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The 2019 California Summer Program prefects

Below is the final installment in our three-part series introducing the prefects for this year檚 High School Summer Program. (See Part 1 and Part 2.)

Seamus O橞rien (20)
Seamus O橞rien (20) As a boy Seamus O橞rien (20), a rising junior from Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin, wanted to be a priest and Santa Claus. 淏ut I also never got why more hotdog salesmen didn檛 sell bratwurst, he explains. 淪o I told my parents that when I grew up I was going to be a priest and Santa Claus who owned a hotdog cart which sold brats instead of hotdogs. What more need be said about the man? When he is not contemplating a life of holiness, generosity, and German sausage, this third-time prefect delights in the Summer Program檚 hikes, sports, and conversations. He also has some fine words of wisdom that every student should commit to memory: Leave your phones in your room, he says. 淵ou can check Instagram, watch YouTube, or play Angry Birds any other time. These two weeks are an amazing time to grow in wisdom, your spiritual life, and friendships. Do not waste it! Just throw yourself into the program! (Do people even play Angry Birds anymore?)

Micaela McCall (20)
Micaela McCall&苍产蝉辫;(20) Rising senior and third-time prefect Micaela McCall (20) of Denver, Colorado, was a 渟econd-time freshman who enrolled at the College after first studying elsewhere. 淚 spent a year at the Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati before converting to Catholicism and 榯ransferring to TAC, she explains. 淢y heart longed for a bigger conversation, one about the leading philosophies of Western civilization, the relationship between God and man, and the works of literature that stand out as the best for giving such a vibrant depiction of humanity. This summer she has been 渇alling in love with opera and taking voice and organ lessons, she reports, adding the following fun fact: 淢y next-door neighbor recently told me I was always a noisy kid it檚 just that at some point my crying turned into singing!

Greg Jackson (22)
Greg Jackson (22) 淭his is my first time at the Summer Program as a prefect, and I am pumped! says Greg Jackson (22), a rising sophomore from Manassas, Virginia, with a passion for hiking, sports, philosophy, and 渋ntense ping pong. Greg attended the program as a high school student in 2017 and enrolled at the College the next year. 淭he dancing, sports, classes, and camaraderie made my experience immensely enjoyable and very memorable, he recalls. 淚 think my two favorite memories were the Open Mic Night and dorm dodgeball. His advice to this year檚 students is, 淒on檛 let the conversation end in the classroom the best discussions often continue over lunch, in the residence halls, and even on the off-campus excursions. 淭here is always more you can learn from your peers.

Helen Blain (20)
Helen Blain (20) Five years ago Helen Blain (20), then a high school soccer standout, made the trip from her hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Santa Paula for the 91快活林 Aquinas College High School Summer Program. Five years later and now a rising senior at the College she is serving for the third time as a program prefect. 淲hile I sacrificed playing college soccer to attend TAC, I am so grateful I chose this education, she says. 淚t has developed how I think in tremendous ways. As a result, she is 渢hrilled to witness many summer programers first encounter with the Great Books and Discussion Method. Expect to see her often on the athletic field: She enjoys any and all sports, especially rock climbing and, of course, soccer.

Jack Blewett (20)
Jack Blewett (20) 淥ne of the greatest blessings in life is friendship, reflects second-time prefect Jack Blewett (20), 渁nd the TAC Summer Program gave me some of the best friends I have. A resident of Santa Paula, California, Jack has been working at the College this summer. On his days off, he has taken several trips to the beach with his family which has whetted his appetite for the Summer Program檚 beach day. 淚 also would love to get the students involved in the talent show, he says, adding that he has high hopes for this summer檚 program. 淚t's incredible what can happen in two weeks!

Monica Konizeski (20)
Monica Konizeski (20) A rising senior, Monica Konizeski (20) has spent most of her summer working as an intern for the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) at the organization檚 Denver headquarters near her hometown of Littleton, Colorado. Although this is her first year working on the Summer Program, she is an alumna from 2015. 淢y favorite memory is belting my heart out at the sing-along around the bonfire on the fairway, she remembers. As a prefect, she looks forward to 済etting to know all of the summer programmers and doing fun night-time activities and hangouts in the dorm! She encourages students 渢o try not to anticipate anything: trust in the program and do it all to the best of your ability for the glory of God!

Orion Lacour (22)
Orion Lacour (22) Orion Lacour (22) has some words of tough love for the students on this year檚 California High School Summer Program. 淭ake this time seriously to see if you want to come here, but also make sure you檙e having a lot of fun, he says. 淚f you檙e not having fun, something檚 wrong with you. Having attended the program in 2016, the rising sophomore (he took a year off after graduating from high school) from Lomita, California, knows whereof he speaks. 淢y favorite memory is probably the dorm party and getting to know all the guys and prefects. We played dodgeball and wrestled and just had a good time, he says. The program gave him an appreciation for 91快活林 Aquinas College which ultimately led him to enroll, and he is eager to pay that gift forward.