STARS Summer Programs 2025
Throughout July and August, STARS will be offering several exciting programs and courses for students of all ages. Please contact individual instructors for more information or to register. We hope to see you at STARS this summer!
SAT Crash Course
Rising Juniors &Seniors
Join Caiden Leavitt, a STARS coach experienced in preparing students to take the new SAT, for a summer SAT prep course. Without the added distraction and pressure of high school classes and extracurricular activities, Summer is a great time for this very helpful class.
This crash course is intended to help juniors and seniors prepare for the digital SAT. The course will cover major math concepts, reading comprehension strategies, and grammar, as well as overall test taking tips and tricks. It is planned to lead up to the August test although it is not required that students take this specific test. The goal of the course is to give students the confidence and skills both to succeed on the SAT and to study independently for future tests!
This course will be offered July 27th- August 22nd twice a week. A minimum of three students is needed for this class, and the cost is $600.00. If fewer than three students register, Caiden will offer individualized classes at $95.00/hr for the length of time needed by individual students. Contact Caiden caidenleavitt@gmail.com for more information or to register.
Prepare for the Transition to College
For Rising College Freshmen
This helpful class is designed for college-bound students. The transition from high school to college can be challenging, and academic coaching can help to ease the transition. The class will be taught by Karyn Kurland, Executive Skills Coach, and will focus on strengthening skills in organization, time management, goal setting, stress management, and study skills, as well as assistance with accessing resources at the student’s college. This course if offered August 5-7 from 9-11am and the cost is $350.00. Contact Karyn at karyn@stars-success.com with questions or to register.
Intro to Data Analytics with Excel
For rising sophomores and older
In today's job market, data analysis is a crucial skill for candidates across all business sectors, as organizations increasingly rely on data to inform strategies and drive success. This 4-class (two hours per class) introductory course in Data Analytics will teach you how to understand and work with data sets, clean and organize data, and create meaningful visualizations to highlight key insights. You'll also gain valuable skills in presenting your analysis effectively, preparing you to communicate data-driven decisions clearly. Instructor, Ali Bichler, will work with interested students to arrange a schedule of meeting dates. Cost is $400.00. For more information or to register, contact Ali at ali.bichler@gmail.com.
High School Book Group
Enjoy reading and discussing The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd with a group of your peers. STARS coach Elizabeth Hale will lead the group in reading and discussing this powerful story set in the American south in 1964. This book is on many high school summer reading lists, so why not enjoy reading it with other high school students and engaging in rich discussion while completing a summer assignment? This class will meet for six sessions at a time to be determined based on the availability of interested students. Cost is $350.00. For more information or to register contact Elizabeth at eghale9@gmail.com.
Acadia Files Book & Science Group
Rising 4th & 5th Graders
Do you enjoy a good story? Do you think science is interesting? The Acadia Files by Katie Coppens combines both of these subjects in a fun and engaging way. Learn along with the main character, Acadia, as she learns to think like a scientist. She finds out why she has curly hair, how sand is formed, and what creates seasons and tides. Each session we will read a chapter and explore the science topics through hands-on activities. This course will be offered from August 4-8 from 9:30-11:30. There will be a maximum of four students in the class and the cost is $400.00. Please contact Joan Newkirk at mainejoan123@gmail.com for more information or to register.
College Essay Workshop
For Rising Seniors
STARS is excited to announce a College Admissions Essay Workshop this summer for rising high school seniors. Summer provides the perfect opportunity to work on college essays, since students have the time, energy and brain space to write without the pressure of other coursework. Students will work on crafting their personal essay for the Common Application or for colleges that utilize their own applications.
Students can come to the first session without any plans, ideas or preconceived notions. Writing for this particular essay will utilize a writing process that will facilitate original and organic thinking. We’ll start with reading advice from a variety of admissions professionals prior to completing freewriting and brainstorming exercises. We’ll read essays that were accepted, i.e., “model” essays, and discuss the qualities of a “good” essay and how it aligns with the experts' advice we discussed in the first session. We will review the students’ free-writing exercise to discern an idea that will serve as a starting place for a rough draft. Then, we will revise their rough draft. We continue to work on the rough draft grammatically and in terms of the word count. Once the rough draft is underway, we’ll discuss how to address the prompts for the supplemental essays, which have a more direct approach. This course is offered in July-August and the fee is $350.00. For more information about specific dates and times contact Nancy at ngoldberg@comcast.net
Creative Writing
Grades: 9-12
Do you have a story? Do you want to learn how to write a sonnet or a pantoum? Are you just needing an outlet for your creativity? The Creative Writing summer course at Stars is designed to help students explore their writing skills outside of the bounds of academic writing and the classroom. The course will give prompts, guidance and a safe environment to share work and celebrate each student's unique and individual voice. All level of skill and experience are welcome. The cost will be offered once a week for 90 minutes from July 7-August 1. Cost is $350.00. For more information or to register contact Caiden at caidenleavitt@gmail.com.