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As soon as afternoon classes on the Euthyphro released, the New England High School programmers stayed a little longer in the classroom building to have their student ID photos taken. The College has a competition every Summer Program to see how long it takes to photograph each student, and this time the programmers lined up so quickly that they beat the prior record by almost an entire minute! Everyone cheered and applauded, then hurried to change for the recreation period. 

The activity of the afternoon was Section Games, where each of the four class sections are matched against one another in a multitude of games. The gym was noisy and full as students divided into their section teams and donned bandanas or wristbands with their team’s color. Prefects energetically rallied their assigned teams and excited as much zeal as possible, encouraging the programmers to come together as unified sections.

Then the the competition began! Students played the Name Game, the Human Log Race, Hand Tangle, and Hula Hoop Chain in quick succession, racing through each individual competition to see which section pulled through first. Incredibly, there was a different winner for each of the four games, so it was decided that the ultimate winner should be determined by a dodgeball tournament. This final fast and furious game went to Section 4, who ultimately came away with the win for the entire Section Games competition!

After this victory, the four sections took the floor again and fought on a united front against their face-painted prefects. Though vastly outnumbered, the prefects held their own in dodgeball until everyone was too hot to play anymore, withdrawing to the pool until dinner.

Dripping wet from jumping off the diving board and playing water polo, the students ran back up the hill to quickly shower and change for dinner. The chicken alfredo on prefects’ and programmers’ plates speedily disappeared as they laughed and talked over the first day of classes and the outcome of the Section Games.

Finn S., a student who returned for the two-week program immediately after attending the one-week, explained the beauty of experiencing some of the same classes for a second time. “It’s amazing because I thought that reading the Euthyphro all over again was going to be the same as it was last time,” Finn explained, “but then it turned out today that the class we had on it was completely different from last time, just because of the direction my section took it in.”

After dinner, students gathered up their books and walked to the library for their first study hall. Before the session began, prefect Adelina Margand (’26) gave a brief introductory talk on the pre-Socratic philosophers, whose works the students will discuss in their morning class, and a few tips and tricks on how to make the most of their time in study hall. Finally, everyone retreated to the different nooks and crannies of the library to find quiet reading places. 

The peace of study hall broke at the end of two hours by the noise and merriment of coffee shop. Over whipped cream-topped dirty sodas, the programmers chatted together at the bar, played Bananagrams and board games, and challenged each other in pool, Spikeball, and ping pong. The room positively rang, and spirits were high. 

To conclude the evening, prefects and programmers retreated to Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel for the Rosary, then went back to the residence halls to pray nightly consecration. Prayers said, all enjoyed club sandwiches and quality time, as well as some lighthearted icebreaker games, and then it was off to bed.

Students continue their study of Greek works with classes on Antigone and the pre-Socratics today, so check the Summer Blog this afternoon to see what they’ve learned!

More photos from the High School Summer Program

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