Another Great Summer at Spectrum

You might think summer on the Tandem campus feels quiet and dull. However, for five weeks this summer, Tandem's campus returned to life with the joyful sounds of children learning and creating. Our Spectrum Summer Program, which has been a celebrated community summer day camp option for over 40 years, welcomed 230 young students (rising 1st through rising 12th) to campus during two two-week sessions, and for the first time, an additional one-week session, in June and July. Jocelyn Camarata, Tandem's Dean of Student Life for the Upper School, also serves as our Spectrum Summer Program director, assisted by Tandem tutor, advisor and Homework Club mentor Sophie Gore. Jocelyn shares, "I love that we have a wide variety of age levels on campus, from rising 1st to rising 9th graders, being creative and having a great time."

 

To make the magic happen, Spectrum brings in talented and creative area teachers, including some of own faculty/staff and alums. This summer's program featured six Tandem teachers, including: counselor Monica Quarles teaching a Book Club class; tutor Heidi Passino offering Goat Farming; Robert Schuster with creative and fiction writing classes; Mary Kielar teaching painting and DIY apothecary classes; Liz Larson teaching Physics; and, Melissa Winder teaching Pan Dolce Baking. This year's course offerings were widely varying, offering students lots of creative options for engaging, hands-on summertime fun and learning. Spectrum helps children tap into their creativity on so many levels! Tandem alums and students also help make Spectrum happen. Tandem alums Jenk L (TFS '24), Sin F (TFS '26), Anna W (TFS '23) and Maya G (TFS '19) served as instructors and supervisors, bringing their 'kindness and wisdom' to the youngest of our learners. Current students and recent alums also worked as counselors:  Luna B and Elijah M of the Class of '26, senior Shaan M, juniors Emory S and Maeve D-A, and sophomores Levie F and Mareana B. The five weeks of Spectrum always seem to come and go in a flash but the memories made by our young campers last a lifetime and keep people coming back. In fact, many hands were raised yesterday when Whitney asked who had ever attended or worked at Spectrum! Congratulations and thanks to Jocelyn and her talented Spectrum team on another great year of summer offerings and memories. Click on the headline for more photos.