NMH Summer Program Connects Classroom and Community

For the past 125 years, Northfield Mount Hermon has offered opportunities for students to embrace their passions and grow academically through summer programs. 

Today’s NMH Summer program features two- and four-week sessions of more than 100 academic and enrichment courses for middle and high school students, as well as a monthlong English-language immersion program.This year, 185 students from 20 states and 20 countries attended NMH Summer.

There are a variety of reasons students are drawn to the program, said Loubna Boumghait, an NMH English teacher and assistant director of NMH Summer. Some want to strengthen their academic skills or improve their English language skills; others are eager to dive deeper into subjects they love.

Classes for younger students focus on enrichment, while older students have the opportunity to earn course credits in subjects like math, science, and social studies, as well as prepare for the upcoming school year, Boumghait said.

The daily routine for students consists of classes in the morning, followed by athletics and cocurricular classes in the afternoons, with plenty of time for making friends and exploring campus in between. While the academic standards are rigorous, Boumghait said, they are only one part of the NMH Summer experience.

“It's not just a place where students learn grammar and go home,” said Boumghait. “They take back a lot of life lessons. They learn how to live in a community, which is one of our main goals.”

“Curiosity is a big thing that we're trying to instill in our students,” said Becca Ramos, assistant director of NMH Summer.

This year’s program included new classes in fly-fishing, cooking and baking, and emerging technologies like drones and AI, in addition to recurring courses like creative writing, biology, algebra, and other standard academic subjects.

Small class sizes enable close interactions and attention from teachers, said NMH math teacher Scott Bloom, who taught summer classes this year.

“I know what each student's strengths and weaknesses are,” Bloom said. “A lot of [the class] is students up at the board, and you're looking over their shoulder, working through the problems, one-on-one with the students.”

In the AI course, students explored foundational concepts and conducted hands-on research into real-world applications. Teacher Jonathan Delgadillo Lorenzo was impressed by the students’ ability to engage deeply with such a complex topic in just four weeks.

“There are estimates that 70% of the population, unknowingly perhaps, are already using AI in their lives, so it's important that people understand fundamentally what is going on,” he said. “[Students] always asked good questions about the lecture and the work that we were doing. The fact that this was an applied class made it more real for them, I think.”

Beyond academics, weekend wellness programs, outdoor leadership activities, and off-campus excursions — including white-water rafting, hiking, and museum visits — gave students a well-rounded experience, said Boumghait.

“We're very focused on academics, but there’s also an aspect where the kids can just relax and [have] fun,” she said.

“I think it’s a chance to grow in different ways,” said summer teaching fellow and NMH alum Tobias Hughes ’22. “You have fun activities off campus but also this whole [academic] element that’s sometimes missing at a traditional summer camp.”

The NMH Summer staff includes NMH faculty, educators from other schools, and college students who serve as teaching fellows, who gain real classroom experience and mentorship as they work alongside seasoned teachers.

“It’s a great opportunity to figure out ‘Is [teaching] for you?’” said Ramos, who began as a fellow herself. “It does a great job of introducing teaching fellows to the experience of working at boarding schools.”

Fellow Julia Fedoruk ’22, who taught English immersion as well as podcasting and singing, appreciated the creative freedom the fellows are given.

“There’s so much room for creativity and so many resources available,” she said. “If you want to be a teacher, I 100% recommend this, because it gives you the space to learn.”

Hughes, now in his second year as a fellow, said the experience has deepened his appreciation of his alma mater.

“I had some really, really incredible teachers here,” he said. “It’s kind of cool to be in some of these classrooms where I was once a student, trying to deliver that same educationally empowering experience that I got here.”

For veteran teachers, the chance to step out of their school-year roles and collaborate with fellows provides a refreshing opportunity to reflect and grow.

Religious studies and philosophy teacher Jennifer Keator, who’s been involved with NMH Summer for six years, brought her passion for baking to the classroom this summer, with colleague Heather Leeds.

“I think it’s important to teach how to follow a recipe — beyond baking, being able to follow directions and feed yourself is an important life skill,” Keator said. “It’s [also] important to teach students that sometimes following directions does not always yield the desired results.”

Bloom joined the NMH Summer to mentor young teachers, having launched his own career through a similar summer program.

“For me, going through that process under the guidance of an experienced teacher was very formative,” he said, “so I wanted to have that experience with teaching interns here.”

NMH biology teacher Clare Knowlton, who taught a cooking class in the summer program, echoed that sentiment.

“You learn how to work together,” she said of the co-teaching model. “It’s a really fun opportunity to meet someone new and learn from them and what they're bringing to it.”

For Boumghait, who originally came from Morocco to teach in the program, NMH Summer is the reason she now calls this campus home.

“The moment I stepped foot here, I said, ‘This is where I want to live and work,’” Boumghait said. “So it is a program that I hold very dear.”

What unites everyone — faculty, fellows, and students — is a shared sense of purpose and care for the community they’re building, Ramos said.

“The summer program is very much led with the heart,” she said. “From student to faculty, faculty to fellow — it’s clear that everyone is invested in the community and making it a success. I think that’s what sets us apart.”

For more information on the NMH Summer program, visit nmhsummer.org.

Basketball photo by Elsa Martin; kayaking photo by Katelyn Weeks. All other photos by Matthew Cavanaugh Photography.