Summer Program

Henderson Summer is a five week, all day summer program for high-achieving students in Las Vegas, NV and Boulder, CO.

A Day at Henderson Summer:

Students arrive by 9 a.m. and gather in a central location for a breakfast snack before the day begins.  Almost every day during the first two weeks, Henderson Scholars get to hear from the people who make what they’re studying real…the professionals who come to share their expertise on the particular topic of study.  Students also take part in at least one field trip to get a better understanding of what they are studying on a real-world level. Physical education is part of the day, but more importantly, Henderson Summer classrooms are centers of active intellectual, physical, and emotional engagement.  We believe that rigor and hard work go hand in hand with fun.  In addition to PE, lunch and break times, the day is spent in classes with peers and teachers delving in to all aspects of the topic, coming up with ideas and plans for the student run final projects and having a great time!  At the end of most days, the group comes together as a whole to critically discuss the accomplishments of the day and plan for the following days ahead.  At 4 p.m., students are dismissed.

At first, students work exclusively within a single discipline: Math, Science, or Humanities (English/History). These students are then grouped into multi-disciplinary teams. In this way we will combine the rigor of directed, disciplinary work, with the skill development that comes from student directed, multi-disciplinary investigation. Mixed specialization groups mean that all students bring a different set of knowledge to their teams. Real group work occurs, and students are motivated by the opportunity to seek a solution to a real world problem. The work is dynamic, fast paced, and fun. And it is not just classroom work. Physical education, the arts, character education--and really good food--are provided on a safe, secure, and beautiful campus. Students also have an opportunity to create an impressive portfolio, attend field trips, and build a social network.