Making the Most of Every Last Minute

California

July 26, 2024

Before we start in on the recap from Thursday afternoon on the California High School Summer Program, we must tend to a little housekeeping. Yesterday’s post neglected to include the details of student Max D’s birthday celebration, but we have them now!

Students broke off their lunchtime conversations over Philly cheesesteaks to sing “Happy Birthday,” while Max stood on his chair and struck a victory pose, earning the applause of his fellow programmers. He then blew out the candles on his cake and shared slices with those at his table.

Please pardon the delay – and happy belated birthday, Max!

Upon wrapping up their discussion of Boethius’s Consolation of Philosophy in the afternoon class, students made their way to St. Cecilia Hall for the last dance practice of the program. They swung, spun, and twirled, mastering their moves for tonight’s highly anticipated dance!

Photos: Dance Class

Later, those who have been using the last two weeks to work on creative projects in the campus art room showed off their masterpieces at an outdoor gallery set up alongside the academic quadrangle, drawing the attention of many admirers.

Photos: Art Show

After a dinner of barbequed pork loin, cheesy scalloped potatoes au gratin, sauteed carrots, and cornbread muffins, students made their way to Study Hall. There they read Flannery O'Connor’s “Parker’s Back,” then returned to the classrooms to prepare for their last Euclidean demonstrations of the program: Propositions 16, 29, and 32 from Book I of the Elements.

Photos: Study Hall

It was then time for the nightly Rosary in Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel, followed by the prefects vs. students soccer match. A large contingent of attendees gathered on the sidelines to cheer on both teams for a hard-fought battle, in which the students emerged triumphant, 4-2!

Photos: Soccer Match

When they got back to their residence halls, hot and tired from all that soccer intensity, students were greeted with some much-needed sustenance: for the women, a pancake bar with all the fixings, which they enjoyed during “Prefects on Tap” — a Q&A about all matters of TAC life. The men, meanwhile, feasted on Buffalo chicken dip prepared by Admissions Counselor Joe Guinee (’21) and Prefect Luke Connelly (’27).

But the festivities didn’t last long, because as soon as they fueled up on chicken wings, the men donned their Sunday finest and crept over to St. Monica’s Hall, where they surprised the women with a TAC “wooing.” The gentlemen serenaded the swooning ladies with “The Hills of Athanrye,” “I Want it That Way,” and “The Parting Glass.” They also presented each one with a long-stemmed rose and chocolates!

Photos: Wooing

Thus marks the end of the penultimate day of the High School Summer Program! It’s remarkable how fast the time has passed, how quickly these students have formed friendships, and how sad we all are to see it coming to an end. But no one is dwelling on such matters just yet! There’s still a full day of classes, a banquet, and a dance to go — and we’ll have the full report and photos, here on the Summer Blog.