Some say students lose too much of their brain power during summer vacation, so what better way to stave off the regression than by studying the mind itself?

A general psychology course in Verona became the second college-level course offered at the high school, paired with a Vietnam War class, and ran through the months between academic years.

Kimberley Ferlauto, a school counselor in Verona with a certificate in psychology, led a group of 10 students through a nearly month-long course. The class covered "a lot, fast" and touched upon most of the main points in the subject, Ferlauto said.

Although Verona High School does not offer psychology during the regular school year, Ferlauto said the summer session offered a chance for residents to gain some experience in the field.

"This was a great opportunity for students who did express interest in psychology to get a background on it," she said, "and the partnership with Caldwell is a great jumpstart on three college credits."

The program offered students 2.5 credits at the high school level and three from Caldwell College if they achieved a grade of B or higher. Only 10 through 12th graders with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better were permitted to attend the class, with seven from Verona and three from Nutley taking advantage of the option.

Meredith Wynen of Verona said she plans to major in psychology in college and described it as "one of the most interesting academic subjects you can research."

"I thought taking the class would be a great experience," Wynen said. "Even if you don't want the college credits, you can retake the class in college and you'll have an even better foundation."

Ferlauto's pupils met during four-hour sessions for three weeks, beginning on June 24 and wrapping up on July 18. Some of the topics covered included emotions, learning, personality and disorders for a mix Ferlauto said resembles the curriculum of a standard college course.

The session culminated in an exam calling for the students to identify psychological themes in a book or movie of their choosing.