Offered by Grand Central Atelier (GCA) in partnership with Hotchkiss Summer Portals.

June 21 - July 2, 2026

Study alongside teens who are deeply committed to advancing their drawing and painting skills, who would love nothing better than to draw and paint from sunrise to sunset for ten days.

• Professional artist faculty, Grand Central Atelier alums
• Open to students entering grades 10-12 (ages 15-18)
• Tuition includes a single dorm room and meal plan
• Instruction is indoor and outdoor: art studios, campus grounds and Fairfield Farm

Build and refine your skills in observational drawing. Learn to draw from classical casts, the skull, and the live portrait model. Dive into oil painting fundamentals by painting landscapes en plein air alongside GCA’s Hudson River Fellowship residency artists. Small class sizes will provide an environment for fun, focused study with daily individualized critiques.

Must possess willingness to learn and be open to a structured methodology, have a solid work ethic, self-motivation, persistence and patience. All levels are welcome to apply on the GCA website.

Apply Now

About Grand Central Atelier:

Grand Central Atelier (GCA) is the world’s leading destination for artists seeking an authentic classical art education. The studio provides rigorous training in drawing, painting and sculpture, resident artist studios, exhibitions and fellowships – including its signature, longstanding Hudson River Fellowship landscape painting residency.

June 22-26, 2026

The Hotchkiss School is hosting an exclusive in-person Future Entrepreneurs & Leaders Program, delivered by the Harvard College Project for Asian and International Relations.

This five-day residential experience is designed to help students explore entrepreneurship, build an Innovation Project, and develop confidence in public speaking, case analysis, and pitching, guided by Harvard student mentors.

Learn More and Apply

Program Highlights

• Build and pitch a real-world Innovation Project

• Learn through Harvard Business School-style case studies

• 1:1 mentorship from Harvard students

• Final pitch to a panel of mentors

• Certificate from HPAIR

Program Details

• Dates: June 22–26, 2026

• Duration: Five days (residential)

• Eligibility: Grades 6-12

• Fee: $800

The program also includes mentorship sessions, a Harvard admissions Q&A, and curated evening activities.

July 6-17, 2026

Hotchkiss Summer Portals developed the The Concord Review History Camp to align with The Concord Review’s mission. This intensive workshop in history, research, and writing offers students an advisory structure in which to work on historical research papers on topics of their own choosing. Students arrive at the program with a research topic in hand that they then develop over the course of two weeks, with the end goal of writing a first draft of a historical research paper on their topic.

The Concord Review is a journal that showcases the academic excellence and writing ability of high school students who are studying history. It is meant to inspire others to achieve the next level of performance. The Concord Review was founded in 1987 to recognize and to publish exemplary history essays by high school students in the English-speaking world. With the Fall Issue (#134), 1,460 research papers have been published from authors in 46 states and 45 other countries. The Concord Review remains the only quarterly journal in the world to publish the academic history papers of secondary students.

Register

July 13-16, 2026
Co-ed, ages 8-15
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Improve your game in summer 2025 with The Hotchkiss School's Head Boys Basketball Coach Joseph Busacca and staff at this coed basketball camp in Lakeville, CT. Focus on the fundamentals and fine-tuning your positional work, shooting technique, footwork and ball-handling skills.

The Complete Skills Camp helps players of all abilities develop athletically, refine fundamental basketball skills and enhance their skill set at the post, wing or guard position.

Highlights Include:

• Skill development drills for players of all abilities
• Discussion of nutritional goals and off-court activities to benefit on-court game
• Receive a Nike Basketball Camp t-shirt and other prizes!

Learn more and register

The afternoon creative writing class introduces students to various genres including poetry, short story writing, and playwriting. In a fun and collaborative setting, students are encouraged to be creative and write pieces from various perspectives—comedy, drama, thrillers, mystery, and autobiographical. All supplies provided.

This program is taught by professional artists from the Grand Central Atelier. They will learn the fundamentals of plein air painting and will bring their easels to various vistas on our campus at the Hotchkiss farm as they work on their paintings. Students will need to bring some supplies, which can be shipped to:

Hotchkiss Summer Portals: Landscape Painting
Student Name
11 Interlaken Rd
Lakeville, CT 06039

Students will be run through drills designed to improve their footwork, dribbling, and passing skills, and each day will end with a scrimmage. While students can participate with sneakers, we recommend that they bring soccer shoes/cleats.

A dynamic and inclusive after-school squash practice designed to accommodate players of all skill levels.

The session will typically begin with a group warm-up focusing on movement and footwork. Players are then organized into smaller groups based on their ability. Through drills and condition games, beginners will focus on technique, including but not limited to grip, swing path, and body position. Intermediate and Advanced players will engage in more challenging tactical drills and a wider array of condition games to focus on shot-selection, pattern development and recognition, and gameplanning.

The practice often includes coached match play, where all players get to apply their skills in a low-pressure yet competitive environment. Everyone will receive feedback so as to improve day-over-day. Afternoons will conclude with a cool-down and stretch. The overall goal is skill development, physical fitness, court sense, and embracing one's love of the game.

Students will take practice tests, gain insights into the test and strategies, and gain confidence with the format and expectations of the SSAT. Only sign up for the class if you are fully committed to it!

Only for students with previous tennis experience. Hotchkiss has 15 well-maintained tennis courts. Each afternoon, students will be able to hit and compete with each other under the supervision of a faculty member. Students must bring their own racket, and if they prefer to ship the racket to Hotchkiss, they should ship it to:

Hotchkiss Summer Portals: Tennis
Student Name
11 Interlaken Rd
Lakeville, CT 06039

The afternoon creative theater introduces students to the fundamentals of stagecraft. The class gives students greater comfort with public speaking and character development. They will read a variety of scenes and interpret the author’s intent and the characters’ motivations. They will even try their hand at developing their own short scenes for the final performance. All supplies provided.

In this weeklong afternoon program (June 29 to July 3 or July 13-17), students will learn about the boarding school application process, including guidance on essay writing and interviewing skills. Hotchkiss admissions officers will offer their advice on the application process and share insights on developing a compelling application. 

Evening SSAT Prep is for students who sign up for afternoon activities (tennis, soccer, squash, creative writing, theater, and landscape painting), enabling them to participate in these activities in the afternoon and SSAT Prep in the evening. Students will take practice tests, gain insights into the test and strategies, and gain confidence with the format and expectations of the SSAT. Only sign up for the class if you are fully committed to it!