During a typical summer, PDS students are busy with camps, academic programs, internships, summer jobs, and much more. However, due to the pandemic, almost all summer plans have been canceled, leaving students with nothing to do but stay in quarantine. Numerous disappointing emails have been sent out to students across the world, but there have been some attempts to keep programs running online this summer. Although an online version of many programs is not possible, new opportunities have arisen due to the pandemic. Whether students are looking to boost their college application or to simply keep busy during the summer, there are plenty of online programs that are worth checking out. 

In our PDS community, new opportunities such as 19CovAid and the PPE Task Force have been created in the past few months and will be open to all members of the PDS community during the summer. 19CovAid is a program created by junior Aaliyah Sayed and freshman Arshaan Sayed that helps those in need find someone who is willing to help. It is a volunteer program for those looking for service opportunities, and it is also a resource that can be used to get some assistance during these unpredictable times. For more information on 19CovAid, click here. The Personal Protective Equipment Task Force (PPE Task Force) is made up of PDS students, teachers, alumni, and families who are making and distributing personal protective equipment to local health care centers. This is another service opportunity for the PDS community, and if you would like to join the team, contact computer science teacher Mr. Brasoveanu at [email protected]. 

Along with these service opportunities, PDS is now offering a PDS summer session that will be conducted online through Google Meet. This program is still in the making, but there are some things that you can expect to see. These summer meetings are designed to keep students interacting with others in the PDS community, and many of them are simply there for entertainment. There will be some academic programs offered, but these will not count towards PDS academic requirements. 

More info for Ms. Sabundayo hopefully coming soon!

For students who would like to participate in an academic enrichment course, there are numerous opportunities to do so this summer. Most colleges that have previously offered academic summer programs for high school students will be offering a new set of courses online. These courses have been adjusted to fit the circumstances, but they are still worth applying for if one catches your eye. A few institutions that are offering programs include Columbia University, Harvard University, University of Chicago, and Cornell University. 

Although summer plans have been altered due to the pandemic, new programs and opportunities have emerged for the PDS community. Even if you cannot interact with people in person, participating in programs such as the ones mentioned may help you get through these tough times.