From Competition to Contemplation

… at the Summer Program Section Games!

Every class at Thomas Aquinas College is divided into “sections,” groups of 17 to 18 students who take their weekday classes together. Actively working their way through the Great Books by way of the Discussion Method, section mates grow, side by side, in wisdom and friendship. But sections aren't only for class time. On Monday afternoon, they were for friendly competition!

Once gathered and organized in the Pope St. John Paul II Athletic Center, the Summer Program’s five sections battled to see who could thread a hula hoop the fastest, holding hands in a line that reached from wall to wall and wriggling their hula hoop through the line without breaking the line. Then, they raced each other in a game of leapfrog, hopping over one another as fast as they could. Next, they found themselves trying to disentangle themselves from a “human knot.” Some sections unraveled in seconds, while others found themselves intricately intertwined — but they didn't give up until they were standing hand-in-hand in a knot-free circle!

Finally, still divided into their sections, the programmers played several rounds of dodgeball. It was a great opportunity for the students to work with their sections in a new way and to bond with one another as a team.

After games came an open-gym period, where students shot hoops, swam in the pool, and made friendship bracelets. Some took advantage of the end of the rain, heading outside for frisbee or football, despite the puddles. Then the group gathered back in Gould Commons for a dinner of orecchiette pasta with sausage and dinner rolls.

Energized by their time in the gym, the students made their way to the library for their first study hall. Associate Director of Admissions John Jost highlighted the importance of these sessions, explaining that they allowed students to set themselves up for success in their class discussions. After a speedy roll call, the students hunted for a good place to hunker down and prepare for the next day's classes.

The community Rosary followed, with prefects leading students to Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel, where they took a moment to thank God for the blessings and friendships that the Summer Program was already yielding. 

When study hall drew to a close, students traveled back to the Bl. Frassati center for Coffee Shop! As they sipped on Italian sodas and munched on chips and crackers, they chatted or played games of ping-pong, pool, foosball, air hockey, and cards. A riotous bout of spoons started in the back corner, resulting in shrieks and laughs from students as they tried to snatch up a spoon before it was too late.

At curfew time, students headed back to their residence halls for consecration, after which they were greeted by late-night sandwiches. The men did their nightly push-up drill (known as “Sally” here at Thomas Aquinas College), followed by a social hour, including some intense, spontaneous foosball matches! The ladies, meanwhile, gathered in front of Gould Hall for a bonfire, with singalongs led by prefects Meg Murphy and Trinity Duggan. After singing “just one more song,” they raced back to their rooms in time for lights out.

And that marked the end of the first (long!) day on the 2023 New England High School Summer Program. Don't forget to come back to the Summer Program Blog this afternoon to learn about the second day’s classes!