High School / Pre-College

Focus Tracks are structured to develop skills and knowledge on a progressive basis, with students working toward a final project, presentation or performance. Course material may vary from the following descriptions based on class makeup and student interests.

Focus Tracks meet from 9:00 to 12:00, Monday, Wednesday and Friday (MWF) or Tuesday and Thursday (TTh). For a full week’s schedule, select TWO Focus Tracks on alternate days, or ONE Focus Track and TWO Morning Discovery Tracks. In this case the Focus Track must be on alternate days with the Discovery Tracks

MWF Focus Tracks	TTh Focus Tracks
9 a.m.–12 p.m.	9 a.m.–12 p.m.
Cooking	Art
English as a Second Language	Radio Broadcasting
Fashion Design	Video Production
Photography

In some cases, we offer a Focus Track, a Major Track and a Discovery Track and on the same subject, for example, Cooking. How do you decide which to take?

Focus Tracks let you study a subject in more depth than the corresponding Discovery Track, but not as intensively as the Major. The difference is in the time available. Each week, Majors provide 15 hours of class time, Focus Tracks provide 6 or 9 hours, and Discovery Tracks provide 3 or 4 1/2 hours. Don’t know which is right for you? Give us a call at 866-TRY-JKCP and let us help you decide.

Each week, students will choose two Exploration Workshops from a list that changes weekly. Click here for a comprehensive list: Exploration Workshops.

Art

Awaken your creative instincts this summer! Let the Art Track heighten your senses and show you new and exciting ways to express yourself. The Art Track focuses on developing artistic vision and talent. With the encouragement and guidance of our talented instructors, you’ll go beyond the basics of drawing and painting to expand your creativity and discover your own personal artistic style.

We’ll concentrate on the exciting art and artists of the 20th and today. Who’s doing important work in London, Los Angeles, Latin America and New York? What are the emerging motifs and styles?

We’ll begin with the fundamental concept of seeing the world through art. You’ll learn to look through the eyes of the artist in order to perceive beauty in all its forms by focusing on line, contour, value, texture and composition. We’ll study abstraction as an art modality in itself and how it is the basis for representational painting.

The Art Track combines expert instruction and exhilarating studio work on observational studies, still lifes and figure drawing. All equipment is provided, including drawing supplies, sketch books, watercolor and acrylic paints, canvases and brushes. Classes use discussion and demonstration, but the emphasis is on doing and creating. First we sketch and draw with pencil, ink, felt-tip pens and charcoal. Then we introduce color — working on different techniques with pastels, watercolor and acrylics.

Cooking

For the beginner to intermediate cook, our Cooking Focus Track is the perfect opportunity to work on kitchen basics and fundamental culinary knowledge while learning to prepare a variety of fresh, fun modern dishes.

You will work hands-on to develop your food prep and presentation abilities. Classes will cover kitchen safety and hygiene, knife techniques, use of herbs, oils and seasonings, the history and tradition of many of the ingredients used in our dishes, and of course — the recipes themselves.

If you love sampling new foods, this is a great program. If you want to learn to whip up a variety of tempting new appetizers, entrees and desserts (without devoting all your camp mornings to it), this is the class for you, the seriously interested but still “unseasoned” cook.

English as a Second Language (ESL)

With so many cultures meeting at JKCP, why not practice your English with other students from around the world?

This time, forget classrooms, chalk boards and constant repetition. Instead, our ESL program takes you on daily trips to some of Philadelphia’s most famous sites. Your English will improve while you discover all this fast-paced, historic city has to offer — reading the inscriptions on the Liberty Bell, ordering onions on your Philly cheesesteak, or listening to the music of a street performer.

You’ll be learning on the go as your ESL teacher weaves English lessons into everything you do. And don’t worry if you’re just starting the language: You can always get help in French or Spanish. So, experience Philadelphia on a tour you’ll be talking about for months — in English!

Fashion Design

Do you admire the beautiful clothes on the runways of New York, Milan and Paris? Have you ever wondered how those shows are staged, how the clothes are made?

This course may be the first step in fulfilling your dreams of becoming a fashion designer or just finding out what style is best for you.

Class lectures and demonstrations will show you the process designers follow to create a piece of apparel. The course will touch on all facets of design, including color theory, fabric selection and fashion illustration. You’ll learn how to drape fabric on yourself to visualize its potential as a garment or accessory, and how to create a pattern for it.

Photography

With a camera in your hand, you have the ability to share your vision of people and the world. Your photograph can forever document emotions like the joy in your best friend’s smile, or their disappointment as a game ends in a narrow defeat. Moments like these are fleeting, so a photographer must react instinctively to capture them. That instinctive “click” — with professional skills behind it — is the focus of this track.

All you’ll need is a digital or film 35-mm camera (bring your own or use one of ours) and the desire to learn about a technical art form. We’ll begin with an overview of camera parts, lenses, functions and maintenance. Then we’ll look at basic concepts like controlling exposure through aperture and shutter-speed settings. Next, we’ll move into the “digital darkroom” and work on manipulating and compositing images, often with surprising results.

Radio Broadcasting

Say radio broadcasting and you naturally think of someone behind a microphone. But as a career, it offers opportunities for people with a range of talents. Sure, the best place for some of us is on the air, spinning records, reading the news, hosting talk shows and more. With a little work on your vocal presentation, maybe you could be a high-energy DJ or field news reporter.

But for those with a technical inclination, the place to be is behind the controls and mixing desks, handling the intricacies of sequencing and fading, checking levels and keeping the station on the air regardless of technical glitches or equipment problems.

And, of course, there’s always the programmer’s role, requiring creative thinking and radio smarts to continuously fill the air waves with entertaining material.

You’ll create your own commercial, program, radio play, documentary material and/or news report. Radio Broadcasting — where you learn how to produce, star in, and broadcast the sounds of modern radio. You’re on the air!

Video Production

At some point, every enthusiastic movie-goer and TV fan wants to get behind the camera. For all of you, we offer Video Production, the track that makes you the filmmaker. Here’s your chance to try your hand at direction, set design, costuming, production, editing and script writing. Maybe you’ll want to design a television advertisement, script a real-life drama, choreograph a music video or direct a documentary.

This track gives you the chance to explore all aspects of video production. You’ll learn how to set up lighting and use the camera to create dramatic effects. Become comfortable with editing techniques and realize the artistic flexibility that the “out of camera” process gives you. Working with experienced instructors, you’ll design the layout, scout the location and write the script for a dramatic production. Produce and direct your own videos and cast your friends, classmates and yourself in the films you create.