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JULY 28, 2026— Four Pal-Mac High School seniors recently chose a different kind of summer retreat, and it helped connect them to the college level.

Seniors Alaina Brown, Wyatt Johnson, Clifford Lofgren, and Evan Wheeler attended the annual International Baccalaureate (IB) Essay Camp at the State University of New York at Geneseo (SUNY).

The one-of-a-kind academic-centric camp is an immersive four-day, three-night experience that blends college-level learning with college-level living.

At the heart of the effort is a head start on the student's Extended Essay, which is an independent 4,000-word research project that serves as a cornerstone of the IB Diploma. 

Pal-Mac’s four students chose to focus their essays on several complex subjects, including the psychology of musical performance, the physics of running, correlations between sleep and brain dysfunction, and historical responses to emerging technologies.

 

"I feel more confident in my ability to write the essay and stay motivated throughout the process," Brown said. "I can work through any obstacle." 

Pal-Mac faculty including Rebecca DeSol (IB DP Coordinator, Literature, and Film teacher) and Bill Bendschneider (Theory Of Knowledge, Psychology, and Creativity Activity and Service Coordinator) were invited to serve as two of the camp’s five lead IB Educators. Pal-Mac High School Librarian and Extended Essay Coordinator Michael Yates also made a guest appearance to support the students during their research sessions.

The sessions ran from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m each day, as students logged intensive hours in Geneseo’s Milne Library. They had access to university-level databases and guidance from college faculty and expert IB educators.

Lofgren echoed his classmate Brown by noting how instrumental the faculty and educators were in helping him hone his focus.

"The process seems much less daunting to overcome, and the way in which the educators and mentors guided us through finding sources, refining ideas, and encouraging flexibility was very helpful,” Lofgren said.

When asked, Johnson and Wheeler mentioned the direct access to the collegiate-level resources was a "game-changer," but so too, was the social side of campus living.

Between research sessions, students experienced dorm life, dining hall food, and evening activities organized by Geneseo resident advisors, including karaoke, sports, lawn games, and ice cream socials.

DeSol, who was in her second year of instructing at the camp, said she remains proud of her student's dedication to research. Last year, she was joined by two students and was excited to bring along a couple more this year.

She said by bridging high school initiative with university-level resources, the students weren't just getting ahead on a high school requirement, they stepped directly into the shoes of collegiate researchers.

"Research is not a linear process," DeSol said. "So the resilience these students displayed while hard at work reading scholarly articles, editing their writing, and engaging in academic discourse with faculty is remarkable.” 

Bendschneider, whose own daughter is starting at Geneseo this fall, joined the instructional team for the first time. He called the experience "phenomenal." He also blended research with some fun, as he both assisted students in the library and out in the hacky-sack circle.

"I hope I'm invited back again next year," Bendschneider said.

As part of its Mission, Vision, and Core Values, Pal-Mac remains committed to connecting students to future-ready resources.