School’s Out for the summer. Now what?

For many Calvert County students, summer vacation means a break from schoolwork. From family vacations to learning to drive, high school students take time to relax and get things done that they would otherwise be unable to do during the school year. 

But there are many students who still manage to maintain a busy schedule with extracurriculars that they regularly participate in during the school year, despite the end of the school calendar year. 

At high schools around the county, students keep busy and prepare for the next school year as athletes hone their skills with their respective travel teams, and the theater and band practices continue. 

At Calvert High, students are spending two weeks this summer to rehearse for their fall production of “Dracula: The Vampire Play.” That way, when school starts back in September, they will already have a lot of work completed. 

Noah Breske, a rising 11th-grader at Calvert High, is a member of the theater, along with many other summer activities including Boy Scout camping trips, driver’s education courses and swimming, which keeps him busy every weekday. He also has summer homework for the five Advanced Placement classes he will take in the fall. 

“Each activity is very important to me,” Breske said, “so I work hard to make everything fit.” 

Calvert High School also hosted its first annual AP Boot Camp from June 25 to 28 to help students who have never taken an AP class before. The camp helped them learn such skills as resources and time-management skills. 

Incoming freshman Riley Johnson will be taking her first AP class this fall, in addition to her theater rehearsals. 

“I will be prioritizing all the things I want to accomplish for the summer,” Johnson said. “It’s a lot, but I know I’ll be able to do it.” 

Many high schoolers are also engaging in activities that will help prepare them for their futures, such as workshops and college tours. Summer is the time to do this because students can continue with the fun school activities they love as well, without all the stress put on them. 

While students balance all these extracurriculars and summer homework, it’s still important to enjoy the break from the school year. 

“My best advice is remember to enjoy your summer,” Breske said, “but don’t procrastinate on the important stuff.” 

The writer is part of the Young Journalists Program in partnership with The Calvert Recorder and Calvert County Public Schools. The article was originally published in the Calvert Recorder on July 11, 2018