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August Experiential Session at New Summit Academy

8/13/2019

This month brings exciting, hands-on experiential learning for our students and staff!

Below is a quick introduction to the once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that our community will be engaging in during the coming weeks:

Wilderness Advanced First Aid & CPR Certification
Students and staff will work together in this week-long, professional-level certification program, guided by the Wilderness Medicine Institute. Lessons on risk management and prevention, site surveys, CPR, and emergency treatment will be paired with hands-on simulated emergency scenarios where students will put their knowledge into action.

South Africa International Aventura
Some of our more senior students will travel to South Africa for what is sure to be a life-changing adventure. After getting to know Cape Town and introductions to local communities, students will participate in wildlife safaris, team-building exercises with local nonprofits, visits to museums and historical sites, and even a workshop with a local artist on using graffiti to bring positive change to communities!

Peru International Aventura
Many of our NSA students will travel to Peru to experience the Sacred Valley as few visitors ever get to do. The journey begins with an introduction to the ancient city of Cuzco and exploring the Incan site of Machu Picchu and Pisac. Students will then raft the Apurimac River before hiking the challenging but stunningly beautiful Ausangate Trek!

Costa Rica Orientation Aventura
Our newest NSA students will spend a week on two separate trips, with some relax time on campus in-between, getting to know the beauty and fun that Costa Rica has to offer. The first leg will introduce students to the Pacific Coast, where they will spend time on the beaches and sea kayaking. White water rafting on the world-famous Sarapiqui and zip-lining through the rainforests of Arenal make up the second trip. What a way to start at NSA!

SCUBA Certification in Bocas del Toro
To round out the August Experiential Session, a group of students and staff will travel to the archipelago of Bocas del Toro in Panama to earn their SCUBA Certifications. Bocas is world-renowned for its stunning beaches, coral reefs, and populations of marine mammals. This Aventura is sure to be remembered!

No other school on the planet engages its students in experiential learning like New Summit Academy!

Staff Spotlight: Diana Rojas

8/1/2019

Diana is our beloved Family and Student Services Coordinator.

All of our families are familiar with Diana, as her dedication to helping them arrange travel, logistics, mail packages, prepare for workshops, and much more are one of the major reasons for their positive experiences at NSA.

Diana spent 10 years in California, so understands our families very well. She has been a part of the New Summit community for nearly nine years. She loves helping all of our families and students, and collaborating with her co-workers every day.

Outside of NSA, Diana enjoys spending time at her house, admiring the beautiful view with her dog Chispa and her cats, crocheting, and visiting her family on the beach in Puntarenas.

Diana has a vibrant spirit and enjoys life to the fullest, and we are very grateful to have her as part of the team at New Summit Academy!

Sneak Peek at our August Experiential Session

7/30/2019

This month, NSA will celebrate the graduation of four young men, ready to venture into the world and experience continued success.

After graduation, our students and staff will engage in a month of experiential learning, including the Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA) certification course, international Aventuras to Peru and South Africa, and a SCUBA certification in Bocas del Toro, Panama.

Stay tuned for more updates on these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities!

What Does It Mean to be an Honor Student at NSA?

7/25/2019

Earning Honor Status at New Summit Academy means so much more than making good grades (although, that’s part of it too!)

An Honor Student is recognized by his SCAFA Advising Team as consistently guiding his behaviors according to the NSA value system and excelling in the areas of scholarship, citizenship, character, community service, and leadership.

While earning Honor Status allows the students additional privileges, this flexibility comes with a higher level of trust earned over time, and Honor Students willingly accept the responsibility of helping out their peers as well as the community as a whole.

Staff Spotlight: Miguel Varela

7/16/2019

Miguel Varela, or “Migue” as our students call him, has played an important role in the Experiential Education department since he joined NSA in 2009.

Born in Argentina, Miguel brings his passions for sports, cooking, travel, and community service to his position as an EE Mentor and student advisor.

In addition, Miguel coordinates our Homestay program as well as weekend cultural activities, and serves as a trip leader on Integrated Aventuras.

Miguel’s presence on our campus is so impactful to our students, who often refer to him in their graduation speeches as a father figure while they are away from their families.

Miguel gets plenty of practice at home, raising five (5!) children of his own, but returns to NSA each day full of energy and positivity, and models engagement, common sense, and the ability to balance fulfilling his responsibilities with a sense of humor that our students truly appreciate.

Thank you, Miguel, for your dedication and contributions to our family at NSA!

A Busy – and Fun! – July for NSA Students

7/11/2019

The past weeks have been packed with engaging, interesting, and fun opportunities for our students at New Summit Academy.

Integrated Aventuras
At the start of the month, students and staff participated in our Integrated Aventuras, which combine experiential, hands-on learning with personal growth in some of the most beautiful places in Costa Rica.

Newer students spent the week learning about conservation while volunteering in reforestation projects in the Osa Peninsula.

A second cohort of students paddled around the Golfo Dulce, studying tidal fluctuations, watersheds, and coral reefs, along with fishing with hand lines and competing in the famous “Tent Partner Olympics.”

A third group of students hiked through Corcovado National Park, learning about forest succession and spotting exotic wildlife including tapir, anteaters and spider monkeys!

Weekend Activities
Last week, when NSA welcomed a new student into our community, a senior student pointed to our scheduling calendar and said “Just look at what we get to do this weekend!”

In just two days, our students had the opportunity to:

- Show off their moves at the Roller Disco
- Fish in the estuaries along the Pacific coast
- Spend the day immersed in Costa Rica’s culture with Homestay Families
- Visit the National Theater
- Expend some energy at the Trampoline Park
- Participate in Film Club

Staff Spotlight: Catalina Rojas

7/1/2019

Catalina Rojas Alvarado has been part of the New Summit Academy family since 2005, when she moved to Atenas to be near her family, and says that joining NSA has been the best decision she has ever made.

Catalina began at NSA putting her degree in teaching Spanish as a second language to work, giving beginning Spanish lessons to some of our first students.

In 2012, Catalina completed her Master’s degree in Educational Administration, and became the Director of Administration, using her outstanding organizational skills to support our faculty, students, and families.

Catalina is the first person everyone goes to when they need something, since she can get anything done, and does it with warmth, care and a smile. Cata is in charge of our maintenance crew, cleaning staff, security, the kitchen staff, and runs everything to do with the legal and administrative aspects of the program.

Without Catalina, there would be no NSA, and we appreciate her immense dedication and thoughtfulness every day!

Educating Global Citizens

6/27/2019

New Summit Academy’s mission is to empower students toward healthier lifestyles through processing experiences and solving problems to become more relationship-based, goal-driven, resourceful global citizens.

The goal of helping young men develop into global citizens has guided the development of many of the most impactful and memorable components of the NSA program.

These experiences of stepping outside of our comfort zones, asking intelligent questions while building critical thinking skills, and immersing in the world around us are all woven throughout NSA’s personal growth, academic, and experiential education programs.

Below are just a few examples of how we do this at NSA:

Building Connections and Serving our Community: All New Summit Academy students engage in service throughout their stay (in fact, it’s a requirement of our program!)

Students participate in reforestation projects, care for children at Hogar de Vida, provide activities for Retirement Home residents, and teach English classes to locals in Atenas.

Cultural Engagement: Each weekend, after having learned about the activity in their Spanish classes, our students immerse in the Costa Rican culture through experiences that include trips to museums, parks, festivals, tours of coffee and chocolate farms, and sports days in the park.

Global Citizenship Workshops: Eight times a year, students participate in teacher-led, experiential workshops that examine the facets of Social Justice, Human Rights, Interdependence, Ecological Stewardship, and more.

These facets then serve as lenses through which students approach their core classes for each quarter.

A Closer Look at NSA Employees & Staff

6/13/2019

Our newsletters often highlight the cool activities that our students experience week to week at New Summit Academy.

But it felt important to also highlight the PEOPLE that our students get to experience and interact with on a regular basis. Everyone who visits our Atenas campus expresses how amazing it is that our team functions like a well-oiled machine.

Yet, we’re not a machine. We are a network of hearts and souls dedicated to making our community a better place - one where students feel seen, heard, challenged, and supported to be their best self -- a self that opens their mind to experience, learns from mistakes, and sets goals and achieves them.

What makes this possible isn’t great leadership or air tight protocols (although we have those too). It’s the people who make NSA their home - day in and day out - and give their energy, intelligence, and hard work to make New Summit Academy, approaching its 15th year, what it is today.

We hope you enjoy some stats about NSA staff:

--Total number of Employees: 49.5 (the .5 reflects a couple of part-time employees)

--Youngest 25, Oldest 73
--6 under age 30
--20 age 30-40
--18 age 40-50
--6 age 50-60
--1 age 60+

Again, what a beautiful balance of age and experience to guide our students through what often feels like a difficult stage of life - adolescence!

Retention:
--28% of our Employees have worked for over 10 years at NSA (14) - Yes, that’s right! Almost 1/3 of our staff have been at NSA for over a decade!
--28% (14) Employees have worked for 5-10 years at NSA
--16% (8) Employees have worked for 3-5 years at NSA
--28% (14) Employees have worked for under 3 years at NSA

We are very proud that we have such great retention of employment -- 56% of our staff have been working at NSA for over 5 years!

We have such a mix of experienced veterans and new professionals who bring creative ideas and lots of fresh energy to our campus.

And 32% of our Employees are female, which lends a nice balance to an all-male school.

These statistics may not mean much to you, but they mean a lot to us. Our future newsletters will be highlighting some of these wonderful people who make NSA what it is - an amazing growth experience for our students!

SCAFA Day – Beginning the Quarter Planning for Success

6/1/2019

NSA students are beginning the quarter by planning for their continued growth with their SCAFA (which stands for Self, Community, and Future) Teams.

On the first day of each quarter, NSA has a special schedule that allows students to each meet with their Academic Advisor, Experiential Education Mentor, and Case Manager – who make up their SCAFA Team – to review their quarterly goal plans and set concrete steps to achieve those goals.

When not attending SCAFA Meetings, students are working to unpack from their home visits or Recreational Aventuras, organizing their iPads for the upcoming quarter, participating in community service in Atenas, and expending some adolescent energy on the basketball court, on the soccer field, or in the gym.

SCAFA Day is one way we work to set up our students for success this quarter!

This website was made by a collaborative effort between two students (SK and JA) and NSA staff.
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