Depending on the high school student, summer vacation presents an array of possibilities. For many of us, it is to use the freedom that summer brings to hangout with friends all day every day. For others, it is taking advantage of the time and finding a job in order to haul in some cash before the school year cycles back. Or maybe all you are thinking about is school and what you can do to mold your academic future. For our principal, Mr. Holdren, summer vacation simply implies less distractions. 

In Portland, Oregon, the Holdren family was able to kick back and explore the vibrant city; some landmarks included Voodoo Doughnut and Powell’s City of Books. Additionally, the Holdrens were able to hike and kayak their way through the scenic Columbia River Gorge, all without checking a single email for a week and a half.

Unfortunately, much of Mr. Holdren’s time in the summer is spent focusing on all things school. 

“As the principal I work 225 days and I think most teachers work 188 […] I work a lot more than the teachers, but that also allows me to look at our systems, to get stuff done that I can’t get done during the year, do some leadership retreats, that type of stuff,” said Mr. Holdren.

 Beyond this, Mr. Holdren attended “training” that explored the development of AI and its potential to aid education, while remaining wary of its dangers. Mr. Holdren hopes that in time, the functionality of AI can be reliably used to benefit students in scholastic research.

So whether you were neck-deep in sand at the beach or went head-first into pre-collegiate programs, we wish all of you Royals a fantastic first week at school!