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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!
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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.
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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.
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.
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This month, students, staff and alumni of New Summit Academy will embark on SIX different Aventuras! Next month’s issue will report in detail on these amazing experiences, but here’s a sneak peek:
-Building hatcheries for nesting sea turtles during the day, while patrolling the beaches of the Osa Peninsula by night, searching for turtle eggs to relocate to the safety of a sanctuary.
-Kayaking along the shores of the Golfo Dulce, studying mangrove and coral reef ecosystems, fishing for lunch and dinner, and participating in the ever-popular Tent Partner Olympics.
-Hiking through the spectacularly biodiverse Corcovado National Park, learning about the process of forest succession, while keeping an eye out for tapir, monkeys, sloths, anteaters and even puma!
-Trekking to the rustic but beautiful Monte Sky retreat, and then rafting through the high-altitude forests of Tapanti National Park, and studying the interconnectedness of ecosystems and the complexities of the cloud forest.
-A first-of-its-kind staff & alumni trip to SOUTH AFRICA, exploring the beauty and culture, and investigating possibilities for future young adult opportunities. (Pics to come...)
-A remarkable opportunity for Second Summit students to travel to CUBA, to interact with its people and learn from them about daily life and how the nation’s unique history has shaped it.
New Summit Academy’s one-of-a-kind Aventura program continues to shape tomorrow’s Global Citizens!
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This quarter, our Culinary Arts class made a decision: we would work together to cook only one meal, but every element of that meal would be made from scratch, using only whole foods and nothing processed.
This decision was inspired by our discussion of Michael Pollan’s idea that one “shouldn’t eat anything your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food" -- the opposite of our highly-processed western diet.
This decision was inspired by our discussion of Michael Pollan’s idea that one “shouldn’t eat anything your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food" -- the opposite of our highly-processed western diet.
After much debate, we chose a student favorite as our meal: Bratwurst and sauerkraut. Our first week, students studied the process of lactobacillus fermentation and applied their knowledge to begin making sauerkraut. We then learned how yeast and gluten work, and baked our own rolls. The following weeks had students spicing and grinding their own sausage, researching flavor combinations to mix mustards from mustard seeds, and stuffing their homemade sausage mix into casings.
The process will culminate in a feast the students are certain to never forget!
The process will culminate in a feast the students are certain to never forget!
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The staff and students – led by our Experiential Education mentor and health advocate Jaime – are engaged in a campaign to bring more mindfulness to the foods we eat at NSA. Our chefs have always prepared wonderful meals and are excited about the new opportunities for learning healthy, balanced recipes that include whole grains and brown rice, more plant-based proteins such as beans, lentils and garbanzos, and limiting meat to once a day.
Our Culinary Arts class joined the campaign by looking at food choices through this quarter’s Global Citizenship facet of Ecological Stewardship. Did you know that 90% of cleared land in the Amazon rainforest is used for raising livestock? Even our Botany class is helping by designing and implementing a new composting system, which contributes toward their goal of providing for more of our campus food needs with fresh, organic produce!
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Student empowerment is one of our core values at NSA, and we work to develop in students ownership, initiative and follow-through so that they feel they are capable of making positive changes in their lives and communities. Student-created and driven clubs are an example of that empowerment. Students are able to propose new clubs based on their interests and those of their peers.
In order for a club to become official and receive funding, students must find a faculty sponsor, generate a minimum number of interested students, and write a proposal explaining how the club can contribute to our community.
Once approved, students work with their faculty sponsor to organize events during the week and on weekends, enriching the activities calendar based on student passions. Current clubs that students have created and can participate in include the Fishing Club, Climbing Club, Running Club and the newly-formed Art Club.
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Arriving to New Summit Academy for the first time can be an overwhelming experience for new students: there are classes to attend, students to meet, staff to get to know, and rules to learn. However, our innovative Orientation program helps new students to more quickly adjust to and engage in our community.
Each new student is paired up with a peer mentor, who serves as a guide during the one-month Orientation program. These students and their mentors spend a weekend off-campus on the slopes of Poas Volcano, discussing the school, Atenas and Costa Rica while enjoying the natural beauty of the area.
Each new student is paired up with a peer mentor, who serves as a guide during the one-month Orientation program. These students and their mentors spend a weekend off-campus on the slopes of Poas Volcano, discussing the school, Atenas and Costa Rica while enjoying the natural beauty of the area.
New students complete a checklist of steps designed to help them understand what they can expect during their time at NSA, including reviewing their Course Progression Plans, analyzing their aptitudes and interests, and setting goals for academic and personal growth development. By the end of the students’ Orientation period, they are fully engaged in the NSA process, and ready for continued success.
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Last week, our Experiential Education mentor and Student Council facilitator Matthew organized campaign speeches for students running for office. NSA’s Student Council includes a President and Vice-President, an Activities Representative, a Proposals representative, as well as a liaison with the Academic and Operations departments.
These positions have been intentionally created so that students are able to take part in the formation of their community and experiences while enrolled at New Summit Academy. Students, through their Student Council representatives, are able to organize their own cultural and recreational opportunities, can write proposals to make changes to the student handbook, and have the chance to manage their student monthly budget to make purchases to improve their daily lives.
Elections will be held soon, keep an eye out for the results!
These positions have been intentionally created so that students are able to take part in the formation of their community and experiences while enrolled at New Summit Academy. Students, through their Student Council representatives, are able to organize their own cultural and recreational opportunities, can write proposals to make changes to the student handbook, and have the chance to manage their student monthly budget to make purchases to improve their daily lives.
Elections will be held soon, keep an eye out for the results!