California
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July 14, 2025
Despite Saturday’s long day at the beach and in Santa Barbara, a group of adventurous students woke up bright and early Sunday for a sunrise hike to the Punch Bowls in Los Padres National Forest.
Students and prefects left campus while it was still dark and chilly, taking the six-mile, round-trip excursion along the riverbed and into the hills. There the Punch Bowls, a series of natural ponds filled by the snowmelt from the surrounding mountains, awaited their arrival. The students, hot from the long hike, took a plunge into the icy cold water, then made their way back to campus in time for Mass.
Programmers who remained on campus were able to attend an early Missa Cantata in Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel, while those who participated in the hike went to a later Mass, which featured a choir of Summer Program students who had practiced earlier that morning. “It’s so special being somewhere so Catholic, and being able to go to Mass with all the friends that you make,” shared Tilia N.
After Mass, the students then walked over to St. Joseph Commons for brunch with their friends, then headed to St. Bernardine of Siena Library for study hall. There, they read “The Wager” from the Pensées, by Blaise Pascal, and carefully practiced Euclidean propositions 11, 13, and 15 ahead of their return to the classroom on Monday. Study then made way for play, and the students shot some hoops in the Pope St. John Paul II Athletic Center to warm up for the prefects vs. students basketball game!
Photos: Basketball and Brisket
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A large number of programmers lined up around the court to cheer on their fellow attendees. In the men’s match, the students won by two points, and in the women’s game, the prefects won by just one. Once the tournament came to a close, instead of heading into the Commons for dinner, the high schoolers sat on picnic blankets outside to enjoy the cool evening air.
Prefect Luke Connelly (CA’26), famous among his fellow students for the Meat Club he runs throughout the academic year, served smoked brisket, which he had prepared 20 hours earlier for the night’s dinner. The meal also included white bread, mac-n-cheese, and watermelon slices. Toward the end of this feast, the students harmonized the tune of “Happy Birthday” for Isabelle T., and the prefects presented her with a chocolate cake to celebrate her 18th birthday.
For the evening’s Rosary, instead of praying in the Chapel, students processed from outside the Commons to the Marian Grotto on the lower campus. At the prayer’s conclusion, Program Chaplain Fr. Sebastian commended the students to Our Lady’s protection and gave them his blessing.
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Later, in the auditorium, performers took to the stage for Open Mic Night, revealing their hidden talents by singing, sharing original works of poetry, and playing various instruments. After the applause for the final act, students stuck around to grab popcorn and cookies before settling back into their seats for a movie. The crowd watched Cinderella Man, the true story of an underdog boxer’s triumph over adversity during the Great Depression.
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“Today was very enjoyable,” remarked Genevieve M. “It was really nice to see everyone’s talents and grow more in friendships. You get close to people really fast because of these things.”
At the end of the night’s activities, the students headed to bed, looking forward to another great week at Thomas Aquinas College. Make sure to check out the Summer Program Blog this afternoon for a recap of today’s classes!
