Dear Seniors and Parents of Seniors:

The Academy strongly encourages upcoming seniors to complete their Senior Service Graduation Requirement in the summer between junior and senior year. It is our experience that because of the rigorous academic program, college/university search and application process, strong co-curriculars and leadership roles seniors enjoy, completing this requirement can reduce stress and add a summer experience that is fun and rewarding.

[To help students accomplish, all the information is included on other sub-pages to the left, along with the service journal and the description of last year’s Senior Projects, which may give you an idea of possible service work and contact information for participating agencies.] Many of these agencies continue to work throughout the summer and would welcome your assistance.

I also want you to know that if you were interested in the Leadership Service Camp put on by Friendship Ventures in Annandale, MN, which 11 of your classmates attended June 7-13, but you could not participate in because of previous commitments, there are other weeks you and a friend (or two or three) could attend.

There are openings for the following dates: June 21-27, June 28-July 4, July 5-11, July 19- 25, August 2-8, August 9-15, August 16- 21.

They do a very in-depth orientation that begins at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. The campers arrive at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday and are there until 4:00 p.m. the following Friday, at which time everyone goes home.

Friendship Ventures also hosts Respite Camps at Camp Eden Wood in Eden Prairie and these weekends start Friday at 4:30 p.m. and go to Sunday at about 5:00 p.m. These weekends are very intense and do not include the leadership component, but more than 30 of our seniors have served at one of these respite camp weekends for their 30 hours and they have really enjoyed the work, the campers, and staff.

The dates for these summer weekends are: June 13-15, June 20-22, June 27-29, July 4-6, July 11-13, July 18-20, July 25-27, August 1-3, August 8-10, August 15-17.

These weekends only need two or three volunteers, depending upon on the numbers of campers registered, so apply early for the date you want.

For both the Leadership Service Camp in Annandale or the respite weekend camp at Camp Eden Wood, contact Pat Zant at 952-852-0113 or volunteers@friendshipventures.org or go to their Web site for further information and application forms.

Finally, if you have any questions and think I could help, please don’t hestitate to contact me.
I am looking forward to hearing about your adventures over the summer. Please take lots of pictures so we can post them on our Web site.

God bless you and your families with a happy and safe summer!

Jane Doyle
Senior Service Program Director
651-683-1561 (w)