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Corcovado National Park, one of the planet's most biodiverse locations, was the backdrop for this physically challenging 5-day camping and trekking adventure. Students study lowland rainforest ecology, symbiosis and forest succession on this extreme journey that entails some exciting river crossings, including one high tide crossing where waters were nearly chest level!
Wildlife sightings are one of the best parts of exploring Corcovado. During their week-long adventure, the guys saw Tapir, sea turtles, four species of monkey, wild pigs, coatimundi, caimans, crocodiles and a skunk! The group also got to experience the wonders of the Snow Moon Eclipse, watching the sun rise as the moon lit up the night sky.
Wildlife sightings are one of the best parts of exploring Corcovado. During their week-long adventure, the guys saw Tapir, sea turtles, four species of monkey, wild pigs, coatimundi, caimans, crocodiles and a skunk! The group also got to experience the wonders of the Snow Moon Eclipse, watching the sun rise as the moon lit up the night sky.
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Community Service marks the first of NSA's Integrated Aventuras, and with more than half of the student body participating in this initial adventure, this group was amazingly cohesive. Students showed great initiative and cooperation on both an individual and group basis during their week on the Osa Peninsula, where service was aimed at monitoring endangered sea turtle nesting sites and local reforestation efforts.
According to Aventura staff, the guys were consistently engaged in academic lessons, resulting in dynamic conversations.
Aventura highlights included:
According to Aventura staff, the guys were consistently engaged in academic lessons, resulting in dynamic conversations.
Aventura highlights included:
- Discovering a sea turtle nest on their first beach patrol containing more than 100 eggs that students relocated to the hatchery built by a previous NSA class
- Harvesting vegetables from the Osa Conservation garden to serve at dinner
- Playing 5X5 soccer
- Using free time to swim in the river
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NSA’s enthusiastic student body and their student council recently worked together on a proposal: to have more opportunities to pursue their club of interest on weekends.
The Experiential Education department responded by organizing monthly long weekends -- leaving Friday after classes and returning Sunday afternoons -- dedicated to club activities. Our two most popular clubs just returned from one of these action-packed weekends.
NSA’s surfers traveled to Playa Esterillos, a Pacific beach famous for its challenging and consistent waves. There, students and staff paired up with surf partners and spent hours each day honing their skills.
Members of the Climbing Club headed to the stunning Orosi Valley for two full days of technical routes and bouldering. Students are excited about the additional opportunities to pursue their interests, and NSA is thrilled to have such invested students!
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Students and staff who spent their winter holidays with New Summit Academy had no shortage of exciting activities to keep them busy. The two-week holiday break was divided into two separate Aventuras: one week on the wild Pacific coast of Costa Rica, and one week of adrenaline-pumping adventure in the Arenal Volcano area.
On the coast, students surfed, spotted wildlife while kayaking among mangroves, and rode mountain bikes on the beach. The areas surrounding Arenal Volcano are famous for their outdoor activities, and students took full advantage, rappelling and rock climbing, zip-lining, horseback riding, and white-water rafting their way through the countryside.
In between these Aventuras, students and staff gathered at one of our dedicated teacher’s homes in Atenas to celebrate the holiday, sharing a traditional meal and exchanging gifts.
NSA hopes that everyone in our extended family had a wonderful holiday as we kick off 2017 with renewed energy and optimism for another banner year!
On the coast, students surfed, spotted wildlife while kayaking among mangroves, and rode mountain bikes on the beach. The areas surrounding Arenal Volcano are famous for their outdoor activities, and students took full advantage, rappelling and rock climbing, zip-lining, horseback riding, and white-water rafting their way through the countryside.
In between these Aventuras, students and staff gathered at one of our dedicated teacher’s homes in Atenas to celebrate the holiday, sharing a traditional meal and exchanging gifts.
NSA hopes that everyone in our extended family had a wonderful holiday as we kick off 2017 with renewed energy and optimism for another banner year!
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Eight proud program graduates (five of them also high school grads) recently embarked on their culminating Aventura at New Summit Academy: summiting Chirripo, the highest peak in Costa Rica.
Their journeys began more than one year ago, when they participated in the first of their Integrated Aventuras, learning about and serving the Costa Rican community which would become their second home.
Throughout the following months, these students have worked hard, developed the skills they need for success, and now move forward to college or to finish high school.
On Friday, December 16th, New Summit Academy celebrated their efforts at our Winter Graduation Ceremony. Congratulations to our graduates, we look forward to hearing about your many upcoming successes!
Their journeys began more than one year ago, when they participated in the first of their Integrated Aventuras, learning about and serving the Costa Rican community which would become their second home.
Throughout the following months, these students have worked hard, developed the skills they need for success, and now move forward to college or to finish high school.
On Friday, December 16th, New Summit Academy celebrated their efforts at our Winter Graduation Ceremony. Congratulations to our graduates, we look forward to hearing about your many upcoming successes!
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NSA students and staff have been getting into the holiday spirit by giving back to two of our most important Costa Rican community connections: Hogar de Vida and our Homestay families.
Hogar de Vida, a home for orphaned children in our neighborhood, has embraced our school and provides our students with once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to develop unique relationships. NSA hosted a Christmas party for these children and the aunties who care for them, featuring a clown that made balloon hats, plenty of presents and a delicious lunch.
Our Homestay families provide our students the opportunity to create meaningful bonds as they engage with their “second families” in cultural activities, sporting events, parties and daily life around the house. NSA students and staff invited families to campus for a celebratory picnic of arroz con pollo and picadillo, and gave gifts to these families as small tokens of how much they are appreciated.
Happy Holidays to Hogar de Vida, our Homestay families, and our entire NSA community!
Hogar de Vida, a home for orphaned children in our neighborhood, has embraced our school and provides our students with once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to develop unique relationships. NSA hosted a Christmas party for these children and the aunties who care for them, featuring a clown that made balloon hats, plenty of presents and a delicious lunch.
Our Homestay families provide our students the opportunity to create meaningful bonds as they engage with their “second families” in cultural activities, sporting events, parties and daily life around the house. NSA students and staff invited families to campus for a celebratory picnic of arroz con pollo and picadillo, and gave gifts to these families as small tokens of how much they are appreciated.
Happy Holidays to Hogar de Vida, our Homestay families, and our entire NSA community!
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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 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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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.
