Last week, members of the New Summit Academy and The Bridge Costa Rica leadership team traveled to New England for a series of conferences, school visits, and alumni connections that highlight our role as a trusted partner within the broader boarding school community.

A key moment of the trip was Executive Director Dr. Heather Tracy’s participation in an expert panel at the The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS) Conference in Boston. The discussion, focused on navigating the fine line between traditional and therapeutic boarding schools, underscored an important truth: while many students thrive in supportive boarding school settings, others benefit from a structured, relational reset before they can fully access academic and community life. New Summit Academy’s 6-12 month study abroad model in Costa Rica continues to serve as that bridge, blending U.S.-accredited academics with intentional social-emotional skill-building, cultural immersion, and therapeutic support.

The team also visited several partner schools across Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, strengthening collaboration around student transitions, wellbeing, and guided independence. Meanwhile, Dr. Danny Recio joined colleagues at the NE NATSAP Conference and spoke at The Greenwood School about how supportive gap experiences help “late bloomers” develop confidence, purpose, and readiness for adulthood.

These partnerships matter. This year, 64% of our 2025 graduates enrolled in a more traditional boarding school, evidence of what early intervention, thoughtful planning, and social-emotional development can accomplish.

Whether through our supportive high school abroad, our gap year at The Bridge, or our growing portfolio of collaborations with schools, New Summit Academy remains deeply committed to helping adolescents and young adults reset, grow, and return ready to thrive.

At New Summit Academy, cultural immersion is at the heart of our supportive boarding school and study abroad experience in Costa Rica. This month, our Cultural Immersion class had the privilege of welcoming artists from Los Borucas, an indigenous community renowned for their vibrant mascaradas: hand-carved wooden masks representing animals, ancestral spirits, and powerful cultural symbols.

Students learned each step of the traditional process, from sketching and carving to painting and finishing. Guided by Boruca artisans, they even created their own miniature masks, discovering firsthand how patience, creativity, and cultural heritage come together through art.

Cultural immersion is one of the most meaningful elements of a high school abroad program. At New Summit Academy, students regularly engage with the local community, whether through service projects, homestay Sundays, shared meals, or campus celebrations like Día de las Culturas and Día Nacional de las Mascaradas. Within our multicultural faculty and student body, they practice Spanish, build cross-cultural communication skills, and learn how to navigate differences with empathy and curiosity.

By learning from others, New Summit Academy students ultimately learn more about themselves, and carry those insights into their futures.