Summer Term 2008 courses

All students entering Class IX are invited to join their classmates, student leaders, and some of their teachers for an end-of-summer trip that serves as the perfect introduction to Upper School. Every year students return invigorated by the experience of spending a week in the wilds learning, sharing adventure, and making new friends. Every entering Class IX student is strongly encouraged to join us.

Trip location will be announced in class meetings.

Available to: All those entering Class IX are encouraged to attend.
Dates: August 11-15
Cost: $150 - $250
Faculty Advisors: Sharon Kessinger, Kent Hercules

In order to gain true understanding of the history of Western Music, students will experience first hand the lives of the great classical masters by visiting their birthplaces, homes and cities of creativity. Students will not only gain biographical understanding by seeing the original buildings, streets, manuscripts and instruments, but will gain insight on cultural and historical background through research, discussion, guides, museums, and music. Students will travel throughout Italy. They will enjoy a multifaceted experience of Classical Music by playing the compositions themselves, seeing where the composers lived and worked and by attending concerts in halls and cities where the composers themselves performed. Students will give performances throughout Italy. They will be required to keep a journal, participate in dally discussions on the composers and present a paper at the end of the trip.

Available to: Chamber Musicians, Incoming Class IX- Current Class XII
Dates: June 9-20
Class Size: 13-20 Students
Cost: $3900-$4300 depending on enrollment
Faculty Advisors: Kathy and Craig Morris

This is a great opportunity for Waterford photo students to explore the 5000-year old history of Mainland Orkney, Burray and South Ronaldsay. Using the town of Kirkwall as a base, we will have 7 full days to photograph a multitude of historically significant locations. Neolithic sites include the Standing Stones of Stennes, Ring of Brodgar, Skara Brae and Maes Howe, Unested Tomb and the Broach of Burness. Medieval period explorations include Orphir Bu, St. Magnus Cathedral, Bishop’s Palace and Dounby Click Mill. There are two croft museums and a landscape full of occupied and ruined crofts for a look at 18th and 19th century life on these islands. The Italian Chapel and Churchill Downs are an opportunity to explore Orkney’s role in WWII. And of course there is Kirkwall and Stenness for the modern look at Orkney culture.

The focus of this workshop is for Waterford students to spend a week totally immersed in the job of photographer-as-artist, responding and reacting photographically to the fascinating island environment that is Orkney. Through a series of creative photographic assignments and daily personal journal writing, students will have the opportunity to expand their photographic skills as well as to begin to recognize their personal process within this art form.

An intensive week’s workshop offers a wonderful adjunct to the Waterford school-year photography program. During a workshop, students and teachers alike are out in the field making images. This opportunity to look over each other’s shoulder (and under the dark cloths), to ask questions while making the images, continuing conversations during meals and travel time helps to build a sense of trust and respect between teachers and students that adds so much to the learning process. This workshop environment allows our photography students to experience an interactive learning environment without the distraction and demands of other classes or sport.

Available to: IX-XII Photo students
Dates: June 9-27
Class Size: 8-10 Students
Cost: $4800-$5200
Faculty Advisors: Tillman Crane and Ann Paterra

Our three-week trip will take us to some of the most historically significant and culturally unique places in Spain. We will begin with a day in Madrid to see the sights before the start of a six-day trip to southern Spain. In Madrid, we will visit magnificent museums such as the famous Museo Nacional del Prado and Reina Sofia. Students will visit the palaces, parks, and plazas of this exciting city. From there, we will visit surrounding historic towns and cities, including Toledo, the medieval walled city of Avila, and El Escorial, a massive palace built by King Phillip II.

Some of the highlights of the trip south will be an overnight stay a the Guadalupe Monastery run by actual Franciscan monks, a visit to the ancient Roman ruins of Merida, a trip to one of the largest cathedrals in the world in Sevilla, a tour of the Great Mosque of Cordoba, which is considered a wonder of the medieval world by both Muslims and Christians, and an exploration of the Alhambra, the most important, conserved Arabian palace of its era. Students will also enjoy an evening of Spain’s famous flamenco dancing.

Our group will also travel north to the Basque contry to enjoy peaceful green river valleys, lively fishing villages, and the sandy beaches of the Cantabrian coast. One day of the trip north will be spent visiting the spectacular Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. We will visit the province of Santander and see prehistoric wall paintings in the caves of Altamira. This year, for the first time, we will tour Pamplona, described by Ernest Hemingway as a beautiful town with a rich culture. From there our group will travel to Barcelona, one of the most important locales in the Mediterranean, rich in architecture, especially that of Gaudi.

Throughout the trip our students will spend much of their time and energy immersed in the language and culture of Spain. In addition to visiting many of the most historically important sights of Spain, we will rub shoulders with Spaniards from diverse generations, geographical areas, and linguistic heritages. A trip to Spain is a unique experience that will change each student and their study of Spanish forever.

Available to: Spanish language students entering Class IX-XII
Prerequisite: 3 years of Spanish, See Mr. Biscupovich
Dates: June 10-July 01
Class Size: 10 Students
Cost: $4500-$4900, depending on exchange rates, airfare
Faculty Advisors: Nicki and Barbara Biscupovich

The Summer of 2008 German Travel Adventure offers participating students the opportunity to experience first-hand the language, the people and culture, and the history of German-speaking Europe. For students learning to speak German, these three weeks immersed in the language provide a unique opportunity for quick growth in comprehension and pronunciation. Trip participants will get a rich sampling of famous sites from north to south.

You will experience, for example, the small medieval town of Rothenburg with its old city wall; be able to climb the bell tower of Germany’s largest cathedral in Cologne, and visit the house where the first ‘Eau de Cologne’ was made. You will see the marble throne of Charlemagne (800 A.D.) in Germany’s oldest cathedral in Aachen, and stand in three countries at the same time at the border of Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. You can pretend to be a knight as we overnight in a Burg (fortress) high above the mighty Rhine. We will stay at Lake Constance whose southern shore belongs to Switzerland. On a daytrip to Switzerland, you will see, hear and feel the pure power of Europe’s largest waterfall, the Rhine Falls by Schaffhausen. In Bavaria, we will stay in Oberammergau, the small town famous for its Lüftlmalerei (scenic paintings on houses), and their Passion Plays every ten years. You will be awed by Mad King Ludwig’s castles in beautiful Alpine settings, and also make an excursion to Munich. On a day trip to Salzburg, you will experience the charm of an Austrian city, and also learn about the importance of salt through the ages during a visit to a salt mine.

Way up north, you can bask in the serenity of the low German countryside and also enjoy some frolicking at Frau Adams’ cousin’s beautiful campground with a donkey, horses, sheep, and pigs, paddle boats, and a rope swing over the canal. On the large island of Rügen, we will look out over the vast Baltic, standing on the famous chalk cliffs depicted in Caspar David Friedrich’s romantic paintings, and you will get a taste of troubling times during the Hanseatic League by enjoying a pageant at the water’s edge about a legendary pirate, gun fire and all! Weather permitting, you might even take a dip in the ocean from the white sand beach close to our hotel. In the capital city of Berlin, your teacher’s hometown, you will gain a personal appreciation of a once-divided city which has blossomed again into a bustling, glistening center of commerce and art, and will perhaps finally understand the source of Frau Adams’ unique sense of humor…

The wide variety of foods and landscapes will open students’ eyes to the wonderful diversity that exists in this small part of the world.

Available to: German language students entering Class XI-XII. Teacher's approval is necessary and an essay may be required for the selection process.

Dates: June 15 – July 8
Class Size: 7 Students
Cost: $4,900 - $5,200 - depending on the rising Euro and airfare
Faculty Advisors: Christiane Adams, Steve Manning

The Royal Canadian Henley Regatta in St. Catherines, Ontario is the focus of the summer season in North America and arguably the world. Thousands of athletes from around the world and hundreds of races make this a premier event. In order to be prepared to compete, practice will begin three weeks early at the Great Salt Lake Marina. The team will then travel to St. Catherines to enjoy a five-day, world-class rowing experience.

Available to: Experienced Rowers in Class IX-XII
Dates: July 14-August 8 (three weeks in Salt Lake,five days in Canada)
Class Size: 10-20
Cost: $2600-$2850, depending on enrollment
Faculty Advisors: Andrew Henrikson, Mike Horrocks, additional TBA

This summer, travel to a land of superlatives. Hike beneath towering bluffs and thousand year old forests along one of the richest coastlines in the world; backpack across million acre Olympic National Park through one of the prettiest and least-discovered mountain ranges in the lower 48; lie on your back and contemplate the largest evergreen trees in the world; traverse the lowest glaciers in the continental United States; summit the highest mountain peaks in the range; very possibly, have the most incredible experience of your life!

The heart of the trip consists of a seventeen-day backpack excursion during which we will traverse from the eastern to western extreme of Olympic National Park. Traveling a total of 55 miles, we will cross countless passes, summit lofty peaks, linger in lush old growth rainforests, pass through deep, roaring river valleys, explore centuries-old glaciers, and traverse a classic multi-day alpine mountaineering route. An average day on the trail will consist of 6 miles of travel through sweeping wildflower meadows with expansive views. Wildlife abounds (including the llamas that will re-supply our trip), with the opportunity to observe bear, elk, deer, marmots, and raptors in their unfettered habitats. Each day will provide opportunities to experience, first- hand, the natural and cultural history of this unique place. Your perspective will be enriched by the stories and insights of your course leader who spent five years working as a backcountry ranger and environmental educator in the Olympic Mountains. Each night, we will nestle into the mountainous terrain under star-swept skies and be lulled to sleep by melodic "river-voices".

To complete the trip in style, we will spend our final evening of the trip on an expansive west coast beach, enjoying fresh seafood and the camaraderie of our fellow adventurers around a roaring fire. Our last morning will be spent at The Haven, a breakfast bistro renowned for its gastronomic delights, celebrating a successful and memorable journey.

Course Requirements

The backpacking segment of this trip will be physically, emotionally, and mentally challenging. As a result, previous backpacking experience is required. Preference will be given to students who demonstrate that they have the physical and mental endurance that an extended expedition demands. An application packet is required to be considered for this trip. Please see Mr. Cole.

Available to: IX-XII
Dates: July 30-August 17
Class Size: 6-9 Students
Cost: $1375-$1775, depending on enrollment
Faculty Advisors: Andrew and Erin Cole, Tim Billo

Travel with good friends to the Cedar City Shakespeare Festival and get a head start on your summer reading by experiencing five plays in three days. This year we will see Shakespeare's "Othello," "The Two Gentlemen of Verona," and "The Taming of the Shrew," as well as "Cyrano de Bergerac" and "Fiddler on the Roof." You will also be able to participate in discussions about the plays, take a backstage tour, and explore the campus of Southern Utah University.

Available to: All incoming Class IX-XII Students
Dates: August 5-7
Class Size: 8-15 Students
Cost: $375 (Includes 5 plays, 2 nights' lodging, transportation, back stage tour, 1 meal together)
Faculty Advisors: Ken and Angela Wade

This summer Waterford presents the 10th annual String Orchestra and Chamber Music Festival. Participants will be given the chance to experience a wide ranch of styles and familiarize themselves with international musical trends. Students attend rehearsal and coaching sessions and hear a variety of music. Waterford’s Kathy Morris and pianist and pedagogue Megumi Masaki (her sister) encourage students’ fine-tune performance dexterity, practice with ensembles and gain concert experience. Despite the intense workweek, the festival focuses on developing musical skills in a supportive environment where a sense of camaraderie and celebration is predominant. The week will culminate in an orchestral and chamber music concert where the students will perform and showcase their talents.

Available to: Current students in Class IV-XII; all string instrumentalists: violin, viola, cello, bass, and piano students

Dates: June 30 – July 3, Concert July 3rd at11:30am
Times: 8:30 – 11:30am
Costs: $150
Class Size: 10-20 Students
Prerequisite: Current Strings Students
Faculty Advisors: Kathy Morris, Megumi Masaki Hechler

In these courses, students will learn about a specific scientific topic through a wide variety of activities including journal writing, reading, math, scientific experiments and hands-on art projects. Experts from throughout the valley will bring their expertise (as well as animals such as bats and birds) to the classroom. A different topic will be discussed in each of five separate weeks and will culminate in a field trip as follows: Caves—Timpanogos Cave; Plants—Red Butte Garden; Paleontology—Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point. Students may enroll in one course or multiple courses. Classes will occur from 9:00 am until noonor from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pmMonday-Friday.Specific schedules for each class, including Friday field trip schedules will be given before the start of classes.

This is a class for students who love animals and want to learn more about their characteristics and personalities. We will be working with both vertebrate and invertebrate species. Each student will be able to care and learn about different animals in the classroom along with other animals of interest. Behaviors and respect of animals in different situations will be studied, helping the children to understand why animals act the way they do. We will study various body coverings and features that help animals survive. Animal care and the dependence on human beings will be emphasized. Visits from the Humane Society and a trip to a Veterinarian hospital will add to the students’ understanding of animal care. There will be an optional zoo overnighter on Friday night, stressing the care and stimulation of zoo animals. An extra charge will be required for this field trip. Students may enroll in either the 9:00-noon or 1:00-4:00pm class.

Students will be introduced to an in depth study of five of the body’s systems, including central nervous, circulatory, respiratory, skeletal, muscular and digestive. There will be many hands-on activities during this week of study. Some dissecting will be done to demonstrate some of these systems. Visits from professionals in these various fields of study will be invited to speak to the students. Students may enroll in either the 9:00-noon or the 1:00-4:00pm class.

In this class, students will learn what weather is, what conditions make various types of weather, different weather patterns and how weather is formed. There will be many hands-on activities in demonstration of these patterns and the instruments used in detecting weather. We will end the week with a trip to a weather station where the students will observe and learn how weather is recorded and reported on TV. Students may enroll in the 9:00-noon or the 1:00-4:00pm class.

Available to: Students Entering Classes Listed