New Summit Academy Costa Rica
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So Much More Than Teachers: Guidance Beyond The Classroom

4/2/2025

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For twenty years, New Summit Academy Costa Rica has engaged students in rigorous, college-prep academics, ensuring they are ready for the future—wherever their paths lead.

A key to our success is our highly-qualified teachers’ dedication to building personal connections in and out of the classroom, fostering engagement and growth.

Meet some of our incredible educators:

Yannick Pilgrim: English Teacher & Soccer Star

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Bringing his passions for English literature and soccer to Costa Rica more than a decade ago, Yannick stayed in the country to earn his Master’s in Education before joining New Summit Academy.

​He now leads a weekly soccer club, helping students hone their skills and prepare for local matches—all under the guidance of their English teacher.
Learn More About Yannick

Peter Gottovi: Social Studies Teacher & Drummer

Before earning his Master’s in Secondary Education, Peter spent a decade as a professional drummer in New York City.

​At New Summit, he teaches US and World History while also running Howler Music Studio, mentoring students in musicianship, recording, and live performance.
Learn More About Peter
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Vianney Medina: Spanish Teacher & Aventura Enthusiast

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Vianney, our Spanish teacher and Academic Advisor, is soon to pursue a Master’s in Educational Psychology.

​An avid outdoorswoman, she inspires students to push their limits on Integrated Aventuras, embracing adventure, personal growth while immersing in the natural beauty of her Costa Rican home.
Learn More About Vianney

Juan Diego Rodriguez: Science Teacher & Fitness Coach

Beloved by students, Juan Diego makes Biology, Chemistry, and Physics hands-on and engaging.

​Pursuing a Master’s in Human Movement Science, he also leads our Personal Training program, guiding students toward balanced fitness and wellness goals.
Learn More About Juan Diego
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Our Academic Approach
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Arts and Electives Highlights: Student Photography on Display

3/18/2025

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Arts and elective courses at New Summit Academy provide students with a unique opportunity to explore their emotions, express themselves authentically, and embark on a journey of self-discovery.

Our students are talented photographers, filmmakers, musicians and artists. Their exploration of the arts is an important element of our college prep curriculum, and for good reason.

A 2019 study from Brookings found that "a substantial increase in arts educational experiences has remarkable impacts on students’ academic, social, and emotional outcomes," including:

  • An improvement of 13% in standardized writing scores
  • A nearly 4% increase in positive contribution to the learning community
  • An 8% increase in showing compassion for others

We are excited to share this selection of the incredible student work from our photography class last academic term. Photography students not only receive expert guidance from our documentary filmmaking and photography teacher, they learn to use professional-level editing software in our campus studio.
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Class in the Rainforest! Experiential Education in Costa Rica

2/5/2025

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New Summit Academy's one-of-a-kind Aventura program engages students in true experiential education in the rainforests, on the beaches, and even floating in the coastal waters of Costa Rica.
​Newer student cohorts spend a week with experiential education mentors, therapists, and teachers kayaking around the pristine waters of the Golfo Dulce in the south of Costa Rica. Students learn about coastal ecosystems including mangroves, coral reefs, and watersheds in classes surrounded by what they are studying.  Learning is solidified as our community explores estuaries, snorkels among reefs, and encounters sea turtles, dolphins, manta rays, and more as they paddle.
​Our cohort of students on their second Aventura spend a week learning about forest succession and symbiotic relationships as they hike through living examples in Corcovado National Park, one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on the planet. Their living classroom is joined by tapir, monkeys, and scarlet macaws - learning experiences that students will never forget.

New Summit Academy’s Aventura program allows students to earn academic credit while working on their personal growth, learning valuable life skills, building executive functioning, and creating lifelong memories.

​Keep an eye out for our next round of engaging, integrated Aventura experiences in the rich culture of Panama!
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New Summit Academy Featured In International School Magazine

1/28/2025

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We are thrilled that New Summit Academy Costa Rica is featured in the Winter 2025 edition of International School Magazine. ​The feature story highlights our unique Supportive Immersion approach to learning and growth at our small boarding school.
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From the article:

"Nearly 2.4 million international tourists flock to the small tropical country each year in search of wellness and a bit of adventure. In the same way, New Summit Academy harnesses the therapeutic qualities of Costa Rica to empower students to adopt healthier lifestyles and to stretch their minds through experiences that rekindle motivation in school and in life."
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Read the Article
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Rediscovering a Joyous, Rewarding & Purposeful Life in Costa Rica

1/14/2025

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As we embark on our twentieth year of offering transformational Supportive Immersion experiences in Costa Rica, we are so grateful to receive messages like this one from alumni students and families:

“My son found the right place on Planet Earth to reset and rediscover his joyous, rewarding, and purposeful life.”
                                                                                                                                   - Alumni Parent, 2024

Here is a look back at some of those moments of joy and purpose over the past year at our supportive boarding school's beautiful campus in Atenas:
Inquire Now
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New Summit Academy Featured in the Fear | Less Podcast

1/8/2025

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Our Executive Director, Heather Tracy, EdD and Danny Recio, Ph.D, Program Director of The Bridge Costa Rica were thrilled to join the latest episode of the Fear | Less podcast with Zack Schafer to discuss how Supportive Immersion sparks youth resilience.

Check out the episode now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
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Tune in to the episode to learn about:

🌴 The origin story and 20-year history of New Summit Academy Costa Rica and The Bridge Costa Rica

🌐 How Supportive Immersion empowers students to develop resilience, purpose, and agency

🌊 The role of Costa Rica’s warm, welcoming culture as a catalyst for transformative growth

💫 And much, much more!

From the episode description:

"Rather than pushing young people to meet unrealistic expectations of independence, New Summit Academy and The Bridge highlight interdependence, community, and meaningful contribution. This inclusive, values-driven approach encourages learners to step outside their comfort zones, embrace missteps as teachable moments, and ultimately reframe anxiety as a natural part of growth. Whether in the classroom, on an internship, or in daily life, Supportive Immersion showcases how authentic connection, gentle exposure to uncertainty, and steady mentoring fuel both personal and collective well-being."
Inquire Now
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Celebrating 20 Years: A Note From Our Director and Co-Founder

1/3/2025

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  •  611 enrollments
  • 78 graduation ceremonies
  • 10,317,600 minutes on call
  • 75 Aventuras (not including surf weekends, SCUBA certs, the pre-graduation summits of Mt. Chirripo, and many international trips to Belize, Panama, Peru, Cuba, Nicaragua and South Africa). 

To say we’re honored and humbled by 20 years of so many families and professionals trusting us is an understatement.

I remember January 2005 like it was yesterday. A group of professional 20-somethings were entrusted with 11 young men eager to graduate high school and get started with their futures.

We all worked together to convert a farmhouse into staff offices and classrooms, to brighten cabin bedrooms with a fresh coat of paint, to build study desks, to write the handbook with Mario and Danny, and to design our activity curriculum with Andy. They played soccer, learned Spanish at homestay and cooked rice and beans with Roy. They hooked up their laptops to our frustratingly slow internet and read Shakespeare in English class with Heather and learned math formulas with James.

They loved the agency and ownership they shared in creating what New Summit Academy continues to be today - a relationship-focused, empowering, co-created supportive immersion experience in beautiful Costa Rica.

We honestly didn’t know if we’d continue beyond that first group of 11 who needed a semester to graduate high school. But thanks to countless people who believed in Costa Rica’s ability to heal and inspire growth and our ability to create powerful supportive immersion experiences, here we are - 20 years later.

We just want to say THANKS.

And - calling all alumni for reunions March 2 and August 9 this year. Let’s get together and share, reconnect, create new support networks and opportunities for mentoring.

Let's do this!

Email us at [email protected] or connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram to let us know if you can come to Costa Rica to attend!
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High School Transitions: Attending a more Traditional Boarding School After New Summit Academy Costa Rica

11/19/2024

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Each year, many New Summit Academy students complete their supportive study abroad experience in Costa Rica and choose to enroll in a more traditional boarding school in the United States to finish high school.

When we check in with our graduates, their families and their new schools, we hear the same thing:

​ “They are thriving!”

Recently, a boarding school in New Hampshire told us that one New Summit Academy graduate is serving on their prestigious Restorative Justice Council, a position he was elected to due to the maturity and emotional intelligence he has exhibited since joining their community.

Another recent graduate is leading new and prospective student tours at his boarding school in Tennessee because of his ability to connect with people from a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives.

After graduating high school at New Summit Academy, another young alumnus decided to complete a post-graduate year at a boarding school in Connecticut, where he was able to join the varsity soccer team and graduate his PG year with high honors.
Why do our alumni who continue their education at a boarding school tend to thrive?

​Consider these words from a 2023 graduate, who is now applying to an incredible list of colleges from his rigorous boarding school:
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​“New Summit Academy prepared me socially; I learned how to authentically connect with people and be myself. It built self confidence in me where I didn't need as much external validation to function. It taught me executive functioning and the importance of having a routine which let me handle my academics better and get a 95 average last year. It taught me tools to cope with my anxiety which let me stay grounded so I don't act out or seek reassurance anymore to cope with that.”

This really says it all. Students at New Summit work closely with our faculty, advisors, and their peers to develop a holistic set of skills that allows them to succeed in the classroom and, more importantly, in life beyond academics.

Students solidify executive functioning skills at New Summit Academy by engaging with their teachers in collaborative, student-driven classes that develop critical thinking abilities that transcend those needed for traditional academics.

Students set goals for and apply these skills - which include planning and time management, task initiation, and flexibility and problem-solving - as they learn to contribute to the campus community, navigate their roles serving on Student Council, work with their teams to personalize a balanced weekly schedule, immerse in a new culture and language, and rebuild their family relationships.

The traditional academic skills developed at New Summit Academy are crucial for next-step educational success, including at rigorous boarding schools and through college and beyond.

However, the combination of academic hard skills with the social-emotional growth, healthy coping skill development, relationship building, and ownership of process truly develops students ready to take on any challenge after they leave our supportive boarding school.
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12 Things You Should Know About New Summit Academy

11/12/2024

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Do you want to learn the essentials about New Summit Academy Costa Rica? We've got you covered!
12 Things You Should Know About New Summit Academy

Ready to learn more? Email us: [email protected]

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What To Do When We Don’t Know What Else To Do

11/6/2024

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We can all picture that student. You know the one.

The student who flourishes in his creative pursuits, but who is just getting by academically and socially with the amount of support available at his school.

The student who is brilliant, but whose anxiety is so high that he misses class, gets stuck trying to write that first paragraph, and can't seem to turn in his homework.

The student who is a natural leader with a good heart, but who always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

We can all picture that student, and we can all agree on one thing: we don’t want this student to simply survive until the end of the term (or worse, be asked to withdraw).

We see his potential, and we want him to thrive. So how do we get him there?

Taking A Time Out

As professionals, we often need to step away from our institutions - to travel, attend conferences, or join leadership retreats - in order to find inspiration and bring back new skills and ideas. This reset can be particularly helpful when we are feeling overwhelmed by a challenge or stuck professionally.

Adolescents can share similar benefits from an intentional reset, and they can move from surviving to thriving before a crisis ensues.

A supportive study abroad experience is one proven way teens can shake things up, reaping the rewards of a gap semester and a therapeutic intervention to build the mental fitness needed to return to their schools and find academic and social-emotional success.

Collaborative Empowerment

At New Summit Academy Costa Rica, we know the power of collaboration.

An adolescent gains so much more when the support systems in his life integrate to work together rather than seek out isolated, short-term “fixes” to the teen’s struggles.

That’s why we join forces with schools, consultants, therapists, coaches, and families to ensure the supportive study abroad terms we offer guide each student in their unique path to a thriving future.
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Separating Myth from Reality

Embracing a different path can be scary, and there are a lot of myths out there:

Myth: The student will be “off track” academically when he returns to a more traditional school.
Truth: New Summit Academy is accredited by Cognia, and our highly qualified teachers guide students through US college-prep classes - along with a diverse set of experiences that result in an impressive resume - which allow for a smooth transition back to a more traditional school.

Myth: The student will be “missing out” on his high school experience.
Truth: This student is not being who he wants to be anyway, which leaves him at risk to fall into unhealthy coping mechanisms like screens, substances, or isolation. Studying abroad creates a fast track to more positive identity development.

Myth: Costa Rica is too far away.
Truth: Direct flights from major US airports in New York, Atlanta, Miami, Houston, and Los Angeles will have you here in a few hours. Once on the ground, our campus is just 30 minutes away from SJO, our academic calendar allows for home visits every two months, and it's easy to stay connected to home.

Myth: Working with a contracted therapist a few times each week is just as good.
Truth: What we know about adolescent brain development is that immersive, supported learning experiences - allowing for space and time to practice, collect data, reflect on the process, and revise strategies - maximizes growth and helps internalize skills for lasting change.

It's Time to Take Action

If you know a high school student who would benefit from a supportive study abroad experience at New Summit Academy, please reach out to [email protected].

Still need to learn more? Here are 12 Things To Know About New Summit Academy.
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New Summit Academy Costa Rica is a supportive boarding school and study abroad experience for high school males in grades 9-12.
​
This website was made by our students and staff.  ​All pictures are real photographs taken from student experiences. 
We hope you appreciate our authenticity and transparency - they are our best qualities!
​
© Entire website is copyrighted property of New Summit Academy - Thank you for respecting our intellectual property!