By Jenna Teter
The Texas Catholic Staff

While thousands of Dallas Catholic school students took summer vacations in June, more than 300 others were back in the classroom.
 
And they actually wanted to be there.

DECATS, or the DeBusk Enrichment Center for Academically Talented Scholars, recently marked its 15th year. The invitation-only program is designed to help middle-school and junior high school students with an expanded learning experience while teaching them problem-solving skills and how to handle real-world problems as a Christian leader.

The three-week program was held this year at Bishop Lynch Catholic High School. Students selected three new elective courses, ranging from Anatomy to Yoga, for the morning sessions of each week.

They then chose from 11 “majors” for their afternoon curriculum, which remained the same for the program’s duration. Subjects included Criminal Justice; Rock Opera; Culinary Arts, and Journalism.

Each major culminated in a final project. For example, students in the Journalism “major” produced a newspaper while the Drama students performed a play.

This summer’s DECATS program had student participation from 24 of the 28 diocesan elementary and middle schools. Also, 50 high school students from each of the area high schools acted as “graduate assistants.” The teachers came from schools throughout the diocese.   

Principals and teachers nominate students based on their achievement test scores. A student must have an achievement test score in the 95th percentile or earn a 97 in at least two major subject areas.

The DECATS program began in Dallas in 1995. It has been so successful — and so large — that elementary and middle schools in the diocese cannot accommodate the program. Conducting it at area Catholic high schools allows the students and their parents a preview of high school life.

jteter@cathdal.org