Your summer project has been designed to be educational, and to aid you in your transition, as you are welcomed into the St. John’s College High School community.

The project consists of two separate but related parts. The first is the reading and analysis of the novel The Chosen, by Chaim Potok. (Available in paperback for under ten dollars.)

" The Chosen is the now-classic story of two fathers and two sons and the pressures on all of them to pursue the religion they share in the way that is best suited to each. And as the boys grow into young men, they discover in the other a lost spiritual brother, and a link to an unexplored world that neither had ever considered before. In effect, they exchange places, and find the peace that neither will ever retreat from again...."

In the second part of the project you are invited to learn about the Christian Brothers, the religious men who sponsor St. John’s, and their founder, by reading a short biography, I, St. John Baptist De La Salle. You will then be asked to make the mission of the school more personal by writing a formal "Letter of Intent."

PART I: THE CHOSEN

While reading The Chosen, you are asked to consider the following questions. Choose 1 of them to react to in a thoughtful essay, no less than two pages in length, double-spaced, in 12pt. Times New Roman or similar font. Be prepared to discuss all of the questions during the beginning days of school.

Use significant quotes from the book to support your ideas.

1. Assume that you are Danny Sanders keeping a private diary. Select four key moments of crisis from the novel and write an entry for each of those dates. Use your own experiences of how it feels to be in conflict with yourself, with your parents, with your religious traditions, or with your society to fuel your memory, but "stay in character" expressing Danny’s beliefs and values while writing.
2. What do you believe are the three most important ideas contained in The Chosen? In an essay, discuss each one referring directly to instances in the book to support you beliefs. In what way does your choice of these three most important ideas express your own personality, belief system, and/or values?

3) Discuss the role of female characters in The Chosen. What accounts for their

discernable lack of influence in the book? Was this deliberate on Potok’s part?

Use evidence from the novel to support your view of this question. Are there

situations and places in the world today where woman have a discernable lack of

influence over their own surroundings? If so, explain? If not, explain how changes

have come about, giving women more influence.

4. How did reading The Chosen add to your knowledge of Judaism, its history,

   religious beliefs and practices, and it’s cultural values? Discuss in detail how the book clarified or corrected your previous beliefs about Judaism and include anything that surprised you. Compare these beliefs, practices and cultural values with your own (and your family’s) religious traditions, beliefs, values, and culture.?

5. Reuven’s father tells him, "The Talmud says that a person should do two things for

himself. One is to acquire a teacher." Danny remembers that the other is to

choose a friend. In what ways have both Danny and Reuven done these things for

themsleves? What has each boy derived from the teacher? From the friend? Have

you such role models and companions in your life? If so, explain. If not, do you

wish to develop such relationships? Describe how you would like them to be.

PART II: EDUCATING THE WHOLE PERSON

Once you have read I, John Baptist De La Salle, you should have a general understanding of who the founder of the Christian Brothers is. From very early on, under St. La Salle’s leadership, the brothers emphasized the importance of educating the " whole person" in their schools. This meant that they were not just concerned with helping their students grow intellectually, but in body and spirit as well. St. La Salle provided an education that allowed his students to grow into well-rounded responsible members of society.

The opportunity for you to be educated as a "whole person" is now yours at St. John’s. The class offerings over the next four years, as well as the many activities, including JROTC, athletics, clubs, the fine arts and music, and service hold the potential for you to be responsible in developing the "you" that God created. Parents, teachers, coaches, and friends are definitely here to support you in this endeavor. Still, it is you who make it happen.

With this in mind, you are asked to do the following:

1. Consider the following questions. What are your gifts? In what types of classes do you excel? What classes offer potential for you because of their challenge?

B. Closely examine listings of

• course offerings, including the JROTC program
• clubs and activities, (including the fine arts, La Sallian Youth and service)
• sports
• Code of Conduct

C.  In two pages, (same format requirements as Part I), you are to compose a formal "Letter of Intent." Your writing should integrate the many facets of who you are, with the offerings and expectations of St. John’s. This document should read as your commitment to yourself, your parents, the St. John’s community and to God as to how you plan to spend the next four years developing as a "whole person" as you continue to become the person you were created to be.

(Your letter (3 copies) should be signed, dated, and addressed to the St. John’s College High School Community.)