California
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July 22, 2024
Having sampled the wide range of on-campus recreational opportunities on Saturday, students on the California High School Summer Program spent Sunday off campus, with a day at the beach and a night in historic Santa Barbara.
Before departing, the high schoolers attended either of the two morning Masses in Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel. At the early Mass in the extraordinary form, a group sang in the choir, helping to bring music to the Missa Cantata. Then came the midmorning Mass in the ordinary form, after which students had brunch together in St. Joseph Commons, then loaded onto buses to head for the beach!
The group spent the scenic bus ride talking, singing, and taking in the ocean view until it arrived at Carpinteria State Beach. There members enjoyed the perfect beach-day weather: The sun was bright, the sand hot, and the water refreshingly cool. Programmers ran into the waves, splashing, skimboarding, and swimming in the surf. Many spent their time playing volleyball and Spikeball on the sand, lying in the sunshine, and grabbing a cold treat of shaved ice from a beachside stand.
The programmers were also able to sign up for surf lessons with prefect Claire Rea (’25) during the afternoon. Claire taught her students the basics of catching a wave and getting up on their boards, and then they swam out into the water to practice under her instruction. “The waves were rad, and the people are even radder!” joked programmer/would-be surfer dude Leo F.
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Then, sandy and sunkissed, the programmers took the buses up to Santa Barbara for dinner and shopping on the city’s beautiful State Street. The students split into small groups led by prefects to explore the shops and restaurants that line the boulevard. Taking their pick from the many options for dinner, the groups dug into tacos, pizza, ramen, poke bowls, and more! They peeked into boutiques, antique stores, cafes, ice creameries, and gift shops.
Many bought souvenirs of their trip, from novelty socks to sweatshirts and everything in between. One group purchased matching Hawaiian shirts, and, in another, all purchased the same bright green frog-themed bucket hats. A third group found identical propeller baseball caps! Before they left Santa Barbara behind, all 128 students came together for a giant group photo by the wharf at the end of State Street. “It was awesome! The best part was running around Santa Barbara in frog hats,” said Peachy H. “It was one of the most fun days yet.”
On the trip back to campus, the students prayed the Rosary while, outside the bus windows, the sun set over the Pacific Ocean. When they arrived back on campus, the students had some time to study before bed, since classes resume this morning. Check out the Summer Program Blog later today for details as students dive into their second week of classes!
