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Summer break isn’t wasted time for Reno Sarussi and thousands of other participants in activities and academic programs run by Lyons Township High School.
Sarussi, a senior from La Grange, is spending his fourth summer vacation taking part in a summer gymnastic program to expand his abilities.
“I’m just trying to get new skills and fine tune others,” said Sarussi, who also competes as a gymnast during the school year.
Adam Davis, assistant principal and director of summer programs, said the district offers two tracks for students from inside and outside of the district to build their skills. One is an academic program and the other is an activities program.
Contrary to what some may believe about summer school, fewer than 5 percent of the students in the school’s academic program are taking a course because they failed a class.
“The vast majority are for advancement credit. There are very few taking makeup classes,” Davis said.
Both of the district’s campuses, the north campus in La Grange and south campus in Western Springs, are hives of activity during the summer with students taking swimming lessons, band, lacrosse, bowling, football, Science Olympiad, rock climbing and dozens of others of classes and activities.
Davis said about 1,158 are enrolled in academic programs and 3,752 are in various activities. The numbers of classes and programs offered are about the same as last year, he said.
“For activities we get participation by kids for the love of the activity,” Davis said. “It’s a way for kids with an interest in almost anything to try it.”
Sarussi got interested in gymnastics after his wrestling coach suggested he try it when he was a freshman.
“He told me to come out for it. I’d never considered it before. But I got hooked on it,” Sarussi said.
Sam Zeman, head boys gymnastic coach, said those in his summer gymnastics program have a wide range of experience.
“It’s practice for some of the boys. It’s a first-time experience for others,” he said.
The summer programs at LT aren’t run for a profit.
Though the numbers are not yet available for this year, Davis said for last year’s academic program, the school collected tuition of about $193,000 and paid salaries of about $175,000. The difference went to pay for supplies and materials.
The activities programs took in about $344,000 last year. About 230,500 went to salaries. The surplus paid for T-shirts, supplies and materials, Davis said.
Like many of the students in summer programs, Sarussi said he likes staying active and brushing up on his skills when he doesn’t have the pressure of school work or competition.
“It helps me to improve during the summer. But it’s a lot more chill. It’s more relaxing,” he said.
With so many students making it a point to be in school during the summer, Davis said it’s the place to be.
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“It’s kind of the thing to do in the summer,” Davis said.
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