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Cultural Immersion plays a key role in our students’ experiences at New Summit Academy, promoting relationship development, appreciation of others’ cultures and customs, health risk-taking, and reciprocity – so much of what we strive to develop.
One of the most memorable cultural experiences for our students is their participation in the Homestay program, spending Sundays with local families, and joining them in activities ranging from cooking at home to attending soccer games, birthday parties, and afternoons at the beach.
These volunteer families take our students into their homes and lives out of the goodness of their hearts, so our community gives a little bit back to them with our popular Homestay picnics.
This quarter, a summer day in the Caribbean was the theme of the Homestay picnic, complete with team-building games (with lots of water balloons!) fun decorations, music, and a traditional Caribbean lunch of rice and beans cooked in coconut milk!
One of the most memorable cultural experiences for our students is their participation in the Homestay program, spending Sundays with local families, and joining them in activities ranging from cooking at home to attending soccer games, birthday parties, and afternoons at the beach.
These volunteer families take our students into their homes and lives out of the goodness of their hearts, so our community gives a little bit back to them with our popular Homestay picnics.
This quarter, a summer day in the Caribbean was the theme of the Homestay picnic, complete with team-building games (with lots of water balloons!) fun decorations, music, and a traditional Caribbean lunch of rice and beans cooked in coconut milk!
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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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Our talented Experiential Educators are committed to engaging students in healthy activities based on student interests and passions. NSA students are able to create clubs of their own, using staff mentors and the proposal process, so that they can engage in meaninful activities during their time at NSA.
At the start of each quarter, staff owners of each club organize a Club Fair, when students are able to learn about each club’s activities and sign up to participate for the upcoming ten weeks.
Some of our current clubs are dedicated to: Rock Climbing, Cooking, Ultimate Frisbee, Visual Arts, Surfing, Gardening and Fishing.
At the start of each quarter, staff owners of each club organize a Club Fair, when students are able to learn about each club’s activities and sign up to participate for the upcoming ten weeks.
Some of our current clubs are dedicated to: Rock Climbing, Cooking, Ultimate Frisbee, Visual Arts, Surfing, Gardening and Fishing.
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When it comes to clubs at New Summit Academy, the students are in control. Based on individual and group interests, students are able to manage existing clubs and propose new ones. Students develop important skills of organization and follow-through as they write proposals, find a staff sponsor, develop a budget, and work with Student Council to make the club a reality.
Once a new club is formed, club leaders are responsible for organizing meetings and workshops, and planning weekend activities.
Once a new club is formed, club leaders are responsible for organizing meetings and workshops, and planning weekend activities.
Our newest club – Backcountry Skills – provides students interested in camping and wilderness survival an opportunity to learn new skills and put them into practice. Recent meetings have focused on campfire cooking, knot tying, and makeshift shelters.
Students and staff in the Backcountry Skills club recently tested out their expertise on a weekend camping adventure in the Bosque Eterno de los Niños – a protected forest reserve funded by children’s donations from around the world!
Students and staff in the Backcountry Skills club recently tested out their expertise on a weekend camping adventure in the Bosque Eterno de los Niños – a protected forest reserve funded by children’s donations from around the world!
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New Summit Academy students and staff have just returned from an extraordinary experience exploring ancient and modern cultures in Belize and Guatemala!
To prepare for the trip – to be travelers rather than tourists – teachers engaged students in a week of workshops, studying the history of the area and current issues affecting the people. Students also participated in workshops focusing on how our senses are heightened through travel. The objective of this guiding theme is to help raise student awareness of the human experience, both through their travels and in their day-to-day lives at NSA and back home.
While traveling in Belize and Guatemala, students engaged in once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, including:
- Exploring the breathtaking Mayan sites of Caracol, Tika and Xunantunich
- Performing community service in the tropical gardens at their jungle lodge
- Spelunking the Cave of the Stone Sepulcher, home of Mayan sacrificial objects
- Snorkeling in the second-largest reef on Earth (including Shark Ray Alley!)
- Documenting their experiences in a film which will premiere in September
Students returned to campus energized by this amazing opportunity, and ready to begin the quarter. Keep an eye out for our upcoming Documentary Film Premiere issue at the end of the quarter, and a shared link of the student film!
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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.
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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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This month, students and staff traveled to Costa Rica's northern zone to explore Arenal – a once highly active volcano that periodically rumbles to life – and the surrounding area, famous for its beauty and adventure opportunities. When students were asked about their favorite part, each answered differently, with highlight quotes including:
“We swam in the crater of an extinct volcano. [Volcan Chato] Who gets to do that?”
“The best part was hanging out with Tom.”
“The whitewater rafting was amazing, even though it is the dry season.”
Besides navigating mighty rapids and crater-lake swimming, students hiked to and swam in the 200-foot La Fortuna waterfall, handled snakes at a serpentarium, and enjoyed quality time with Tom! The students all returned positive and energized for the upcoming quarter.
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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!
- Published on
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!