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After three days of intensive workshops in preparation for Peru, our community braved a red-eye flight to arrive at over 11,000 feet in Cusco - the ancient capital of the Incan Empire - to get physically and mentally acclimatized for the adventures to come. Our first days included an historical tour of the city, a mountain-bike ride through the stunning landscape surrounding the Sacred Valley, and a day of community service with the Amaru people.
This indigenous village welcomed us into their homes with music and smiles, explained their way of life revolving around farming and weaving of textiles, and worked side-by-side with our students as we tilled the soil using traditional tools in preparation for planting potatoes. The Amaru then prepared a hearty lunch of quinoa, potatoes and guinea pig – a traditional delicacy in Peru.
This indigenous village welcomed us into their homes with music and smiles, explained their way of life revolving around farming and weaving of textiles, and worked side-by-side with our students as we tilled the soil using traditional tools in preparation for planting potatoes. The Amaru then prepared a hearty lunch of quinoa, potatoes and guinea pig – a traditional delicacy in Peru.
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Students and staff rose with the sun on a recent Sunday, donned boots and gloves, and got to work. Their goal was to be a part of community efforts to help improve access to water in our hometown of Atenas.
While the drinking water in Costa Rica is clean and pure, issues with infrastructure mean that some communities or individuals may have limited access. Costa Rican water laws stipulate that wells must be planted with native tree species to help with water retention, which is where our students came in, participating in a tree-planting drive.
By the end of a day of hard work, students and staff had planted over 3,000 native trees -- a huge contribution to the water access efforts!
While the drinking water in Costa Rica is clean and pure, issues with infrastructure mean that some communities or individuals may have limited access. Costa Rican water laws stipulate that wells must be planted with native tree species to help with water retention, which is where our students came in, participating in a tree-planting drive.
By the end of a day of hard work, students and staff had planted over 3,000 native trees -- a huge contribution to the water access efforts!
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On the first Integrated Aventura of a career at NSA, students developed their work ethic and gave back with noticeable enthusiasm while weeding rows of lemongrass, cabbage, lettuce, and pineapple; creating organic fertilizer using discarded mangoes, and making a natural mulch using mango tree leaves at the permaculture-based organic farm Osa Verde.
Each night, students and staff engaged in presentations from scientists conducting on-site conservation work. On the fourth day, students released over a hundred freshly hatched baby Olive Ridley turtles into a stormy sea!
Each night, students and staff engaged in presentations from scientists conducting on-site conservation work. On the fourth day, students released over a hundred freshly hatched baby Olive Ridley turtles into a stormy sea!
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A key part of NSA’s mission to nurture students toward becoming more relationship-based, goal-driven, resourceful global citizens is the idea of giving back to people and communities. During their stays, our students engage in countless opportunities to give back, from mentoring new students to volunteering at Hogar de Vida.
Our students work side-by-side with the Osa Conservation preserving turtle habitats, beautify local schools, and teach free English lessons in town. And something seems to stick, because our school is lucky enough to have graduates continually expressing that they want to give back by becoming interns, contributing to a program that once guided them.
Read for yourselves from a recent letter written by a 2014 graduate:
Hey Martin-
I was checking out the NSA website a second ago and felt compelled to email. Partly to thank you and also update you on my life.
I am in my second semester of my sophomore year at UNCW. I am on track to be a Psych Major/Spanish Double and or Minor (depending on the next few semesters). I work in the summers as a surf instructor and the rest of the year as a Manny (male nanny) for a family with a 9 year old boy and a 13 year old boy. I know GPA does not indicate everything but I have a steady 3.0. In July I will study abroad in Port Elizabeth South Africa for the semester.
How is New Summit Academy? Has the profile of students been changing at all? Mike W. and I keep in touch a good deal and he spoke very fondly of his time at NSA, especially working with you. I hope to come back at some point and work with NSA. It says something about the program that some students are compelled to come back and work with the students.
I am very thankful for my experience at NSA. It was an ineffable experience at certain points but my overall feelings remain positive and grateful. Choosing to take a year off was a very hard decision but a pivotal decision that I hold to my identity/sense of self. I always enjoyed talking travel with you and all you encouraged me to do.
I know you are very busy but I thought that I would extend this to you.
Sincerely,
Griffin
Our students work side-by-side with the Osa Conservation preserving turtle habitats, beautify local schools, and teach free English lessons in town. And something seems to stick, because our school is lucky enough to have graduates continually expressing that they want to give back by becoming interns, contributing to a program that once guided them.
Read for yourselves from a recent letter written by a 2014 graduate:
Hey Martin-
I was checking out the NSA website a second ago and felt compelled to email. Partly to thank you and also update you on my life.
I am in my second semester of my sophomore year at UNCW. I am on track to be a Psych Major/Spanish Double and or Minor (depending on the next few semesters). I work in the summers as a surf instructor and the rest of the year as a Manny (male nanny) for a family with a 9 year old boy and a 13 year old boy. I know GPA does not indicate everything but I have a steady 3.0. In July I will study abroad in Port Elizabeth South Africa for the semester.
How is New Summit Academy? Has the profile of students been changing at all? Mike W. and I keep in touch a good deal and he spoke very fondly of his time at NSA, especially working with you. I hope to come back at some point and work with NSA. It says something about the program that some students are compelled to come back and work with the students.
I am very thankful for my experience at NSA. It was an ineffable experience at certain points but my overall feelings remain positive and grateful. Choosing to take a year off was a very hard decision but a pivotal decision that I hold to my identity/sense of self. I always enjoyed talking travel with you and all you encouraged me to do.
I know you are very busy but I thought that I would extend this to you.
Sincerely,
Griffin
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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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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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NSA’s Academic Department is continually striving to improve our innovative curriculum to prepare our students with 21st-century skills. Our newest addition to the course catalog is founded on our English teacher Brooke’s passion for teaching English as a second language (ESL). Brooke has designed a course in which students focus on the grammar and construction of the English language, and then show mastery of their studies in the most effective way possible: teaching.
Each Friday, students convert their grammar studies into dynamic English language classes, teaching our non-native English speaking staff from the Operations department. By teaching, students not only show mastery of the English language and its often complicated and convoluted grammar -- they are also developing critical organizational, time-management, and public speaking skills.
Each Friday, students convert their grammar studies into dynamic English language classes, teaching our non-native English speaking staff from the Operations department. By teaching, students not only show mastery of the English language and its often complicated and convoluted grammar -- they are also developing critical organizational, time-management, and public speaking skills.
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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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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!
