The Summer Science Program (SSP) is a summer program that has been running since 1959. The main purpose of the program is to give high school students interested in science, especially astronomy, a chance to learn in accelerated courses, live in a college-like environment, and to complete a real world astronomy project. The six-week-long program takes place at the Thacher School, located in Ojai, California. The students, mostly juniors and a few sophomores in high school from around the country, and occasionally the globe, are instructed in physics, math, astronomy, and computer science. Throughout those six weeks, they will also track the movement of an asteroid on the school's 12-inch telescope. This all winds down to a final project which is calculating the orbit of their asteroid and sending the data to the Minor Planet Center to be recorded along with asteroid data from around the world.

The program is not just about the studies though. The students work alongside others that share interests and goals in life, in a friendly and warm environment. Competition is not emphasized. It was a great learning experience for many simply because they will live those six weeks away from home. The program offers the students a unique chance to mature and prepare for their college experience down the road. It has been said that everyone comes out of SSP a different person from when they went in.

Most students leave the program with a great sense of accomplishment and pride, for the work they have accomplished and the strong friendships they have built in the process. Many of the alumni still look upon SSP as a wonderful experience which they will remember for life. For any high school student who likes the sciences, and think they are ready for a uniquiely challenging and enriching experience, SSP would definitely be for him/her.

To learn more about the Summer Science Program or to get an application, go to the SSP Home Page

To learn more about the Thacher, go to the Thacher Home Page

To see more of the "Shangri-La in Southern California," go to the Ojai Home Page

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