Blog Archives - New Summit Academy Costa Rica

A Graduate's Resume

6/17/2016

As our largest graduation ever quickly approaches, it is a perfect time to reflect on what makes up a student’s experience graduating the New Summit Academy program. While attention is often given to exciting Aventuras, engaging classes, and Personal Growth, it is important to understand the results of these programmatic aspects.

In other words, what does the resume of a New Summit Academy Graduate look like?

Resume of a New Summit Academy Graduate

Service:
Students perform over 100 hours of community service (many much more!), on projects ranging from working with children at Hogar de Vida to protecting endangered sea turtles in the Osa Peninsula.

Academic Achievement:
Graduates have succeeded in a college-preparatory learning environment, and have not only developed impressive critical thinking skills, but have learned how they learn to take charge of future success.

International Travel Experience:
Costa Rica is a rich classroom for learning independence and cultural sensitivity, and students also have opportunities to travel to Panama, Nicaragua, Belize, Peru and Guatemala!

Real-World Skills:
Students engage in classes and workshops to prepare them for independent living, which include cooking courses, car maintenance, budgeting and finances, dating 101, and resume development.

Global Citizenship:
Our Global Citizenship program engages students in the study and application of ethical decision making in areas of Social Justice, Human Rights, Sustainable Development, Digital Citizenship, Conflict Resolution, and more.

Professional-Level Certifications:
Our Health term includes all students earning their Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA) Certification, and summer Aventuras may have them earning open water SCUBA certifications!

Cultural Immersion:
Costa Rica provides an opportunity to develop cultural awareness through our Spanish Language program, cultural events and celebrations, and weekly homestay program.

College Applications:
Graduating seniors apply to and – no surprise considering their resumes – are accepted to colleges which provide them with a chance to continue their success. This fall, our seniors will be attending: St. Louis University, Montana State University, Southern Methodist University, Central Washington University, Western State Colorado University, The University of Vermont, and Fordham University.

The class was offered a total of over ONE MILLION DOLLARS in scholarships this year.
It’s amazing what a resume can do!

Student Reflection on Poetry, Lyrical Writing and Spoken Word Class

6/10/2016

“Growing up, I viewed poetry solely as a form of writing that used rhyming. I thought poetry to be simple and monotonous, only doing it because my teacher assigned it. There was no passion when it was taught by my teachers and correspondingly, there was no passion when I wrote. Poetry was portrayed as a basic rhyming scheme such as "‘He went into town and found a nice crown,"’ not a creative outlet or form of art.

Here at NSA, it is just the opposite. I feel lucky to have had Larisa as my Poetry teacher. Larisa's passion for poetry translates to class, inspiring and motivating me to write. A typical day in poetry class consists of first receiving a prompt or intention for the class, then breaking for 30 to 45 minutes to write, and finally we regroup to share and give feedback on the pieces.”

U.S. History and Government Class Plays the Stock Market

6/10/2016

This quarter our students are learning about the development of many of the economic principles and philosophies (some competing) being used around the world now and in the past. In addition, our students are playing a virtual stock market simulation game powered by Investopedia.com that offers real world, true, and real-time consequences for investment decisions made with the trading of all stocks available on the NYSE, the NASDAQ, and AMEX.

A great way to understand complexity in markets is to study how regional, national, and global changes in different areas can impact the health of the market. Students are learning how to use headlines and market indexes to make predictions about investments. Students are also working on research projects related to different kinds of impact-investing (green energy, green or social justice-minded, social progress serving) and microfinance banking to see how capitalism, profit motive, and greed can actually be used to serve noble purposes.

Investigating Cyber Security in Model United Nations

6/10/2016

Students in Model United Nations are preparing for a simulation of the UN Security Council on the topic "Cyber Security." Students are investigating the topic, which coincides with the school-wide global citizenship theme of "digital citizenship," from the perspective of current Security Council members, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, New Zealand, Egypt, and Venezuela. After researching their country's position on the topic, students will produce a position paper and formal speech before participating in a three-day simulation. The simulation aims to find solutions for improving the monitoring of cyberspace, holding those international actors found guilty of committing cyber crimes accountable, and ensuring a free but safe Internet.

Geometry in the Natural World

6/6/2016

Recently, NSA math and photography students collaborated on a lesson geared toward raising awareness regarding geometric shapes in our surroundings. Students were challenged to find polygons around campus - the more complex the better. Not only did the project help to raise awareness of math in the natural world, it also provided an opportunity for students to investigate and pay special attention to aspects of their everyday lives that had been previously overlooked.

Culinary Arts in a Galaxy Far, Far Away

6/3/2016

Our Culinary Arts class is always willing to pitch in to collaborate with school activities. This week, student council has organized a "Star Wars" night, with costumes and games to celebrate the films. Our cooking class is preparing a number of dishes for the event, all with a Star Wars theme. Students researched and planned the recipes, learning how to convert servings to prepare enough for the 40-plus participants of the event. Dishes we are preparing include: White Chocolate Pretzel Rod Light Sabers, Jawa Brownies, and Star Fighters-n-Cheese. May the Forks Be with You.

Cloud Forest Trekking & Whitewater Rafting Aventura

6/1/2016

Tapanti National Park – an explosion of green in Costa Rica’s cloud forest – hosted students and staff as they hiked, camped and rafted while studying ecological communities and biomimicry (looking to nature for innovations and solutions to human issues).

These senior students used this unique opportunity to reflect on their entire Aventura experience as well as their growth at New Summit Academy.

Corcovado National Park Rainforest Expedition Aventura

6/1/2016

Students and staff on this Aventura were extraordinarily lucky to witness an astounding array of wildlife in this biodiverse rain forest. While performing community service cleaning beaches and studying forest succession, students spotted Baird's tapir, deer, four species of monkeys, a two-toed sloth and – the highlight of the trip – a family of three pumas hunting spider monkeys!

Golfo Dulce Sea Kayaking Aventura

6/1/2016

Students engaged in true experiential learning during a five-day kayaking expedition around the unspoiled “Sweet Gulf” in southern Costa Rica. When they weren't paddling, catching red snapper for dinner, and competing in the famous “Tent Partner Olympics,” students were studying the six different ecosystems they encountered (while up to their chins in mangrove estuaries), swimming in the pelagic zone’s 600 feet of water, and snorkeling over coral fringe reefs.

Community Service with Osa Conservation

6/1/2016

The shores of the Osa Peninsula are ancient nesting sites for a number of different sea turtle species, and our students spent a week preparing for and aiding the nesting season.

Days were spent sifting sand to create safe sanctuaries for hatchlings and planting trees to conserve important beachfront land.

At night, students and staff donned red headlamps (which don’t disturb nesting mothers) to search for nests and relocate precious eggs to the new hatcheries to ensure that more hatchlings survive to return in coming years.

New Summit Academy Costa Rica is a supportive boarding school and study abroad experience for high school males in grades 9-12.

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