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Students and staff spent an arduous week working side-by-side to learn and master the content and skills needed to earn their WAFA and CPR certifications. Our fabulous instructors are adept at interspersing classroom learning with real-life, hands-on application of wilderness medicine essentials including:
- Scene and situation evaluation
- The ABC’s of airway, breathing and circulation evaluation
- Comprehensive patient assessment
- Stabilization and treatment techniques
Our community worked to dress fake (but so realistic!) wounds, splint broken bones, diagnose heat stroke and more on their way to earning professional level WAFA and CPR certification cards.
Congratulations on everyone’s hard work and success!
- Scene and situation evaluation
- The ABC’s of airway, breathing and circulation evaluation
- Comprehensive patient assessment
- Stabilization and treatment techniques
Our community worked to dress fake (but so realistic!) wounds, splint broken bones, diagnose heat stroke and more on their way to earning professional level WAFA and CPR certification cards.
Congratulations on everyone’s hard work and success!
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Each of NSA’s cultural immersion opportunities, supported by classroom Spanish language study, are enriching for our students’ Costa Rica experience, but none is as important as our relationship and work with Hogar de Vida. Dedicated student volunteers continue to spend each Tuesday afternoon performing community service by helping to improve the facilities and, more importantly, by spending time with the children.
Our students convert into big kids themselves as they color, swing, make clay models, and run around the grounds of the children’s home.
Our community is so grateful for the relationship we have with Hogar de Vida, and thank Daisy, our Cultural Coordinator, and all the Hogar staff for making it happen.
Our students convert into big kids themselves as they color, swing, make clay models, and run around the grounds of the children’s home.
Our community is so grateful for the relationship we have with Hogar de Vida, and thank Daisy, our Cultural Coordinator, and all the Hogar staff for making it happen.
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Pursuing healthy passions is an important part to living a full, balanced life, and our Clubs enable our students to advocate for their particular interests in that pursuit. Any student can start a Club with enough interest and by passing a proposal with the Experiential Education team. Once a Club is approved, student and staff leaders facilitate a quarterly Club Fair for student sign-ups.
This quarter’s Clubs include Cooking, Gardening, Chess, Comic Books, Biking, Climbing, Music Makers, and Backcountry Skills.
Clubs then collaborate to organize and schedule weekly meetings and weekend outings, developing student advocacy, organization and follow through while having fun!
This quarter’s Clubs include Cooking, Gardening, Chess, Comic Books, Biking, Climbing, Music Makers, and Backcountry Skills.
Clubs then collaborate to organize and schedule weekly meetings and weekend outings, developing student advocacy, organization and follow through while having fun!
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The next two weeks are exciting ones for our students, families and staff of NSA! Newer students will be off adventuring and relaxing in the untouched forests of Sarapiqui and on the shores of Lake Arenal. They will be spending the week zip-lining, playing soccer, stand-up paddle boarding and horseback riding in some of the most beautiful areas of the country.
Another group of students will be traveling to South Africa for two weeks of impactful cultural immersion and community building.
Next week, our students and staff will be hard at work studying and applying their learning hands-on in their efforts to earn their Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA) and CPR certifications. Stay tuned for stories and photos from these upcoming activities!
Another group of students will be traveling to South Africa for two weeks of impactful cultural immersion and community building.
Next week, our students and staff will be hard at work studying and applying their learning hands-on in their efforts to earn their Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA) and CPR certifications. Stay tuned for stories and photos from these upcoming activities!
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Four young men celebrated their journeys and growth this week as they return to their families with program certificates and high school diplomas.
These seniors deserve our recognition as they begin the next phases in their journeys, which include one graduate enrolling in Montana State University with a merit scholarship, another considering (among many choices) Tulane University, where he was invited to join the Honors Program, and the others ready to test their new skills returning to complete high school in their home towns.
Congratulations to our graduates; we are proud of you and look forward to your many certain successes!
These seniors deserve our recognition as they begin the next phases in their journeys, which include one graduate enrolling in Montana State University with a merit scholarship, another considering (among many choices) Tulane University, where he was invited to join the Honors Program, and the others ready to test their new skills returning to complete high school in their home towns.
Congratulations to our graduates; we are proud of you and look forward to your many certain successes!
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NSA’s students have the opportunity to investigate the eight facets of Global Citizenship and to integrate driving questions and themes about the facets into each of their classes. This quarter, our workshop focused on Human Rights, and the students chose the timely and important topic of water access rights.
Staff from each department contributed to the investigation and reporting ofwater access and Human Rights in the United States, South Africa (where seven of our students will be traveling with the school this week), and in our home of Atenas, Costa Rica.
Culminating projects consisted of analyses of issues and proposed solutions, as well as a plan to join Atenas in its efforts to improve water access for our neighbors.
Staff from each department contributed to the investigation and reporting ofwater access and Human Rights in the United States, South Africa (where seven of our students will be traveling with the school this week), and in our home of Atenas, Costa Rica.
Culminating projects consisted of analyses of issues and proposed solutions, as well as a plan to join Atenas in its efforts to improve water access for our neighbors.
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The excitement is palpable as our seniors receive almost daily decisions about their college applications.
Recent acceptances have included:
Queen Mary University of London, Belmont University, the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Engineering, Trinity University, Tulane University, the University of Denver, Marquette University, Loyola of Chicago, and Duquesne University.
To this date, our seniors have been offered a combined total of over $890,000.00 in merit scholarships. Congratulations, Seniors!
Recent acceptances have included:
Queen Mary University of London, Belmont University, the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Engineering, Trinity University, Tulane University, the University of Denver, Marquette University, Loyola of Chicago, and Duquesne University.
To this date, our seniors have been offered a combined total of over $890,000.00 in merit scholarships. Congratulations, Seniors!
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Months ago, NSA’s spring graduates began the extensive process of preparing for their transition back to life in the U.S. – be it a return to high school or enrollment in college in the fall.
Our Transition Program, led by a dedicated team, guides students and their families in “getting real” with what the coming months will hold, while helping students develop concrete skills and support structures for continued success.
Elements of the Transition Program include:
- A comprehensive Transition Plan created by students, their families and their team, which details expectations, goals and steps, and needed support that receives weekly feedback
- A series of Life Skills Workshops chosen by the students that may include Safe Travel, Finances and Budgeting, Sex and Dating, Car Maintenance, or Independent Living Skills
- A Transition Family Workshop on-campus engaging students and families in four days of therapeutic and transition work
- Opportunities to develop and put to the test greater responsibilities and freedoms in our off-campus Transition House
The Transition Program is one of many key efforts at NSA that help prepare students for continued success in their next steps, and we appreciate the energy and support of our graduates, their families, and the Transition Team.
Our Transition Program, led by a dedicated team, guides students and their families in “getting real” with what the coming months will hold, while helping students develop concrete skills and support structures for continued success.
Elements of the Transition Program include:
- A comprehensive Transition Plan created by students, their families and their team, which details expectations, goals and steps, and needed support that receives weekly feedback
- A series of Life Skills Workshops chosen by the students that may include Safe Travel, Finances and Budgeting, Sex and Dating, Car Maintenance, or Independent Living Skills
- A Transition Family Workshop on-campus engaging students and families in four days of therapeutic and transition work
- Opportunities to develop and put to the test greater responsibilities and freedoms in our off-campus Transition House
The Transition Program is one of many key efforts at NSA that help prepare students for continued success in their next steps, and we appreciate the energy and support of our graduates, their families, and the Transition Team.
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NSA and The Bridge have been not only long-time members of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP), but innovators leading the way toward more effective and enriching models of engagement and growth for young people.
At this year’s national NATSAP conference in Tampa, our programs collaborated to facilitate four different presentations, which included:
- Martin Naffziger and Kelly Weld speaking about how investment in a rigorous Academic program can develop stronger Therapeutic offerings
- Dr. Heather Tracy and Mario Duran presenting on how to balance student empowerment with administrative needs
- Dr. Danny Recio discussing his recently-published article in the Journal of Therapeutic Schools and Programs titled Coming of Age in Foreign Lands
- Martin Naffziger presenting in collaboration with Montana Academy on innovative structures in education and the responsibility that therapeutic programs have to develop strong Academics
All of our Supportive Immersion programs will continue forward with industry-leading standards of education, personal growth and experiential education!
At this year’s national NATSAP conference in Tampa, our programs collaborated to facilitate four different presentations, which included:
- Martin Naffziger and Kelly Weld speaking about how investment in a rigorous Academic program can develop stronger Therapeutic offerings
- Dr. Heather Tracy and Mario Duran presenting on how to balance student empowerment with administrative needs
- Dr. Danny Recio discussing his recently-published article in the Journal of Therapeutic Schools and Programs titled Coming of Age in Foreign Lands
- Martin Naffziger presenting in collaboration with Montana Academy on innovative structures in education and the responsibility that therapeutic programs have to develop strong Academics
All of our Supportive Immersion programs will continue forward with industry-leading standards of education, personal growth and experiential education!
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Students spent last week on one of our signature Integrated Aventuras -- expeditions throughout Costa Rica where students engage in experiential learning and personal growth alongside our dedicated therapists, teachers and Experiential Education mentors.
The Aventura program begins at sea level with students “giving back” to the Costa Rican community through volunteer work with Osa Conservation. Students plant trees, build trails, and patrol the beaches for nesting sea turtles.
The Aventura program begins at sea level with students “giving back” to the Costa Rican community through volunteer work with Osa Conservation. Students plant trees, build trails, and patrol the beaches for nesting sea turtles.
A few high points from the community service Aventura:
-Nightly presentations from working scientists about research on canopy animals, hermit crabs, big cat tracking and water quality testing
-Safely relocating over 70 sea turtle eggs & releasing 70 baby hatchlings
-Encountering anteaters, coatimundi and a beautiful (and rare) puma!
-Nightly presentations from working scientists about research on canopy animals, hermit crabs, big cat tracking and water quality testing
-Safely relocating over 70 sea turtle eggs & releasing 70 baby hatchlings
-Encountering anteaters, coatimundi and a beautiful (and rare) puma!
Students then participate in the Kayak Aventura, circumnavigating the Golfo Dulce while camping along its undeveloped shores.
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Memorable moments from this journey include:
-Watching turtles and dolphin swim alongside students’ kayaks
-Fishing with hand lines for snapper, mackerel and tuna
-Snorkeling in the coral reef at Los Mogos, two islands whose name means “the specks”
-Being surrounded by natural beauty and seeing rainbows nearly every day
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Memorable moments from this journey include:
-Watching turtles and dolphin swim alongside students’ kayaks
-Fishing with hand lines for snapper, mackerel and tuna
-Snorkeling in the coral reef at Los Mogos, two islands whose name means “the specks”
-Being surrounded by natural beauty and seeing rainbows nearly every day
After the Kayak Aventura, students spend a week hiking in the protected jungles of Corcovado National Park, learning about biological relationships and rainforest succession.
Students and staff reported some of their fondest memories:
-The teamwork and support shown by the group members during the challenging hike
-Impressive focus on the group’s goals
-Being blown away by the diversity of animal and plant life
Students and staff reported some of their fondest memories:
-The teamwork and support shown by the group members during the challenging hike
-Impressive focus on the group’s goals
-Being blown away by the diversity of animal and plant life
The final Integrated Aventura before students climb Chirripo Mountain is a trekking and rafting expedition in Costa Rica’s cloud forests.
Highlights of this trip included:
-Student engagement with absolutely zero complaining!
-Students pushing themselves outside of their comfort zones while navigating whitewater rapids
-The valuable peer feedback given and received within the group
Highlights of this trip included:
-Student engagement with absolutely zero complaining!
-Students pushing themselves outside of their comfort zones while navigating whitewater rapids
-The valuable peer feedback given and received within the group