Summer camps at St. Joseph High School in Harrison combine learning, fun

School’s out for the summer, but there still are lessons to learn and fun to be had at St. Joseph High School in Harrison.

Summer camps will be offered in a variety of subjects, from science and art to basketball and music, at the school on Montana Avenue.

“The camps are a great way to make new friends, learn new skills and sharpen a student’s existing talents,” said Shane Palumbo, director of admissions.

Sessions kick off June 13 and run through July 20.

There are offerings for all age groups and interests, but some classes have limited enrollment. Science sessions, for example, can accommodate only about 15 students because of the hands-on lab experiments.

Registration is open at saintjosephhs.com.

Palumbo started the camps in 2016. Enrollment and the offerings have grown each year.

“We began with just basketball, science and art,” Palumbo said, adding that all three remain popular and typically sell out.

There have been several additions over the years to mix things up, she said. Some summers have included drama, soccer and volleyball.

During the covid lockdown, the school offered lessons online.

“We keep trying to switch things up and keep it fresh and relevant,” Palumbo said.

New this year is a music camp for students in kindergarten through third grade.

Many of the sessions are run by alumni, such as 2014 graduate Mallory Heinle Ketterer, who will lead the basketball camp for the first time this year.

Ketterer, a Freeport Area Middle School teacher, played basketball as a student at Slippery Rock University.

She hopes to foster a love of the sport in her young campers through what she called rigorous but fun training exercises.

Ketterer’s camp runs June 13-17. There is no limit on the number of participants.

Campers will be introduced to basic skills and drills that enable anyone to work on their game, she said.

“I look forward to them having a few days of finding out how fun basketball can be,” she said. “It’s a lot of hard work, but, if you’re training properly, it is really fun.”