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Classes at New Summit Academy engage students through project-based learning: a collaborative, hands-on method of meeting learning objectives while developing student ownership of academics. Teachers and students collaborate in setting an end-goal – the completion of a project or solving of a problem each semester.
By working together to set goals, teachers and students are able to create an atmosphere of curiosity and inquiry, which NSA has found provides the context students need to drive learning. This December, our community celebrated the students’ efforts in project-based learning at our biannual Academic Fair.
Student presented their projects in front of peers, teachers, and our NSA families, showcasing the results of their learning this semester.
This semester’s projects included:
By working together to set goals, teachers and students are able to create an atmosphere of curiosity and inquiry, which NSA has found provides the context students need to drive learning. This December, our community celebrated the students’ efforts in project-based learning at our biannual Academic Fair.
Student presented their projects in front of peers, teachers, and our NSA families, showcasing the results of their learning this semester.
This semester’s projects included:
- Video “Survival Guides” for Challenging Math Problems
- Our Humanities Class Documentary Film on Sustainable Agriculture
- Shakespeare Presentations from Literature and Composition
- A Presentation of NSA’s Literary Magazine Clarion Call
- Intermediate Spanish Students’ Film Highlighting Their NSA Experiences
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Students and staff brought their own sense of holiday spirit to the cloud forests of Costa Rica, trekking in reindeer antlers and Santa hats – definitely a first in NSA history. After a challenging hike through the mountains, the crew was rewarded with exhilarating Class IV rapids of the world-famous Pacuare River, and even had a fish jump into their raft during the whitewater adventure.
Students worked with their teachers to learn about the importance of interdependence, both in this unique ecosystem and in their own lives. The Cloud Forest students’ culminating challenge was their “cool kid” contest, a feat of endurance designed to test who could stand beneath a frigid waterfall, making for truly memorable photo opportunities!
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The third Integrated Aventura – based in the rainforest of Corcovado National Park – is a wilderness and wildlife adventure. Students study treefalls, light gaps and forest succession so that they can better understand and appreciate the truly magnificent biodiversity of this area.
As they hiked, students and staff encountered macaws, toucans, three species of monkeys, a Baird's tapir and – a highlight for everyone – a puma resting in the forest. Even in the rainforest, our students contribute their own uniqueness, and managed to convert a nearby river into a day spa, complete with a variety of burbling pools and volcanic mud masks!
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The “Sweet Gulf” of southern Costa Rica provides the setting for students’ second Integrated Aventura, as they kayak around this untouched marine wilderness. NSA’s teachers provide hands-on learning experiences throughout the Aventura, with students learning about subjects in which they are immersed: the tides, coral reefs, watersheds, and mangrove ecosystems.
During daily paddles, our students were accompanied by dolphins and sea turtles, did their best to bring in dinner with hand lines, and marveled at the bioluminescence during a night crossing of the Gulf.
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The first in NSA’s series of Integrated Aventuras engages students in an orientation to the culture of Costa Rica as they perform community service to protect the flora and fauna of their host country.
On this Aventura, students worked together to protect key sea turtle nesting sites, reforesting important coastal areas, performing night patrols to monitor nesting, as well as collecting turtle eggs and releasing new hatchlings into the Pacific.
On this Aventura, students worked together to protect key sea turtle nesting sites, reforesting important coastal areas, performing night patrols to monitor nesting, as well as collecting turtle eggs and releasing new hatchlings into the Pacific.
Students were able to interact with researchers from Cornell University, and were commended by the coordinator of Osa Conservation on their resiliency and work ethic throughout the challenging but rewarding service work.
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Updates like these make all of the efforts worth it:Hi, Kelly,
Life is fantastic right now! I am settled in to my dorm (my roommate is awesome) and have had two days of classes (already five hours spent on homework). I have met up with a lot of my old friends and I am hanging out with another NSA grad often, he’s doing great as well. We went on the same backpacking trip and saw a bear less than 15 feet away, walking toward us! It was a really fun trip and we had perfect weather with a full moon and blue skies.
I had a full time job this past summer as a dish washer with 50-hour weeks (roughly). I managed to go to three concerts through all of that: Rebelution, Guns n Roses, and Blink 182. At the Blink 182 concert, I caught the drummer’s drumstick!
I was sick right when I moved back (figures) but it only lasted a week and I’ve been healthy ever since. There already parties almost every day up here and I’ve managed to stay sober so far so that’s good, still having fun though.
I have no idea what I want to study but I think that is a good thing. I feel comfortable on campus and around all these people, everyone is really friendly up here.
I know I’ve said this before, but in times of reflection, I think I should say again that I am forever grateful for NSA and how it helped me turn my life around. Without it I would not be in college right now and maybe not even have a high school diploma. Then there’s all the emotional knowledge and wisdom I’ve gained, but I won’t go on about that (although it’s really important/advantageous). But the most important skills I learned at NSA were how to live with people, solve conflict, and open up as a person. I am so comfortable around everyone here, and it helps others be comfortable around me. It’s quite an experience to look back on, and I wouldn’t change a thing if I could.
Thanks for all your hard work.
P.S.
Feel free to share this with people and I will write a letter to Martin ‘cause he deserves one and he helped me so much.
Life is fantastic right now! I am settled in to my dorm (my roommate is awesome) and have had two days of classes (already five hours spent on homework). I have met up with a lot of my old friends and I am hanging out with another NSA grad often, he’s doing great as well. We went on the same backpacking trip and saw a bear less than 15 feet away, walking toward us! It was a really fun trip and we had perfect weather with a full moon and blue skies.
I had a full time job this past summer as a dish washer with 50-hour weeks (roughly). I managed to go to three concerts through all of that: Rebelution, Guns n Roses, and Blink 182. At the Blink 182 concert, I caught the drummer’s drumstick!
I was sick right when I moved back (figures) but it only lasted a week and I’ve been healthy ever since. There already parties almost every day up here and I’ve managed to stay sober so far so that’s good, still having fun though.
I have no idea what I want to study but I think that is a good thing. I feel comfortable on campus and around all these people, everyone is really friendly up here.
I know I’ve said this before, but in times of reflection, I think I should say again that I am forever grateful for NSA and how it helped me turn my life around. Without it I would not be in college right now and maybe not even have a high school diploma. Then there’s all the emotional knowledge and wisdom I’ve gained, but I won’t go on about that (although it’s really important/advantageous). But the most important skills I learned at NSA were how to live with people, solve conflict, and open up as a person. I am so comfortable around everyone here, and it helps others be comfortable around me. It’s quite an experience to look back on, and I wouldn’t change a thing if I could.
Thanks for all your hard work.
P.S.
Feel free to share this with people and I will write a letter to Martin ‘cause he deserves one and he helped me so much.
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In addition to beginning to study the Branches of Power and the Presidents Club from 1945 to 2017, NSA’s U.S. History class is taking advantage of the 2016 election that offers plenty of current political issues and controversy, as well as the current election process and interplay between congressional action, Supreme Court power and political makeup. This week, the class also spent time investigating candidates and their records and positions on pertinent issues. Using this information, students created ballot “cheat sheets” that could be used on Election Day at the polls.
This quarter in Literature and Composition, students are continuing their study of Shakespeare with “Hamlet.” As an introduction to the text, we have discussed several of the themes embedded within this tragedy and their relevance to current topics in politics, pop culture, and global citizenship. Students are looking forward to discovering the melancholy Dane’s influence on Disney movies, comic books, and TV shows among other works. By experiencing Shakespeare’s words themselves, watching the direct interpretation of the play, and analyzing several texts and films that recreate the story of Hamlet, students will gain a deeper understanding of the influence of literature in modern society.
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Arriving at a new place can be overwhelming for anyone, especially when that place is a new school, with a new group of peers, new staff, and different rules – and in an entirely foreign country!
In order to help enrolling students make the adjustment to NSA, our comprehensive Orientation program guides them in getting to know our community so that they can continue their processes of personal growth. From day one, an Orientation team – Experiential Education mentors, an Academic Advisor, a Case manager and peer mentors – help new students in these steps. Orientation students actually begin their stay by leaving campus – traveling to a nearby dormant volcano with peers and staff to review the student handbook and get an overview of the program.
Throughout the following month, students meet to review their Academic transcripts and course plans, learn about their learning styles and areas of attention, review and complete a quiz on the student handbook – steps designed intentionally for them to get their bearings and feel comfortable in their new, supportive community.
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Classes, wrap-up meetings, Aventuras and meals - these facets of life at NSA make up a big part of our students' experiences. However, there are many more hours in the day and many interesting activities available that engage our guys in healthy recreational opportunities.
Clubs are one structured way students are able to pursue interests throughout the week. Wednesdays and Thursdays find students gearing up and embarking right after classes to hit the pitches or waves for the Climbing and Surfing Clubs. The Running Club organizes practice runs and competes in local races, while the Ultimate Frisbee Club - coached by our Experiential Ed mentor Samantha, recently scored a last-minute win over another local high school here on NSA's home field.
Each Sunday, Frank leads a dedicated group of gourmands in the Cooking Club, preparing Sunday night dinner for their peers. Clubs are student-created and driven enabling our guys to pursue their passions and interests.
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Preparing students for a successful transition from New Summit Academy is a crucial step in helping them succeed in the next stages of their lives. A huge part of this help comes from their work within the NSA Transition Program - an intensive process which engages students, families, and a "Transition Team" in planning and preparing for life after New Summit.
The planning begins well before students' final quarters, when they work with their families to create drafts of their Transition Plans, which will be refined and edited for months before final approval. These comprehensive plans include expectations about education, finances, family and house rules, socializing, and more. Throughout the Transition Program, students also engage in life-skills workshops of their choosing, including topics such as College Level Skills, Planning for and Preparing a Meal, Independent Travel, Budgeting and Finances, and Sex and Dating.
The planning begins well before students' final quarters, when they work with their families to create drafts of their Transition Plans, which will be refined and edited for months before final approval. These comprehensive plans include expectations about education, finances, family and house rules, socializing, and more. Throughout the Transition Program, students also engage in life-skills workshops of their choosing, including topics such as College Level Skills, Planning for and Preparing a Meal, Independent Travel, Budgeting and Finances, and Sex and Dating.
A Transition Family Workshop engages students and parents in face-to-face plan creation, a time guided by the Transition Team when expectations and boundaries can be clearly communicated. As students near graduation, their Transition Plans are reviewed by their team, with further edits and suggestions taken into account before they are approved for their final Aventura: summiting Costa Rica's highest mountain, Cerro Chirripo. As students descend with complete plans, they have the skills, confidence, and support needed for continued success.
