California
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July 15, 2021
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The Chapel in darkness, with students adoring the exposed Blessed Sacrament

Wednesday afternoon may have been the busiest yet for this year’s California High School Summer Program. After engaging in a fascinating conversation about the book of Genesis during their afternoon class, students once again enjoyed a number of outdoor activities, including volleyball, soccer, and Spikeball. Others chose to return to their residence halls or the Coffee Shop to play games with fellow attendees. As the day was very warm, a sizable group also made its way to the campus ponds to cool off.

  • A student takes the "Crossing the Delaware" pose on the tables outside
  • A game of volleyball
  • A game of spikeball outside the women's dorm
  • Another view of the volleyball game. The ball has just been served
  • Close-up: summer program student smiles at the camera
  • Multiple people sitting chatting afront a flowerbed
  • A row of ladies talking together on the grass
  • Volleyball on the sand court
  • The volleyball game: setter sends the ball over
  • The volleyball game: both sides contesting the ball, right above the net!
  • Cross-legged on the floor, students play a game of spoons
  • Students look up from UNO to smile for the camera
  • Another shot of the volleyball game. Some students are admiring a hawk soaring in the background
  • Students talking in the common room of Peter and Paul's

A dinner of chicken tenders and mashed potatoes followed in St. Joseph Commons, and then it was off to the nightly study session in St. Bernardine of Siena library. Students spent the time reading a selection from Søren Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling for this morning’s class. The text focused on Abraham and his willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac, which complemented the prior day’s reading from Genesis on the same subject.

  • Students gather around in the library as Jon Daly addresses them
  • Close-up of students poring over readings
  • Thumbs-ups from the members of one study table
  • A group of student hard at work studying at one table
  • Students at another table studying
  • Another study table
  • A study table in the right rear wing of the library
  • Another study table, with the front desk visible in the background
  • Students at the individual study desks
  • Long shot of the right-side study tables
  • Students in one of the study rooms
  • Students study in the armchairs in the main hall of the library
  • Three tables of students in the library's left wing

After study hall, Summer Program Chaplain Rev. Sebastian Walshe, O.Praem. (’94), exposed the Blessed Sacrament and then gave a moving reflection on the Prodigal Son and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Students took turns leading the five Glorious Mysteries, and during this time there was an extra opportunity for confession. 

Everyone then walked over to St. Cecilia Hall, where prefect Dan Semeczy (’08) was waiting to lead the first dance practice. Over the course of about 45 minutes, he introduced the crowd to the elements of swing dancing and even mixed in a little rumba. 

  • Dan Selmeczy demonstrates a move
  • Students pair up to practice dancing, many for the first time
  • Students practice a basic step
  • Students move using the basic "step"
  • Students getting into the groove
  • Students continue to practice. An individual in a Gondorian "White Tree" T-shirt in center frame.
  • Paired up, the students take their first few steps (pun intended) into swing!
  • Dan Selmeczy illustrates a more advanced move on the stage
  • The students implement the new move in their own practice
  • Close-up of one couple performing the turn
  • Near the back wall, multiple couples in various stages of practicing the turn
  • A group of women sits on the edge of stage, along with Fr. Sebastian Walshe.

Finally, the invigorated group descended to the Coffee Shop for a snack of milkshakes and fries.

  • Students at the counter in the coffee shop. In the background, the baristas prepare orders.
  • Three students pose at a table
  • A students waves his pool cue enthusiastically
  • Students enjoy their drinks behind the ping-pong table
  • A card game progresses at a long table
  • Students play air hockey with their bare hands
  • Three students pose at a table with their coffee
  • Students in armchairs at a corner table
  • Students enjoying some fries with their coffee
  • Coffee shop workers cleaning the counter and chatting with guests
  • Six students crowded around a small table in discussion
  • Students enjoy the evening outside on the coffee shop patio

After such a full day, it didn’t take long for things to wind down for the night in the residence halls. Today will feature a highly anticipated trip to the beach and many other surprises, so be sure to check back later!