Gre et ings from NMH Summer!
Par ting really is “such sweet sorrow ”* The entire NMH Summer Team will miss engaging, inspiring, mentoring and living with your students It is really hard to say “ so long” after such wonderfully focused, full, and fun experiences together Yet our amazing collection of 5-, 3-, and 2-week programming draws to a close until next year, of course! We really hope to see many of our current NMH Summer students returning for another season, and we also hope they share widely with prospective students and families news of their many amazing experiences
Not long after your students return home, we will reach out with a student and family survey Please take 10 minutes to fill it out to help NMH Summer continue to improve, grow, and meet your student’s needs and interests Thank you in advance for sharing your feedback with us
The week began with over 100 NMH Summer students and teachers traveling to Boston for a full day of exploration In the classrooms this week, final presentations abounded with oppor tunities to take in poetry and creative writing readings, forensic crime scene reenactments, group presentations, musical and dance renditions, a lively talent show, and a final all-campus meeting with NMH Summer Scholar recognitions Of course, there were weekly community games, Olympics viewing par ties, and Wednesday off-campus excursions (yum - blueberry picking!) The week concluded with our annual Showcase Performances, NMH Summer Slideshow, the Ar t and M.A.K.E. Galleries, Service Learning fundraising projects (see below) and the annual NMH End-of-Summer Dance And we would not forget our famous Saturday doughnuts on depar ture day
We definitely could not have done it without you, all our terrific NMH Summer Families Thank you!
And we never could not have launched such a memorable NMH Summer without all of our remarkable and dedicated NMH Summer teachers, Teaching Fellows, and admin team, as well as NMH Dining Services, NMH Plant Facilities, Grounds and Custodial Team, NMH Communications and Advancement, NMH Admissions, NMH Human Relations, NMH Business Office, NMH College Office, O’Connor Health and Wellness Center, NMH Campus Safety, NMH Farm, NMH Athletics, and NMH Auxiliary Programs Thank you, NMH colleagues Clearly it takes teamwork to make the dream work! Well done Well done
In September, watch for our updated NMH Summer website (https://www nmhsummer org) as we roll out new and distinctive programming and engaging activities (including STEM offerings, engineering and robotics courses, upper-level science research oppor tunities, ar t and athletic intensives, various internships, international study/travel excursions, credit- and credential-bearing courses, among others) And continue to follow us on social media
So long and farewell. See you next summer at NMH!
Charlie Tierney, NMH Summer Director for the NMH Summer Team #NMHSummer, #NMHSummer24
*“Par ting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow " Romeo and Juliet, William Shakepeare
NMH Summer Day Trip to Boston
Talent Show
Last Saturday’s annual NMH Talent Show wowed our audience with excellent homegrown talent (performers listed below), and their contributions were capped off by a mesmerizing and amazing presentation by Rober t Channing, a well-known mentalist An impressive collection of student and Teaching Fellow volunteers were met with audience cheers and genuine appreciation for their musical offerings, comic impressions, dance movement, and lightning-fast puzzle-solving Bravo! Brava! Thank you all!
Spencer Spivy, Teaching Fellow
Ellanie Fernandez
Jake Ritz, Teaching Fellow
Alice Liu
Piano: “Amazing Grace” and “Waltz for Debby” by Bill Evans
Vocalist: “No Llega El Olvido” by Jenni Rivera
Impressions
Vocalist and guitar: “Come Clean” by
Talent Show
Last Saturday’s annual NMH Talent Show wowed our audience with excellent homegrown talent (performers listed below), and their contributions were capped off by a mesmerizing and amazing presentation by Rober t Channing, a well-known mentalist An impressive collection of student and Teaching Fellow volunteers were met with audience cheers and genuine appreciation for their musical offerings, comic impressions, dance movement, and lightning-fast puzzle-solving Bravo! Brava! Thank you all!
Spencer Spivy, Teaching Fellow
Ellanie Fernandez
Jake Ritz, Teaching Fellow
Alice Liu
Piano: “Amazing Grace” and “Waltz for Debby” by Bill Evans
Vocalist: “No Llega El Olvido” by Jenni Rivera
Impressions
Vocalist and guitar: “Come Clean” by Hillary Duff
Hiroto Nishino Rubix Cube Master
Daniel Simpson, Teaching Fellow
Kamchung Liao
Savannah, CoCo, Ashley
The Fellow-ship Band (Sam Baker, Kendall Downend, Spencer Spivy, Max Alphonso)
Piano: “ Fantaisie-Impromptu” by Chopin
Vocalist and pianist: “Champagne Problems” by Taylor Swift, “Hear t Wall” by J.J. Lin
Dancers: “Better Have My Money” by Rihanna
Piano, guitar, bass, drums: “All Along the Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix, “One of Us Must Know” by Bob Dylan, “Let it Be” by The Beatles
NMH Summer Scholars
As we approach the conclusion of each NMH Summer, our teachers nominate one of their students for their excellent academic contributions The students recognized below were noted for full engagement in their academic pursuits, having demonstrated curiosity, diligence, willingness to contribute to classroom activities, and a general love of learning Congratulations!
Aylin Alsan
Gabriela Bermudez
Zeynep Miray Çelik
Leo Chen
Po Ting (Leo) Chen
Maria Eleni Dipla
Albertine Faye
Maddan Garcia
Bihan Vanessa Gao
Elise Janielle Kemp-France
Ying Kay Leung
Alice Liu
Sosuke Imaizumi
Nikolaos Mavrommatis
Yujin Minemura
Damian Mitsis
Riho Nakazawa
Jasmine Ricohermoso
Papapantos Panagiotis
Akina Seki
KiMiu Eva She
World Religions
Creative Writing
Biology
English Language Immersion
English Language Immersion
Informational Technology
English Language Immersion
TheaterCraft
Pre Algebra Review
Psychology
United States History
Marine Biology
Algebra 1 and Beyond
Precalculus
M A K E
College Writing
English Language Immersion
Write On!
Economics
English Language Immersion
English Language Immersion
Kiran Sovak Geometry
Frank Tao
Konstantinos Vanaroudis
Forensic Science
World Religions
Marco Martagón Villamil Algebra II
William Wang
Qiyu 'Sam' You
Zihao ‘Darren’ Zeng
Shuhe 'Ethel' Zhou
Theater Immersion
Algebra 1 Refresher
Field Biology
Heroes & Villains
Faculty Spotlight: NMH Alumni Teaching and Inspiring at NMH Summer
NMH Alumni at NMH Summer ‘24: David Allen ’77, Nat Simpson ’89, John Batty ’88, Emilia Seaver ’21, Adam Albik ’24, Harrison Keator ‘21, Alex Minickiello ’22, Toby Hughes ’22, Max Alphonso ’21, Eddie Yankow ’13 (not pictured: Kendall Downend ’18)
Doing Good and Doing Well: NMH Summer Service Learning
NMH Summer ’s middle school Community Service course has aimed to strengthen students’ connections to each other, expand our own definition of community, and investigate ways that we can invest in our own communities to ensure that every person is connected and cared for Students have explored the local Greenfield, MA area, pitching in at the Just Roots community farm and garden and the Stone Soup Café soup kitchen, as well as exploring social issues and opportunities to help in their own home communities and activist movements around the world The course concluded this Thursday with a student-led fundraiser to raise money for the Franklin County Dog Shelter Students organized, advertised, and prepared for the fundraiser over the course of the last two weeks and will leave their Community Service experience with a deeper understanding of all the different kinds of work that go into making a difference in their communities, as well as how critically important that work can be
Our high school Community Service class has engaged with the NMH community by practicing consistency and reliability, and by building relationships One of the core concepts of this class has been to think critically about the ideas of "philanthropy" and "help " The essential question that was posed was, “How do we participate in communities around us, and in what ways can our ‘service’ be more helpful than harmful?” For the past 5 weeks, students have been exploring these questions through hands-on activities such as helping the dining hall staff, writing letters to organizations, volunteering at the NMH Farm, and practicing writing speeches about social issues in collaboration with the public speaking class Their latest event organized a "Clothing Swap" to encourage sustainable shopping and sharing in preparation for the NMH End-of-Summer Dance
Congratulations to Assistant Director Rebecca Ramos and ELI Lead Teacher Tom Hogenkamp on their upcoming wedding this October! Becca and Tom met several years ago at NMH Summer when they both were Teaching Fellows During the school year, Becca teaches history and psychology at Greenwich Academy in Connecticut, where she also coaches and serves as a dean Tom teaches 7th grade history and English nearby at the New Canaan Country School
We wish Becca and Tom much love, health and happiness from their NMH Summer colleagues and students
Interesting fact: Recent NMH Summer directors recall at least 10 NMH-Summer-inspired marriages within the last three decades #nmhsummerweddingbells
LEAD Summer Gets Outside The Classroom Box
In the LEAD outdoor adventure program, students have explored the natural world of New England to experience the best of what the United States has to offer the great outdoors From kayaking on the Connecticut River and summiting Mount Holyoke to ziplining, LEAD students have traversed land, water, and even air throughout the summer on daily field trips. Back on the NMH campus, they were trained in wilderness first aid, and have learned both on and off the trail how to manage the environment around them The LEAD teachers have had an amazing time this summer getting to know all of the students and watching them grow into a community that loves the outdoors over the course of the term!
Making It at NMH Summer: M.A.K.E. ’24
NMH Summer’s chief inventor, maker, and visual ar tist, Jamie Rourke, was extremely excited to begin this NMH Summer in the Gilder Center Makerspace with many new faces from around the world Students arrived with their curiosity, critical thinking skills, and desire to immerse themselves in a range of creative projects that showcased their effective design thinking, willingness to collaborate, and confidence in building new skills They cut wood, wired electrical circuits, sailed boats on Shadow Lake on campus, and strengthened their understanding of how technological tools can be used to communicate, fabricate, and express individual perspectives It was so fun and remarkably rewarding to work with these highly creative, bright young students, according to Jamie
Making It at NMH Summer: M.A.K.E. ’24
NMH Summer’s chief inventor, maker, and visual ar tist, Jamie Rourke, was extremely excited to begin this NMH Summer in the Gilder Center Makerspace with many new faces from around the world Students arrived with their curiosity, critical thinking skills, and desire to immerse themselves in a range of creative projects that showcased their effective design thinking, willingness to collaborate, and confidence in building new skills They cut wood, wired electrical circuits, sailed boats on Shadow Lake on campus, and strengthened their understanding of how technological tools can be used to communicate, fabricate, and express individual perspectives It was so fun and remarkably rewarding to work with these highly creative, bright young students, according to Jamie
NMH Summer Scorecard
NMH Summer’s weekly Student vs Faculty Soccer Match-Up concluded this week on Thursday evening in front of a cheering crowd The middle school team completed the series by notching a beautiful goal just before the end of play Faculty squeezed past a hard-charging high school squad during fast play and with tactical passing Thanks to NMH Girls Varsity Soccer Coach Grace Sokolaw and NMH Summer Geometry Teacher Dave Pillsbury for refereeing the games.
Students and faculty were inspired during their oppor tunities this week to enjoy the Olympic Games in Grandin Lounge And NMH Summer Athletic Coordinator Adam Albik NMH ’24 arranged for exciting and well-attended community games this week: basketball on Monday and volleyball on Wednesday Kudos to Adam for making all the NMH Summer athletic fun for all of us!
Hat ’s Off! NMH Summer “Merch” Available
Recently arrived! We have a limited number of handsome NMH Summer ball caps available for purchase at the NMH Summer office Just $25 for these stylish additions to anyone’s smar t summer wardrobe Students may pay cash or use their NMH account card A nice looking hat and great memory piece for all NMH Summer students and their families! Why not get 2?!
NMH Summer Activity Programming and Excursions
Nearly 100 NMH Summer students and their faculty members took a memorable day trip last Sunday to the cradle of American democracy: Boston, Massachusetts Check out NMH Summer’s on-campus and off-campus excursions and activities from this past week Additional on-campus activities have included open gym, swimming, pickleball, sand volleyball, outdoor basketball, hiking, and more
NMH Summer Activities Enjoyed July 29 - August 2
Monday, July 29
Tuesday, July 30
Wednesday, July 31
On-Campus Community Game: Basketball Red PickUp Cafe: Cheeseburgers
Red PickUp Cafe: Rootbeer Floats
On-Campus: Olympics Viewing Par ty with Ice Cream On-Campus Community Game: Volleyball College Visit: Amherst College
Ingleside Mall
Blueberry Picking
Yankee Candle
Community Service: Clothing Swap Red PickUp Cafe: Pizza
Thursday Aug 1 Final Student vs. Faculty Soccer Games
Community Service: Halftime Snacks
Friday, Aug 2
Ar t and Maker Galleries, 2:45-3:15 pm
Summer Showcase, 3:15-4:15 pm
End-of-Summer Summer Dance, 8:00-11:00 pm
Fenway Frank Friday Finale
Saturday, Aug 3
NMH Summer World Famous Doughnuts Depar ture – See you next Summer!
NMH Summer Wise-Words-of-the-Week Posted Daily
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
- From Poem 133: The Summer Day, Mary Oliver
“Sunday is the golden clasp that binds together the volume of the week.”
- Henry Wadswor th Longfellow “Today is a good day to have a great day.”
NMH Summer Wise-Words-of-the-Week Posted Daily
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
- From Poem 133: The Summer Day, Mary Oliver
“Sunday is the golden clasp that binds together the volume of the week.”
- Henry Wadswor th Longfellow
“Today is a good day to have a great day ” -Germany Kent
"Never pet campus cats with white stripes on their backs."
- Pepé Le Pew
“People who wonder whether the glass is half empty or half full miss the point. The glass is refillable.”
- Simon Sinek
“I realized the secret to success is finishing! Not just finishing, but finishing strong! “ Eric Thomas
“May green be the grass you walk on, May blue be the skies above you, May pure be the joys that surround you, May true be the hear ts that love you.”
- Traditional Blessing and Goodbye
Summer Weather on Campus – Past Week-At-A-Glance
Check out current
Hip, hip, huzzah! NMH Summer’s English Engine-That-Could
Special thanks to Louisa Edwards who works around-the-clock and all year-long to make sure myriad details and logistics are in place She is the driving force behind NMH Summer and we appreciate her work and wisdom Louisa hails from England and has lived in the U.S. for 18 years. She earned her B.A. Honors degree in Spor t & Recreation Management from Staffordshire University in England For the last 10 years, Louisa has served as NMH Summer’s assistant to the director She is a proud “mum” to her two boys who are NMH alumni: :Connor ’17 is a school counselor and Rohan ’23, attends Emerson University in Boston and is studying Music Production
Our NMH Summer team is always ready to assist you:
Louisa Edwards (Assistant to the Director) ledwards@nmhschool org 413.498.3290 (general questions - travel, courses, and so on)
Loubna Boumghait (Assistant Director - English Language Immersion) lboumghait@nmhschool org 413.498.3083
Rebecca Ramos (Assistant Director - Campus Life & Enrichment) bramos-s@nmhschool org 413.498.3270
Charlie Tierney (Director) ctierney@nmhschool org 413.498.3290
Please note that your first contact point should always be your student’s advisor
The NMH O’Connor Health Center team is available for all your medical questions at nurses@nmhschool org or call (413) 498-3555 between 8:00 am - 8:00 pm EST
Should you need to contact us for emergencies outside of office hours you may call the NMH Summer Duty Dean at 413.498.3326
Yes… It ’s Hot & It ’s NMH Summer on Ice!