A Summer to Remember

For many families in Monmouth County, their summer experiences at Ranney School provided the perfect opportunity to balance academic enrichment and fun-in-the-sun adventures. Choices that offer a combined program of academic study and day, trip and sport camps are becoming more popular options for parents to consider so that children have a head start for the new school year. These options give campers a well-rounded and memorable opportunity to explore new talents, make long lasting friendships and expand their understanding of the world around them.
 
Ranney School, a local expert on the camping experience for more than 30 years, added a more diverse choice of offerings to its lineup of preschool through high school summer programs this year in response to growing parent interest, including opportunities for students to broaden their knowledge and strengthen their skills in collaboration with others.
 
“In this new century, students who develop the strongest interpersonal skills will not only excel in school but also become known leaders in their fields,” said Kathleen Deeken, Director of Summer Study at Ranney School. “Solving complex world problems requires critical and creative thinking power as well as strong communication and collaboration skills. The most prepared students have an edge as competent and confident thinkers who possess an aptitude to synthesize ideas and find solutions,” she said. These individuals, Deeken adds, have the social and cross-cultural skills and leadership abilities, among other skills, necessary to become successful in their field and career choices.
 
Summer programs such as those at Ranney were developed to allow students at every age, preschool through high school, to learn a variety of subjects that go beyond core-curriculum topics to prepare them to compete in the 21st century.  New curriculum offerings, for example, were added this year in subjects as Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Summer enrichment courses were designed to provide opportunities for critical and creative thinking, collaboration, and innovation. This year, giving students a curriculum that incorporates “real-world” applications to learning was also a major focus of summer study. Courses offered in (STEM), such as “CSI Forensic Science: Detective on the Scene” and “Decoding Ancient Number Systems: Babylonian, Egyptian, Mayan and Roman” allowed students to apply learning in cross-curricular subjects. Equally important were courses that promoted creativity and sparked innovative thinking, such as “Amazing Architecture: The Art of Frank Lloyd Wright” and “Advanced Robotics: Battlebots” – something the 21st century student will need to solve some of the most pressing global problems many nations face today.
 
Deeken says that Ranney also added an option for children to flex their creative muscles in the arts by attending the new Ranney School Music Conservatory and Performing Arts Academy with courses in orchestra (strings), band (drums andkeyboard) and theater; a culminating performance incorporated all of these areas for a comprehensive show at the end of the session.
 
The successful formula at Ranney, according to Deeken, has been the opportunity to provide students of various ages with the chance to personalize their summer experiences by choosing from a wide range of activities like day, trip and sport camp experiences to academic study and talent development. Balancing important activities allows for friend-building and physical exercise – a whole child approach to learning and self-expression.