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Staten Island Academy Students Pursue Interests Near and Far This Summer  

July 2006 – While many high school students look forward to the rest and relaxation that summertime offers, more than 30 Staten Island Academy sophomores, juniors and seniors are using the time to expand their educational horizons.

The students’ summertime choices are diverse, ranging from participation in Columbia University’s Writing Program to volunteering in a hospital in India. All experiences are part of the Academy’s External Studies Program, now in its second year.

“These programs are an invaluable part of a student’s educational, social and personal development,” said Linda Coleman, director of External Studies. “They allow students to develop self-confidence, self-reliance and problem-solving skills. Additionally, programs that involve immersion in a foreign culture enable our students to challenge preconceived notions about the world and develop appreciation for other value systems and ways of life. This heightened global awareness is increasingly important in today’s smaller and interconnected world.”

This summer, students are traveling as far away as China, Iceland and Spain. Additionally, Academy students are studying at colleges and universities throughout the United States, including biomedicine at Brown University, the Great Books Program at Amherst College, the film animation program at the University of Southern California and law at Syracuse University. One student is interning in the office of New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, and another is assisting in the construction of homes in New Mexico.

Staten Island Academy , located on a lush 12-acre campus, is a college-preparatory day school that educates students from age 4 through high school. Current enrollment is approximately 400 students, with an average class size of 17. Staten Island’s only independent school, the Academy is composed of seven buildings, including a completely refurbished theater and state-of-the-art computer facilities. Outdoors are two swimming pools, athletic fields and tennis courts. For more information about Staten Island Academy and its outstanding programs, visit www.statenislandacademy.org.

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Press Contact: Liz Campbell, 718-303-7813, communication@statenislandacademy.org