Alaska, Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., North Carolina, and England: Darlington students took advantage of opportunities at colleges, selective programs, and places of employment across the country and overseas during the summer. Some of the more ambitious undertakings include the following:
Senior Raul Gonzalez did extensive studies in math and improvisational theater at the six-week Governor’s Honors Program at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Ga. “Not only did I get to spend my summer in an intellectually stimulating and exciting environment, but I made many wonderful friends,” Raul said.
Junior Will Curtin encountered caribou and even a bear while hiking 110 miles in 28 days in an Alaskan excursion sponsored by the National Outdoor Leadership School. “Hiking at an elevation of 12,000 feet and carrying a pack weighing 55 pounds gave me a feel of self-sufficiency and a new outlook on life,” Will said.
Senior Ken Edwards resided in Harvard Yard at Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., while studying Multivariable Calculus and Fundamentals of Astronomy. “There was a heavy workload and the classes were challenging, but they were exciting,” he said.
Gaining the experience of the workplace was an invaluable experience for junior Hall Penn. He worked at a printing company in Atlanta, mastering the technology of the printing press and learning the business required for such a career.
Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., offered a five-week program for high school students that junior Janet Parker attended. She took courses in math, English, and study skills. She most enjoyed “gaining the experience of a college environment.”
Senior Allen Babcock took part in a competitive six-week program at Boston University Theater Institute. His time was spent “singing, acting, memorizing, reading, performing, and rehearsing” until the late hours of the night, but his greatest achievement was “writing a production about the Vietnam War with several other students.”
Senior Stephen Walsh attended a one-month program in Oxford, England. See photo and caption, above, for details.
Talented pianist Leslie Leddy, a senior, studied piano with other aspiring musicians at Brevard Music Center in Brevard, N.C., at a six-and-a-half week program. “I am now teaching piano lessons and will be auditioning for Eastman, Oberlin, and Peabody soon,” she said.
Senior Alexis Adams participated in Duke University’s three-week Talent Identification Program (TIP) in London. Her concentrations were in English and philosophy. “The in-depth study of philosophy and literature has already proven helpful in my classes this year,” she said.
Junior Joanna Mundy also took advantage of TIP, studying the philosophy, politics, and arts of Renaissance Italy at Duke University in North Carolina. She gained a lot from interaction “in a classroom environment where everyone wants to be there.”
