Make exciting discoveries, spark curiosity, and ignite your passions at St. Thomas High School’s Summer@STH program for exceptional scholars.  

Summer@STH creates an engaging curriculum for middle school and high school students that will provide academic enrichment and course credit.  Expert educators prepare incoming freshmen to seamlessly make the transition to a college preparatory environment.  Participants may also take part in athletic camps located in STH’s state-of-the-art sports facilities.        

Deanna Woodlief, the Director of Summer Programs, leads conversations around program goals and curriculum to make sure it meets both the academic and social needs of incoming students.  Woodlief says, “We introduce students to the STH family and make them feel welcome and excited about becoming a part of the community.”  Students have the opportunity to meet peers, teachers, coaches, and form lasting relationships which will bolster confidence and bridge the gap between middle school and high school. 

Woodlief cites coaches and teachers' enthusiasm for St. Thomas as one of many factors that creates an engaging atmosphere and fosters student success in the program.  She says, “Middle school camps are taught by STH coaches and teachers who are excited to share their love of STH with the greater community.”  They create an environment that students want to come back to.    

Another driving force behind the program’s success is the St. Thomas Dean of Students, Rodney Takacs.  He teaches Step Up Study Skills to prepare incoming ninth graders for a rigorous high school curriculum and beyond.  Takacs delivers a deep reservoir of academic knowledge as both an instructor and program director.  He has served the St. Thomas faculty while teaching history, government, and legal studies, and brings more than two decades of superior results honing and shaping educational journeys.

 Takacs states that the “primary purpose of this course is to remove barriers to effective learning” and “establish the proper foundation for future learning.”  Step Up Study Skills takes an interactive approach and uses collaborative exercises and visual presentations to teach students goal setting, organization, time management, note-taking, memory strategies, and critical thinking skills.  This creates a solid foundation from the start.  “We want to begin developing an attitude and self-confidence that supports accomplished students,” says Takacs.

Maxwell Manning, who took the Study Skills course last summer as a freshman, states, “The class taught me skills that were crucial during the school year like organization and time management” in a way that was “simple to understand and easy to catch on to.  The Study Skills class that St. Thomas High School teaches is an absolute must-do!”

Fellow classmate, Justin Nguyen, agrees with Maxwell in “how much it has helped [him] this past year.  Hearing from experienced teachers of St. Thomas prepared me for the school year,” says Justin.  “I learned note-taking, study skills, and how to utilize my time well.  Now that I have taken the class, I would recommend it for all new St. Thomas students.”      

Study Skills, which begins in June 2022, is available to all rising ninth graders.  The enrichment is rooted in the SMARTS Executive Function & Mentoring Program developed by Dr. Lynn Meltzer of the Research Institute for Learning and Development, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

“As with all our summer offerings, the goal is to craft a learning experience that will be both interactive and captivating,” says Takacs.  “In many ways, I see these tutorials as fostering our next intellectual community.  So many students emerge ready to excel from day one and often become the future leaders and mentors.”

Contact:
Summer@STH 
Deanna Woodlief, Camp Director
281-864-6348
[email protected]