King’s Hosts Largest Ever High School Summer Academy

On July 23-28, The King’s College hosted its third High School Summer Academy, themed on The Story of New York City.

High School Summer Academy group photo 2017
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On July 23-28, The King’s College hosted its third High School Summer Academy, themed on The Story of New York City. The week-long summer conference allowed inquisitive high-schoolers to study at King’s and explore the city’s cultural institutions under the guidance of King’s faculty.

The 43 students in this year’s class, the largest group to date, chose one of three concentrations: Political Economy (headed by Paul Mueller, Ph.D., assistant professor of economics), Media and Journalism (headed by Professor Paul Glader, director of the John McCandlish Phillips Journalism Institute), or Leadership (headed by Executive Vice President Tim Gibson, former Brigadier General USAF), earning one academic credit for the week. Students enjoyed lectures from track leaders as well as additional faculty, including Professor Terry Mattingly, Professor Clemente Lisi, Professor Kimberly Reeve, Ph.D., and Professor Matt Parks, Ph.D.

Throughout the week, students received both academic and spiritual formation from the professors of the college. Faculty members demonstrated to students that one can be faithful to Christian truth while rigorously pursuing the life of the mind. With small class sizes and opportunities for one-on-one interactions with faculty and staff, the Summer Academy invited students into personal transformation and growth in Christ.

On Monday, students completed a tour of the 9/11 Memorial and One World Trade Center Observatory, and then heard about the significance of The King’s College in New York City from President Gregory Alan Thornbury, Ph.D. The day concluded with a sailboat tour and dinner at Shake Shack.

Tuesday through Thursday brimmed with engaging lectures, conversation-rich meals, and visits to curricularly-pertinent sites, including the Tenement Museum, Fort Greene Park, and the nonprofit charity: water. One evening, students immersed themselves in New York’s history by watching the musical Come from Away on Broadway, which tells the story of the aftermath of 9/11. On Friday, students completed final examinations and assignments and then said an emotional goodbye to newfound friends.

Kendra Avila, a rising senior from Mason, Ohio, said, “My favorite activity during the Summer Academy was the lectures, actually. They were really conversational and felt one-on-one. You got to talk with your peers, and get the opinions of other people, while also building upon your own.”

In the inaugural Summer Academy in 2015, eight students participated. By the following year, enrollment was at 15 students. The 43 students this year hailed from 17 states and included three high-school graduates from the class of 2017, 25 rising seniors, 12 rising juniors, and 3 rising sophomores. The size of this year’s Academy, nearly triple that of the previous year, attests to the program’s success and the word-of-mouth from Academy alumni. The theme and dates of the 2018 Summer Academy will be announced later in August.

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