STEP offers
a more intensive exploration of mathematics and the sciences during
its Summer Academic Camp, which utilizes indoor laboratories to
explore such areas as biochemistry, mathematics, engineering technology
and outdoor exploration of the environment to illustrate more fully
students' relationship to the world around them. 50 students are
chosen for the summer academic camp. The students are chosen based
upon their academic record and attendance during the previous school
year. A new application must be filled out and returned by the June
15 deadline.
Classes are
held Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm. On Fridays
field trips by bus are scheduled to museums, science centers, Playland,
or Historical landmarks and tours etc. Students arrive daily by
train on the Metro North Railroad.
At the end of
the intensive four weeks of the summer academic camp, academic evaluations
are sent home to parents for all of the students. A dinner is held
in honor of the great work that was achieved by these students.
Students present their projects at the dinner and receive their
recognition and awards. All parents and / or relatives are encouraged
to attend this function in support of their children.
A two to three
day field trip sponsored by the parents and the STEP program is
scheduled at the end of the summer academic camp. The field trips
always include visits to a college and historical tours in the cities
where these colleges are located. Previous trips have been to Washington,
D. C., Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, Plattsburg / Montreal, Buffalo
/ Toronto and Baltimore.
Examples
of the Summer Courses:
- Algebra Course
I and the Math A assessment
- Integrated
Math Skills and Problem Solving with graphing calculator
- Pre-Calculus
/ Calculus
- Earth Science
- Biochemistry
- Ecology of
the Hudson River
- Physics
- Verbal Reasoning
College credit
for juniors and seniors:
STEP offers an opportunity to earn three (3) college credits at
Mercy College. Students entering their junior or senior year by
September in the upcoming school year are eligible to take these
courses. Students spend 45 hours in the four week intensive program
to receive credit for their courses. Such courses as Nutrition and
Human Anatomy and Physiology are just two examples of what is offered
during the Summer Academic Camp.
Examples of the Workshops offered:
Ecology
of the Hudson River:
Middle
school students participate in this course, spending a full day
each week exploring and studying the inhabitants of the river in
the Mercy College boat.
Computer
Technology Course:
High school freshmen and sophomores are engaged in the actual assembly
of a computer. Students learn to format a hard drive and install
sound cards, memory, video cards, fax modems and the software that
makes them work. Application software, such as Microsoft Office
2000, is then installed during the four week summer camp.
Engineering
Exploration Project:
Students explore the engineering sciences by creating a product
from a list of items with certain specifications. When the product
is finished, there is a competition among the participants. Team
work is encouraged. Previous projects include a mechanical car,
a movable toy, and mathematical games.
American
Cultural Experience:
Students explore their heritage as well the heritage of other ethic
groups that have immigrated to the United States.
The Lexical
Semanticist Session:
All students attending the summer academic camp attend this SAT
vocabulary session. Students are given 20 words with definitions
daily. Each morning there is a test on 10 of the vocabulary words.
Students are expected to be able to show proficiency in sentence
completions, analogies and comprehension with the usage of these
words
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