can find something they want to do. The summer courses are important because it keeps kids engaged and working and learning, so they come back refreshed in the fall.”
It’s a fun, educational, experience for the kids to learn to interact with one another and use their imagination to make the course come to life,” said Primary School teacher Shannon McFadden. Ms. McFadden teaches several summer courses. Ms. McFadden teaches 1st grade during the regular school year, so she decided to host a summer class to give students who just finished preschool an introduction to first grade in Welcome to First. At Holland Hall, it’s understood that students can be nervous as they move on with their academic career, and teachers and staff are willing to take the steps to make the transition smooth for any child.
Holland Hall offers a unique experience where not only are teachers inspiring children, children are inspiring teachers. Primary School Music Director Lori Swisher says that a child gave her the idea for her class The Science of Music. “A kindergartner would come up to me all the time with different objects and be very excited that each one made a different sound,” said Ms. Swisher. She came up with the idea for the course by realizing how interested and curious young people are about the way things sound and why. The class is designed to let students build their own instruments out of unique materials and let them gain first hand experience with how sound and music are produced.
“The facilities we have here at Holland Hall allow us to do things you could never so anywhere else,” said Vicki Vrooman, a Middle School science teacher. “We have the ability to take our kids on nature walks, do water experiments with the pond, do activities on the practice field without ever leaving campus. Our Summer Courses allow kids and teachers opportunities that can’t be found anywhere else.”
“Holland Hall summer course are a great way for kids to keep their bodies and minds active during the summer, but most importantly, it’s a great way for kids to have fun,” said Matthew Christian, Primary School Librarian. So, whether students are choosing to exercise their creativity by building their own instrument, learning about science on Holland Hall’s campus, or getting ready for their next step in the academic world, one thing is clear, there’s something for everyone with Holland Hall’s summer programs.
