Throughout the school year, St. Mary’s High School hosts events for middle school students. Some are informative, some are educational, some are just for fun, and some are all three. In the coming weeks and months, St. Mary’s has several offerings for sixth through eighth graders. 
These events serve not only to show middle schoolers what St. Mary’s can offer them during their high school careers, but also to help the students become familiar with the school’s campus and therefore more comfortable with the transition to high school at St. Mary’s. Jane Cummings, associate director for Admissions, said St. Mary’s faculty, staff, and students enjoy these events too for the unique opportunity they provide the high school.
“We love interacting with our middle schoolers,” Cummings said. “They have so much positive energy and it’s always so exciting to relate to them. Of course, we always hope to welcome them into the Pirate family in a few years.”
Seventh graders will converge on St. Mary’s on Wednesday, April 11, for the school’s annual Seventh Grade Visit Day. Held each April, this event gives area seventh graders a chance to interact with St. Mary’s students and teachers and learn more about what St. Mary’s has to offer, all while participating in fun projects and activities. Seventh Grade Visit Day starts at 9 am and runs until 2 pm. Parents of seventh graders can learn more too during a Parent Open House held from 9 am to 11 am on April 11. Families can register online for both the visit day and open house at http://www.smhscs.org/admissions/seventh-grade-visit-day/.
Also in April is the spring Middle School Dance. This event is set for Saturday, April 21, with more details to come. It is the second of two middle school dances held each year at St. Mary’s. The fall Middle School Dance usually occurs in October.
Summer is filled with opportunities for middle schoolers, no matter what their interests from science to sports. In June, St. Mary’s will host its Fourth Annual Middle School STEM Camp. This camp, for any rising sixth grader through rising ninth grader, will run from Tuesday, June 19, through Friday, June 22. The camp will be held from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm each day. STEM Camp has sold out every year since its inception, so please register early.
Mike Kloenne, St. Mary’s teacher and founder-organizer of STEM Camp, said the purpose of this camp is to have fun and inspire students to further consider STEM education. This year’s camp will include a day at Challenger Learning Center and Cave of the Winds, as have past camps, but this year will add rocket design and launch, an Operation Montserrat Disaster Response Challenge, an encryption GPS geocaching activity, and a Cave of the Winds visit. The last day of camp will include a variety of activity stations in the gym; these stations will be led by Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Cool Science, and the Civil Air Patrol. Cool Science will also provide an hour-long demonstration.
“Last year’s camp was just a phenomenal STEM camp and we expect the same this year,” Kloenne said. “The camp has grown each year, and we see many repeat attendees. Our first two years we could only accommodate 48 students for a three-day camp. Since we had waiting lists both years, last year we expanded to a four-day camp so we could accommodate additional students. This year we are investigating having international middle school students participate.”
The cost of this year’s Middle School STEM Camp is $189, which includes all transportation, admissions, lunches, a T-shirt, a rocket, and a completion certificate. Register online at www.smhscs.org/stemcamp18.
Also held each summer are a variety of sports camps, hosted by St. Mary’s teams and coaches. More information on these camps will be available in the coming weeks on the St. Mary’s website at www.smhscs.org.
Although this event is nine months away, St. Mary’s Middle School Trivia Night is an event that middle schoolers will want to save the date for. The largest of St. Mary’s middle school events, Trivia Night is held in January each year. This year 80 middle schoolers had a blast as they competed in teams of four for the first-place cash prize of $50 for each team member and the trivia night title. The event is held on the first Saturday in January after Christmas break, so mark your calendars and check our website to register as the date approaches.
The St. Mary’s faculty and staff are looking forward to seeing area middle schoolers on campus soon for one or more of these fun events.
By Amy G. Partain
Director of Communications
St. Mary’s High School
Pirate Blog 