- Summerspace is open to girls entering grades 5-8, except where noted.
- Summerspace offers both morning and afternoon weeklong camps. Girls can pick a morning camp (9 a.m. - 12 noon), an afternoon camp (12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.) or both. There are many campers who stay for a full day.
- All camps take place at Sacred Heart Academy, except where noted. If off-site, campers will be transported from Sacred Heart Academy to the location.
- Girls staying for both morning and afternoon camps should bring a lunch and drink. Snacks are included each day.
- All camps are taught by Sacred Heart faculty & staff members, except where noted.
- Sacred Heart reserves the right to cancel camps for which there is not sufficient enrollment.
- Refunds will not be issued for cancellations within seven days of the start of the camp.
Register Here. Complete descriptions below.
Questions? Call Summerspace Director, Ruth Donner, 834-2101 ext. 310.
Catholic High School Entrance Exam Prep Course
Prepare yourself for the Catholic High School Entrance Exam in November. Learn strategies for test taking in Math and English along with review in each section. Students will take a full-length practice exam on the final day (This course will also be offered in Fall 2023.)
June 26-30, 9 AM - 12 NOON, girls entering grade 8 only
Instructors: Mary Marciniak, SHA English teacher and Michelle Georger, SHA Math teacher
Catholic High School Entrance Exam Practice Test – Friday, June 30
This is a great opportunity to become familiar with the format of the Catholic High School Entrance Exam which will be offered to 8th graders in November 2023. Girls will take all five sections in a test environment and receive detailed written results. The practice test is open to girls entering 8th grade in Fall 2023. Do not sign up for the practice test if you are enrolling your daughter in the full week course.
June 30, 9 AM - 12 NOON, girls entering grade 8 only
Lacrosse
This camp will focus on the fundamentals of the game, emphasizing basic skills, techniques and concepts. You will learn and practice basic to intermediate stick skills including cradling, passing, catching and shooting drills. In addition, you will learn offensive and defensive techniques and engage in daily scrimmages. Equipment needed: mouth guard, lacrosse goggles and stick (SHA has a limited amount of sticks for those who don’t own one). Team play will be highlighted as well as individual play.
June 26-30, 9 AM - 12 NOON
Instructor: Kristina Geschwender, SHA physical education teacher and varsity lacrosse coach
Musical Theater
Spend a week learning about live theater and how to become a part of it. You will learn many different aspects of theater, including movement, dance, voice and acting, as well as other technical and creative components such as costumes, set design and make-up. Each day you will participate in a series of activities which will prepare you for a performance piece to be presented on the final day of the camp.
June 26-30, 9 AM -12 NOON
Instructor: Jill Anderson, SHA musical theatre and dance teacher
Improvisation
This camp will teach you the building blocks of basic improv and introduce you to the fundamental aspects of stage craft through both physical expression and verbal communication.
Throughout the week, you will be led through some basic improv exercises and games. These are meant to be fun and focus on communication and teamwork. We will focus on being a good ensemble member as well as developing your individual skills in a low-pressure environment. No experience necessary!
June 26-30, 12:30-3:30 PM
Instructor: Jill Anderson, SHA musical theatre and dance teacher
Mix it Up Sports
Interested in learning the fundamentals of some new sports? This camp will introduce you to the basics of soccer, pickleball, badminton, gaga ball, tennis, boundary ball and more!
June 26-30, 12:30-3:30 PM
Instructor: Kristina Geschwender, SHA physical education teacher and varsity lacrosse coach
Mixed Medium Adventures
Come and create while exploring a variety of art materials and creating works of art each day using both two and three-dimensional mediums. A combination of familiar art materials and some you have not yet experienced will be used while making a variety of hands-on projects. No experience necessary – all are welcome!
June 26-29, 12:30-3:30 PM
Instructor: Gina Cutrona, SHA art teacher
Leadership Academy
Sacred Heart’s Leadership Academy, now in its tenth year, encourages young women to explore and practice skills in the 5 B’s of Leadership: Becoming a young adult leader, Belonging to a community called school, Believing in God and one’s own self, Building relationships and Bettering our world. Throughout the week, participants will develop their abilities to think creatively, to work as a team, to share ideas, and to handle conflicts. Eighth graders will be teamed up with our already trained student leaders. With the assistance of these student leaders, girls will develop the practical skills necessary for effective leadership in the school community. Each participant is eligible for a $200 tuition credit to Sacred Heart Academy upon registration at Sacred Heart for the 2024-25 school year. For girls entering grade 8, only.
July 3-7, 9 AM – 3:30 PM (full day, no camp on 7/4)
Instructors: Maria Clare ‘95, SHA Religion teacher & campus minister &
Katie Gravelle Kittleson ’05, SHA math teacher
Creative Writing
This camp will focus on expressive writing in many different forms. You will have the opportunity to explore different types of poetry and prose styles, and to respond to literature, art mediums, quotes, and music. Campers will write poems, memoirs, flash fiction, comic strips, narratives, revisionist fairy tales, and other types of creative writing. You will also study writing samples from professional writers as well as student writers to inspire student progress. Each student will create an impressive portfolio to keep all of the work she produces. At the end of each day, you will share a piece of your choosing in an open mic setting.
July 3 -7 (no camp on 7/4), 9 AM - 12 NOON
Instructor: Nicole Polino, SHA English teacher
Field Hockey
This camp will focus on the fundamentals of the game, emphasizing basic skills, techniques, and concepts. You will learn and practice basic to intermediate stick skills including dribbling, passing, receiving and shooting drills. In addition, you will learn offensive and defensive techniques and engage in daily scrimmages. Equipment needed: mouth guard, goggles, shin guards and stick (SHA has a limited amount of sticks for those who don’t own one). Team play will be highlighted as well as individual play.
July 3-7, 9 AM - 12 NOON (no camp on 7/4)
Instructor: Kyle Dillman, SHA varsity field hockey coach
Paint it! en plein air
Enjoy the fresh air while painting on everything! During this camp, you will use both acrylic and watercolor, learn a variety of techniques all while painting on many different surfaces and items. A creative time
outdoors will give you experience with various subjects and painting mediums. Painters will learn how to start a canvas as well as take care of the materials they are using. Both formal and informal
approaches will be explored. No experience necessary – all are welcome, come and create!
July 3-7, 12:30-3:30 PM (no camp on 7/4)
Instructor: Gina Cutrona, SHA art teacher
Do It!
Join us as we head out for a week of doing new and different things at some of Western New York’s most popular and unique destinations.
July 3-7, 12:30-3:30 PM (no camp on 7/4)
Instructor: Ruth Donner, SHA Faculty
Filmmaking
Do you want to learn how to make your own movies? Come to our new filmmaking camp where you can learn how to film and edit your own movie using iMovie. Tap into your creative side and learn how to be a director as we explore various themes and genres of filmmaking. SHA will provide iPads for all participants.
July 10-14, 9 AM - 12 NOON
Instructor: Heather Casseri, freelance actor
Service
Spend a week sharing your time and talents by volunteering at a variety of agencies throughout Western New York. Each day we will volunteer at a different service site and learn about each organization. This is a great opportunity to explore our gifts and talents, and to give back and make a difference in the community. This camp is open to girls entering grades 6-8.
July 10-14, 9 AM – 12 NOON
Instructor: Maria Clare, SHA Religion teacher and campus minister
Way Cool Culinary Camp
Can’t get enough of the Food Network, then this camp is for you! Way Cool culinary camp will be a dynamic and fun hands-on experience of culinary arts. Young chefs will learn the skills to create delicious and healthy dishes in both baking and cooking segments. Activities to include (but not limited to): learning about fundamentals in the kitchen, a field trip to a local farm to learn about cooking with fresh-picked produce, distinguishing taste preferences and pairings, and learning how to how to put together a well-balanced and tasty meal as part of collaborative team. Learn for a week, keep skills for a lifetime! We will offer the same camp twice (please only sign up for one camp).
July 10-14, 12:30-3:30 PM and July 17-21, 9 AM – 12 NOON
Instructor: Melissa Rakvica, experienced and passionate cook, and middle school science teacher
SHARK Week: All Things SHA
Spend a week experiencing all things that make SHA unique. From creating a dance routine to scavenger hunts, a field trip, community service, and more, this camp will leave you knowing what it means to be a SHARK girl!
July 10-14, 12:30-3:30 PM
Instructor: Maria Clare, SHA Religion teacher and campus minister
Fashion Lab
Young fashionistas will learn all beginning aspects of fashion design including creating inspiration/vision boards, learning how to sew by hand, repurposing clothing, tie-dying in new and different ways, and collaborating with the group to plan and execute a photo shoot and fun fashion show with their creations.
July 10-14, 12:30-3:30 PM
Instructor: Emma Storfer, vintage collector and reseller, stylist and merchandiser
Ukulele
Have you always wanted to learn how to play a musical instrument? The ukulele is fun, versatile, and easy to learn! Over the course of this camp you will learn how to read and play tabs, chords, and strumming patterns so that you can play any song that comes your way. No experience necessary. We will provide the ukuleles which will be available for purchase after the camp.
July 17-21, 9 AM - 12 NOON
Instructor: Christina Santa Maria, music educator
GIRL POWER ART!
Who runs the world? Girls! During this camp, we will be exploring the artwork of the wonderful, innovative women of the art world, both past and present. Our student artists will be inspired by the works of Georgia O’Keeffe, Frida Kahlo, Yayoi Kusama, Sandra Silberzweig, and Casey Riordan Millard (Shark Girl sculptor!). As we learn about the life and artwork of these famous talented women, you will get to express your own style and creativity, while utilizing a variety of media from watercolor, acrylic paint, clay, sculpture, and more! The week will also include a field trip to highlight some of these famous artists.
July 17-21, 9 AM -12 NOON
Instructor: Kristen Colosi Raimondi ‘96, art educator
Basketball Camps
We will offer two distinct camps. In order for your daughter to maximize her experience, please select the camp that best matches her skill level.
Basketball: Advanced Academy
This camp is designed for girls with prior playing experience, preferably with travel, club or outside of school basketball play.
July 17-21, 9 AM – 12 NOON
Coach: Ron Stepien, SHA junior varsity basketball coach
Intro to Basketball
This camp is designed to introduce you to the fundamentals of basketball in a fun and engaging way. From the rules of the game to passing, dribbling, shooting and learning to play multiple positions, you will engage in daily drills and on-court activities. This camp will benefit girls with no experience as well as the beginning player who is looking to improve her game at the middle school level.
July 17-21, 12:30-3:30 PM
Coach: Maria McGrath, SHA varsity basketball coach
Photographic Art: Portraits, Editorial, Nature, Still Life (PENS).
During this week-long camp, you will learn about lighting, compositional techniques, and other photo-making hot tips. We will make self-portraits, go on field trips, and create spiral-bound portfolios of selected images made during the workshop. In addition, you will learn about graphic design and create your own book covers. All of your images will be uploaded via Google Drive so all artwork will be preserved for posterity digitally. Now in its tenth year, this camp is fun, creative and highly engaging!
June 17-21, 12:30-3:30 PM
Instructor: Nancy J. Parisi, freelance photographer & journalist
Way Cool Culinary Camp
Can’t get enough of the Food Network, then this camp is for you! Way Cool culinary camp will be a dynamic and fun hands-on experience of culinary arts. Young chefs will learn the skills to create delicious and healthy dishes in both baking and cooking segments. Activities to include (but not limited to): learning about fundamentals in the kitchen, a field trip to a local farm to learn about cooking with fresh-picked produce, distinguishing taste preferences and pairings, and learning how to how to put together a well-balanced and tasty meal as part of collaborative team. Learn for a week, keep skills for a lifetime! We will offer the same camp twice (please only sign up for one camp).
July 10-14, 9 AM – 12 NOON and July 17-21, 12:30-3:30 PM
Instructor: Melissa Rakvica, experienced and passionate cook, and middle school science teacher
Songwriting 101
Explore the craft of songwriting and immerse yourself in everything that is music! Instructor Christina Santa Maria brings her experience as a professional back-up vocalist to artists like Elton John and John Legend and she is ready to help you build your musicianship and performance skills. Your week will include an exploration of building a song, looking closely at the lyrics of some of your favorite songs, exploring different musical genres, writing your own lyrics, and developing a melody for your song. You’ll learn the process of putting music to words, exploring the art of performance, using a microphone and singing, and finally – going to a recording studio to actually record your song. No experience necessary; open to vocalists and instrumentalists.
July 24-28, 9 AM -12 NOON
Instructor: Christina Santa Maria, music educator
Cheerleading
For the beginning cheerleader, we’ll work on the groundwork of building perfect technique for motions in cheer and dance, jumps, and stunting. Throughout the week you will work as a group on a short routine to perform for parents on the last day of camp.
July 24-28, 9 AM - 12 NOON
Instructor: Kennedy Crumish ‘16, SHA Varsity Cheerleading Coach
Volleyball Camps
We will offer two distinct camps. In order for your daughter to maximize her experience, please select the camp that best matches her skill level.
Intro to Volleyball
This camp is designed to introduce you to the fundamentals of volleyball in a fun and engaging way. From the rules of the game to passing, setting and learning to play multiple positions, you will engage in daily drills and on-court activities. This camp will benefit girls with no experience as well as the beginning player who is looking to improve her game at the middle school level.
July 24-28, 9 AM - 12 NOON
Coach: Ron Stepien, SHA volleyball coach
Volleyball: Advanced Academy
This camp is designed for girls with prior playing experience, preferably with travel, club or outside of school volleyball play. Students will work on improving their skill set in passing, setting, hitting and blocking. Students will be introduced to serve receive formation, along with 6 - 2 and 5 - 1 offense formation.
July 24-28, 12:30-3:30 PM
Coach: Ron Stepien, SHA volleyball coach
Stained Glass Fusion
Have fun making art by fusing glass using glass kilns. Make jewelry, frit cast ornaments, glass paintings and so much more! This class for beginners is totally hands on and very creative. You will take home everything you make at the end of the week. Students will be bussed from Sacred Heart to Villa Maria College each day.
July 24-28, 12:30-3:30 PM
Instructor: Sister Ann Therese Kelly, Villa Maria College professor, SHA faculty member, and the Roycroft Artisans
S.T.E.A.M.
Spend the week learning about each of the S.T.E.A.M. fields: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math.
Each day you will explore a different topic while participating in fun, hands-on activities.
July 24-29, 12:30-3:30 PM
Instructors: Various
Register Here.
