At Academy, Mini Course week can be defined as the one week out of the entire year when students, teachers and faculty can take a break from the stress of school and enjoy some alternative, but important activities and lessons. During this time, the students can sit back and relax or push themselves to the limit in fun and enriching “mini-courses”. It is a week of expirimentation and exploration for the girls as they immerse themselves into new adventures, new experiences, and even new cultures. The students are given the option to join in or out of school activities. One could spend the day eating Popcorn with Potter, or spend the week in a ‘Mission of Fun’ at Disney or travel to places far and wide like Italy and the Dominican Republic.

Mini Course week only lasted Monday through Thursday for those who stayed at Academy. Students were dismissed at 12:30pm, but it was just enough time to be impacted by what they had learned and the memories they made. Students who were not at school, were at Epcot, Italy, or on mission trips to the Dominican Republic, North Carolina, Mississipi, Ruskin, Appalacchia or the Heart of Tampa (at Mary Help of Christians).

Missionary Kristina Kennedy worked hard in Applacchia, but still made time to spend with her fellow missionaries.

“We redid the inside of a children’s center that used to be a church. It was a lot of work but ended up being really fun. We did a lot of bonding and all became closer by the end of the trip.”

On Monday, the girls chose a seminar to learn about different languages, cultures, jobs, and hobbies. One could take a trip to Italy without actually leaving their desk. They could learn about the Chinese cultures in Tampa, the concepts of design at school, and even sit down with a  judge and discuss legal issues in the classroom. Chinese language and culture, Fox 13 News, Legal talk, Life in Italy, and Women’s Health Issues were five out of the nine seminars available on Monday.

Tuesday was leisure and life skills day. On this day, the girls were able to leave the campus to visit the Colombia Restaurant, stay on site and take Etiquette 101, take intense workout classes or even go see a court case at the court house in the heart of downtown Tampa. The activities of the day included ice skating, Kickboxing: Exercise and Defense, “See You in Court,” Zumba, bowling and more.

On Wednesday, Academy girls exhibited their creative abilities and were given the options of an African and Modern Dance Workshop, Airheads, Pottery, Hyatt-Career in Hotel Management, Popcorn With Potter, Bringing Pintrest to Life, and Scrapbooking. In Popcorn With Potter the girls played Harry Potter Jeopardy and watched one of the Harry Potter films.

Sophomore Alma Torres proclaims that Wednesday was her favorite day, “We had so much fun jumping around and doing flips at Airheads.”

On Thursday, the girls were in for a special surprise from the school. From the beginning of school until about 10:00am, the girls walked across the bridge where they were met with fun activities on the field and in the gym. After a quick break, they were surprised with a movie presentation. Students let out a cry of joy upon hearing that Disney’s Frozen was the surprise movie selection. But end of mini-course came too soon. After the movie, girls had to say good-bye to Academy and hello to their week-long Spring Break.