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NSA students who have graduated the program but chosen to remain enrolled to complete high school have the opportunity to enroll in the Second Summit Program, which focuses on building real-life skills for a successful transition. Part of that development is the opportunity to learn and practice important organizational and travel skills on Second Summit’s international Aventuras.
This quarter, these senior students traveled to Belize and Guatemala to help plan our July all-school trip. Students booked transportation, accommodations, arranged service-learning opportunities – all while enjoying the history of Mayan sites and the beauty the Belizean coast.
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Students in their second quarter traveled to the Osa Peninsula to hike into the stunningly diverse Corcovado National Park. Each time NSA travels to the area, students return with stories about seeing tapir, monkeys, anteaters, and even crocodiles (from a safe distance, of course.)
This trip proved extraordinarily special in the realm of wildlife encounters. One student, fascinated with photography, was hiking in the back of the group with one of our EE staff. As they rounded a headland on the beach, the two spotted a mother puma with two cubs. This unique experience helped make the classes on forest succession and biological diversity that much more meaningful.
This trip proved extraordinarily special in the realm of wildlife encounters. One student, fascinated with photography, was hiking in the back of the group with one of our EE staff. As they rounded a headland on the beach, the two spotted a mother puma with two cubs. This unique experience helped make the classes on forest succession and biological diversity that much more meaningful.
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With so many Aventuras happening simultaneously, smaller groups allowed students and staff to bond like never before.
Three lucky students traveled to the peaceful Golfo Dulce to study tides, mangrove ecosystems, coral reefs and watershed systems. During their daily paddles, students were followed by a pod of dolphins, which may have helped the fishermen bring in dinner each day.
Three lucky students traveled to the peaceful Golfo Dulce to study tides, mangrove ecosystems, coral reefs and watershed systems. During their daily paddles, students were followed by a pod of dolphins, which may have helped the fishermen bring in dinner each day.
Even though kayak can be the most logistically demanding Aventura, the group's instant camaraderie led one student to describe the journey as more of “a trip with a few friends instead of a school trip. It was amazing.”
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This quarter’s Community Service Aventura was one for the record books. With a recent reduction of Osa Conservation staff, help was desperately needed and NSA’s group of students and staff logged nearly 100 miles on foot in order to rise to the challenge. The students assisted with the demolition and reconstruction of a bamboo turtle hatchery, performed various greenhouse and gardening chores including relocating hundreds of pounds of dirt and beach pebbles.
They patrolled the beach for eggs each midnight and sunrise and studied in daily academic classes and PG assignments. Students kept extremely positive attitudes while continuing to exceed expectations both physically and academically.
Students commented that doing good feels good, and agreed that the trip highlight was stumbling upon 18 turtles hatching and beginning their own exciting life journey.
Students commented that doing good feels good, and agreed that the trip highlight was stumbling upon 18 turtles hatching and beginning their own exciting life journey.
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NSA’s Biology class is studying cellular biology, and has been learning about cell organelles including chloroplast, nucleus, mitochondria, Golgi Apparatus, Endoplasmic Reticulum and more. The students are currently conducting an experiment on transport across the cell membrane using chicken eggs and food coloring. They have also begun to work on their final project, which is creating a hands-on wooden model of an animal and a plant cell for the Science classroom - which will help future classes learn about cells.
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As an extension of their studies of mythologist Joseph Campbell and his "Monomyth" theory, students researched major world religions. They compared and contrasted two religions, noting unique characteristics as well as shared values, symbols, and stories. Topics ranged from Christianity to Shinto, and students were free to choose the format for their presentations. One student's presentation, which he described as a narrated comic, included hand-drawn images recorded on his iPad and edited into an educational video with voice-over narration. While some chose to focus on religions with which they were familiar, others opted to explore new territory. Through this project, students examined the narrative structure of Campbell's Hero's Journey model while delving into the Global Citizenship facet of diversity.
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This quarter, our senior Literature and Composition class is learning advanced interviewing and writing techniques, and applying them to craft biographies of family members. Our quarter began by looking at word choice as the building blocks of literature. We then studied Literary Devices - metaphor, synecdoche, alliteration and more - and incorporated them into our writing. Dialogue and dialect, archetypal themes, strong verbs, telling details - each lesson was integrated into our stories about grandparents, parents, uncles, brothers and sisters. Many thanks to our willing families for providing rich details, newspaper clipping, photographs and memories about themselves and their loved ones to make our unit on the biography so meaningful.
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This quarter's Cloud Forest Aventura cohort was a particularly tight-knit group. With only four students and three staff members, the group made record time hiking from our campsite at Alto del Roble to Monte Sky.
Students transformed the house at Monte Sky into a museum exhibit to teach about the world's major biomes. At the Pacuare River Camp, students spoke with local river guides about President Luis Guillermo Solís' recent decision to ban hydroelectric dams on the river for the next twenty-five years. The presidential decree, made after decades of community opposition to dam construction, was an excellent real-life example of the Aventura's personal growth theme of community impacts.
Students transformed the house at Monte Sky into a museum exhibit to teach about the world's major biomes. At the Pacuare River Camp, students spoke with local river guides about President Luis Guillermo Solís' recent decision to ban hydroelectric dams on the river for the next twenty-five years. The presidential decree, made after decades of community opposition to dam construction, was an excellent real-life example of the Aventura's personal growth theme of community impacts.
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Let’s face it: sometimes you just have to roast meats, wrestle, and feast. At least, if you are an adolescent male you do. A number of weeks ago, an idea was born among a number of NSA’s students: host a medieval fest with food, music and feats of strength.
Students began to brainstorm ideas and to approach staff for assistance. Matthew, one of our dedicated Experiential Education staff members (and a master of games) took up the challenge. Student Council joined in, and preparations began. Menus were planned, students created swords out of PVC and pool noodles, costumes were sown (or found), and competitive games were devised.
On the day of the event, every member of the student body attended class in t-shirt that the organizers had made, separating the students into different “houses” or clans. As the afternoon wore on, the Culinary Arts class pitched in to prepare a medieval beef stew. Banquet tables were set outside near the freshly-lit bonfire, where vegetables and meat roasted.
Students began to brainstorm ideas and to approach staff for assistance. Matthew, one of our dedicated Experiential Education staff members (and a master of games) took up the challenge. Student Council joined in, and preparations began. Menus were planned, students created swords out of PVC and pool noodles, costumes were sown (or found), and competitive games were devised.
On the day of the event, every member of the student body attended class in t-shirt that the organizers had made, separating the students into different “houses” or clans. As the afternoon wore on, the Culinary Arts class pitched in to prepare a medieval beef stew. Banquet tables were set outside near the freshly-lit bonfire, where vegetables and meat roasted.
Between courses of the feast, students engaged in (safe) wrestling matches, noodle-sword duels, and gave their teams rousing speeches to galvanize them in competition. The students should be commended for taking it upon themselves to organize and host healthy, fun activities – and we hope to see more in the future!
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As we begin the first week of March, more college decisions are coming in for our seniors at New Summit Academy. All seniors apply to a range of schools, including a core list, a fallback school where they know they will be accepted, as well as a handful of “reach” schools – where acceptance is a longshot but always a possibility.
Of the 33 responses students have received thus far, 94% of those responses have been acceptances, and the two which weren’t are waitlist decisions – so they might turn out to be acceptances as well.
Just as encouraging as our students’ phenomenal acceptance rates are the merit scholarships being awarded. With many responses still pending, our students have been offered a total of $356,500 in scholarships so far!
One scholarship was even awarded to a student for “having broader cultural perspectives” – a sure nod to his unique Costa Rica experiences. Students, families and staff can all look forward to even more exciting college news in the coming months!
Of the 33 responses students have received thus far, 94% of those responses have been acceptances, and the two which weren’t are waitlist decisions – so they might turn out to be acceptances as well.
Just as encouraging as our students’ phenomenal acceptance rates are the merit scholarships being awarded. With many responses still pending, our students have been offered a total of $356,500 in scholarships so far!
One scholarship was even awarded to a student for “having broader cultural perspectives” – a sure nod to his unique Costa Rica experiences. Students, families and staff can all look forward to even more exciting college news in the coming months!