We have settled into our routine for Countdown 2 College. Our 25 students have spent a few nights away from home, stayed up way too late, got up way too early, learned to swirl a soft-serve cone at the Cafe, played in the game room, TOUCHED A RATTLESNAKE!(well, some of us!), and even enjoyed our classes! We recognize what a unique and exciting experience this is for the students. They are determined to be successful in high school and college and they know this is a great path for them to be on.
We are getting to know one another better and making new friends. A strong spirit of community is developing among us, even though we are from different schools and different towns, including Chicago, IL; Milwaukee, WI; Minneapolis, MN; Racine, WI; and Tuscon, AZ.
The basic routine for students is as follows:
8:00 am Breakfast in the Cafe
9:00 am Classes (Reading and Writing)
11:30 am Lunch and Break
1:15 pm Classes (Math and Vocabulary)
3:30 pm Activity (We've climbed the Bluffs and heard a storyteller, so far!)
5:30 pm Dinner
7:00 pm Study Hall (Mandatory for all students; homework in every class!)
8:00 pm Discussion & Games (Home Teachers lead discussions on a variety of topics)
10:30 pm LIGHTS OUT (Mostly!)
The days are PACKED and the kids are tired, but guess what? They want to stay up all night talking to one another. They are building community, right?
We have 5 home teachers who have joined the program:
Ms. Kathy Donohue from San Miguel Chicago, Comer Campus
Mr. Alex Downs-Borowski from San Miguel Chicago, Back of the Yards
Mrs. Rhonda Greer from Catalyst School Chicago, Howland Campus
Ms. Sharenda Hill from Catalyst School Chicago, Circle Rock Campus
Ms. Marisol Salazar from John XXII Center, Racine, WI
The home teachers are co-teaching with SMU staff members, including Dr. Jane Anderson, Dr. Joe Tadie, Dr. John Kerr, and Mr. Corey Hanson. Home teachers also monitor the halls in the dorm, offer hugs to homesick students, laugh with all the students, and are available for discipline if necessary (but we haven't been called on for too much of that!)
That's all for now! We are off to a Gavin Heights and Lake for some fun and a picnic dinner. Thanks for your interest in C2C. This is a wonderful experience!
Ms. Kathy Donohue
Countdown to College is an academic program for rising high school students, and it takes place at Saint Mary's University in Winona, MN. Students from Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Racine and Tucson attended academic classes as well as activities during a two-week camp. This blog documents all the good times for the Class of 2014!
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