The application for this year’s Best Week Ever high school summer program is now open to high school juniors. This summer will mark the twenty-fifth year of running the program, which is the most popular, well-attended, and highly-ranked pre-college summer program of its kind. The five one-week sessions fill up quickly each year and the college’s Admissions Office anticipates putting students on a waiting list as early as February.
This summer will mark the twenty-fifth year of running the program, which is the most popular, well-attended, and highly-ranked pre-college summer program of its kind.
The Admissions Office initiated a new pre-application process for this year, creating an Early Bird Priority list for interested students to join. Those who took advantage of this new initiative got a jump on the application process and received a special discount. The Early Bird Priority list was a huge success, with over 250 students signing up.
During each one-week session of the Best Week Ever, participants take four classes in the fields of philosophy, theology, history, literature, and political science from Christendom’s faculty. They attend daily Mass and adoration, and participate in a variety of recreational activities, including canoeing and hiking in the Shenandoah Valley, performing in a talent show, playing dodgeball, participating in a parliamentary-style debate, and learning to contra and swing dance, all while forming friendships with other young Catholics along the way.
During each session of the Best Week Ever, students participate in a variety of recreational activities, including canoeing and hiking in the Shenandoah Valley, performing in a talent show, playing dodgeball, participating in a parliamentary-style debate, and learning to contra and swing dance.
For past participants, including Sebastian from North Carolina, the Best Week Ever introduced them to a joyful Catholic culture.
“It truly was the best week of my life,” says Sebastian. “During it, I made so many awesome friends, participated in awesome activities and classes, and became truly alive in my Faith. One thing I loved about the week was the authentic Catholic culture. At home, the atmosphere sometimes makes it feel like Catholicism is just something we need to do, like a chore. But at Christendom, our Faith was a large part of our lives. It was essential to us as individuals and as a group. It was so amazing and hope-filling to be around other teenagers who were dedicated to truly living their Faith, and it really helped me grow in my Faith. My week at Christendom changed me and made me a better person. It also helped me become more of the person I want to be, and more importantly, it helped me become the person God wants me to be.”
For summer program session dates, testimonies, frequently asked questions, and to apply, click here.