Blog Archives

Sustainable Development in Global Citizenship

4/23/2018

Every five weeks, the Academic team engages our students in the investigation and study of one of the eight facets of Global Citizenship, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to explore all facets during their time at New Summit Academy.

Last week, students chose subtopics of personal interest that fit under the facet of Sustainable Development – including local and global water issues, renewable energy, and pollution. Student groups each produced multi-media presentations guided by Art teachers, which were shared with the community. Presentations included interviews and films about Atenas’ water situation and podcasts addressing electric cars and sustainable energy sources.

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NSA Embraces Dia del Libro

4/20/2018

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To celebrate International Book Day, our English teacher Brooke teamed up with Daisy and Vianney, our Spanish Teachers and Cultural Coordinators, to bring more reading opportunities to the communities of Atenas.

Students first organized a Spanish and English language book drive to collect reading materials for the community. Students and staff then collaborated to install a “Book Deposit Box” in front of Atenas’ municipal building as well as distribute “Lost Books” around town for residents to discover, read, and pass on to others.

Thank you to our students and teachers for your creativity and passion in celebrating literacy!

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Integrated Reading and Writing Program Explores Identity

4/17/2018

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New Summit Academy’s Integrated Reading and Writing Program engages students in the investigation of driving questions through reading and responding to a variety of texts while developing increasingly-complex critical thinking skills.

Each quarter, students choose the focus of the driving question, and then vote on staff and student-suggested texts for our entire community to read.

This quarter’s question, “Who Am I?” – will be explored through reading, discussing, and writing about texts including Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin, Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, The Book (On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are) by Alan Watts, and The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros.

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Celebrating our Homestay Families!!

4/14/2018

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Soccer. Cooking. Birthday Parties. Barbecues. Our students have the unique opportunity to participate in these activities and much more with their beloved Costa Rican homestay families.

Each family, carefully selected to match student interests and personalities, opens their home to one of our students every Sunday and shares their lives and culture with them.

To thank them, NSA hosted our always-anticipated homestay family picnic this past week, which included an impressive karaoke contest, delicious lunch, and the ever-popular bingo tournament. Many thanks to our Atenas community for providing our students with a home away from home!

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Chirripo: The Final Aventura

4/5/2018

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NSA’s signature Aventura program consists of five integrated adventures exploring the diverse and beautiful ecosystems of Costa Rica while providing students a chance to reflect on their growth and return to campus recharged.

The Aventuras are intentionally designed to begin at sea level and progress to the students’ final experience: summiting the highest peak in Costa Rica, Cerro Chirripo.

Each student makes the climb alone, beginning before dawn, silently contemplating his process. After climbing nearly 10,000 feet, graduating students meet at the summit to celebrate their efforts – both on the mountain and in their time at New Summit Academy.

As a reminder that this moment is the beginning of their journeys, students are reminded of the Zen proverb “When you reach the top of a mountain, keep climbing!”

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Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA) Certification Course

4/2/2018

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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!

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Sustainable Development in Global Citizenship

NSA Embraces Dia del Libro

Integrated Reading and Writing Program Explores Identity

Celebrating our Homestay Families!!

Chirripo: The Final Aventura

Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA) Certification Course

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