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As an extension of their studies of mythologist Joseph Campbell and his "Monomyth" theory, students researched major world religions. They compared and contrasted two religions, noting unique characteristics as well as shared values, symbols, and stories. Topics ranged from Christianity to Shinto, and students were free to choose the format for their presentations. One student's presentation, which he described as a narrated comic, included hand-drawn images recorded on his iPad and edited into an educational video with voice-over narration. While some chose to focus on religions with which they were familiar, others opted to explore new territory. Through this project, students examined the narrative structure of Campbell's Hero's Journey model while delving into the Global Citizenship facet of diversity.
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This quarter, our senior Literature and Composition class is learning advanced interviewing and writing techniques, and applying them to craft biographies of family members. Our quarter began by looking at word choice as the building blocks of literature. We then studied Literary Devices - metaphor, synecdoche, alliteration and more - and incorporated them into our writing. Dialogue and dialect, archetypal themes, strong verbs, telling details - each lesson was integrated into our stories about grandparents, parents, uncles, brothers and sisters. Many thanks to our willing families for providing rich details, newspaper clipping, photographs and memories about themselves and their loved ones to make our unit on the biography so meaningful.
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This quarter's Cloud Forest Aventura cohort was a particularly tight-knit group. With only four students and three staff members, the group made record time hiking from our campsite at Alto del Roble to Monte Sky.
Students transformed the house at Monte Sky into a museum exhibit to teach about the world's major biomes. At the Pacuare River Camp, students spoke with local river guides about President Luis Guillermo Solís' recent decision to ban hydroelectric dams on the river for the next twenty-five years. The presidential decree, made after decades of community opposition to dam construction, was an excellent real-life example of the Aventura's personal growth theme of community impacts.
Students transformed the house at Monte Sky into a museum exhibit to teach about the world's major biomes. At the Pacuare River Camp, students spoke with local river guides about President Luis Guillermo Solís' recent decision to ban hydroelectric dams on the river for the next twenty-five years. The presidential decree, made after decades of community opposition to dam construction, was an excellent real-life example of the Aventura's personal growth theme of community impacts.
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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!
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As we begin the first week of March, more college decisions are coming in for our seniors at New Summit Academy. All seniors apply to a range of schools, including a core list, a fallback school where they know they will be accepted, as well as a handful of “reach” schools – where acceptance is a longshot but always a possibility.
Of the 33 responses students have received thus far, 94% of those responses have been acceptances, and the two which weren’t are waitlist decisions – so they might turn out to be acceptances as well.
Just as encouraging as our students’ phenomenal acceptance rates are the merit scholarships being awarded. With many responses still pending, our students have been offered a total of $356,500 in scholarships so far!
One scholarship was even awarded to a student for “having broader cultural perspectives” – a sure nod to his unique Costa Rica experiences. Students, families and staff can all look forward to even more exciting college news in the coming months!
Of the 33 responses students have received thus far, 94% of those responses have been acceptances, and the two which weren’t are waitlist decisions – so they might turn out to be acceptances as well.
Just as encouraging as our students’ phenomenal acceptance rates are the merit scholarships being awarded. With many responses still pending, our students have been offered a total of $356,500 in scholarships so far!
One scholarship was even awarded to a student for “having broader cultural perspectives” – a sure nod to his unique Costa Rica experiences. Students, families and staff can all look forward to even more exciting college news in the coming months!
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As New Summit Academy’s midterm week came to a close, the entire Academic faculty and student body turned the final day before Aventura into a unique learning experience. Students traveled in four groups – based on their cohort from the Global Citizenship Foundation Course – to different sites in the Central Valley to explore real-life situations where the facets of Global Citizenship are being promoted.
Newer students traveled with Adam, our Global Citizenship coordinator and organizer of the event, to Costa Rica’s University for Peace. At this United Nations-mandated higher education institution, the students performed community service, met with current UPeace students to exchange ideas about Global Citizenship, and engaged in a workshop on the Earth Charter. The Earth Charter is a declaration of fundamental principles for building a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society in the 21st century. The Earth Charter International Secretariat is located at the UPEACE Campus in Costa Rica.
Newer students traveled with Adam, our Global Citizenship coordinator and organizer of the event, to Costa Rica’s University for Peace. At this United Nations-mandated higher education institution, the students performed community service, met with current UPeace students to exchange ideas about Global Citizenship, and engaged in a workshop on the Earth Charter. The Earth Charter is a declaration of fundamental principles for building a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society in the 21st century. The Earth Charter International Secretariat is located at the UPEACE Campus in Costa Rica.
A second group of students – delving into the topic of sustainable development – traveled to a nearby organic farm. Here they learned from the farm manager – a young man who is transforming the “traditional” methods of farming using chemicals and genetically-modified foods. Students learned about his efforts to reintroduce ancient farming techniques using methods of permaculture, natural pesticides and organic fertilizers. Students also pitched in, helping to build planter boxes for future crops.
The third group traveled to the office of The Tico Times, the largest English-language newspaper in Central America. With the goal of exploring ideas of social justice and digital citizenship (the Times went 100% digital in recent years), students interviewed journalists at the newspaper about recent articles. Students were also excited to learn that this respected newspaper was started in the mid-1950’s by young students at the very same high school where they take their SAT and ACT exams!
NSA’s oldest students traveled to the Puriscal Valley reserve of Quitirrisi – home to the indigenous Guetares people. Students learned that the Guetares were once the largest, most dominant group of natives in Costa Rica, but that the Spanish conquest had diminished their population from tens of thousands to a mere 1,800 today. The son of the chief welcomed students into the village, and gave them an oral history of the people. Students then gathered firewood for a traditional spiritual cleansing ceremony, before working together with the chief’s son to clean the streets of litter.
Each group returned to campus with stories to tell about their Global Citizenship experiences. The Academic faculty plan to make these Field Learning trips a tradition for each mid-quarter week, which will only help enrich our one-of-a-kind program!
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Aventuras will depart at the end February, and students and staff are getting ready mentally and physically for experiential learning which become highlights of students’ careers at NSA.
New Summit Academy takes an integrated approach to our program, and Aventura preparation is no different! Our experiential education staff have designed Physical Education classes and activities to develop strength and flexibility for kayaking, hiking, and community service work. The department also holds pre-trip meetings for students, so that they are comfortable with trip itineraries and expectations. Our therapeutic staff work with students in their cohort groups to process community issues related to the upcoming Aventuras.
Our teachers are also hard at work, preparing for the experiential, hands-on classes which engage students on each trip. Look for a report on each Aventura in the next edition of the NSA newsletter.
New Summit Academy takes an integrated approach to our program, and Aventura preparation is no different! Our experiential education staff have designed Physical Education classes and activities to develop strength and flexibility for kayaking, hiking, and community service work. The department also holds pre-trip meetings for students, so that they are comfortable with trip itineraries and expectations. Our therapeutic staff work with students in their cohort groups to process community issues related to the upcoming Aventuras.
Our teachers are also hard at work, preparing for the experiential, hands-on classes which engage students on each trip. Look for a report on each Aventura in the next edition of the NSA newsletter.
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NSA’s Academic Department mission states that we are working to develop in students a global perspective to apply knowledge to their own lives, their communities and their world. One method for accomplishing this mission is through our Global Citizenship program, which guides students to see their classes and projects through the lens of the eight facets of Global Citizenship: diversity, human rights, social justice, environmental stewardship, digital citizenship, sustainable development, conflict resolution and interconnectedness.
Adam, our Global Citizenship coordinator, works with all new students to develop a foundational knowledge of these facets – and apply that knowledge to class projects throughout the year. Adam has now organized quarterly enrichment field trips so that students are able to see these facets at play not just in their studies, but in the communities of Costa Rica.
This quarter, students will be learning about the Earth Charter in a tour of the University for Peace, exploring diversity with the indigenous community of Quitirrisi, investigating sustainable development at the organic farm La Nueva Era, and examining social justice issues with the Tico Times – Central America’s largest English language publication.
Thanks to Adam and the entire teaching team for continuing to enrich the innovative Academic program at New Summit Academy!
Adam, our Global Citizenship coordinator, works with all new students to develop a foundational knowledge of these facets – and apply that knowledge to class projects throughout the year. Adam has now organized quarterly enrichment field trips so that students are able to see these facets at play not just in their studies, but in the communities of Costa Rica.
This quarter, students will be learning about the Earth Charter in a tour of the University for Peace, exploring diversity with the indigenous community of Quitirrisi, investigating sustainable development at the organic farm La Nueva Era, and examining social justice issues with the Tico Times – Central America’s largest English language publication.
Thanks to Adam and the entire teaching team for continuing to enrich the innovative Academic program at New Summit Academy!
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This month, at the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) conference in La Jolla, California, Academic Director Martin Naffziger and Executive Director Heather Tracy delivered a presentation on how to design a program that intentionally develops Executive Functioning skills.
Because Executive Functioning is such an essential and elemental set of processes which help determine success in so many areas, NSA works holistically with students who struggle so that these skills are intentionally strengthened and consistently applied in academic work, community life, therapeutic interventions, and the development of key life skills. This daunting task cannot be accomplished by a lone therapist, a favorite teacher, or a passionate mentor alone, as this approach would isolate skill development to only one type of task – homework completion, flexibility in changing plans, or incorporating feedback.
Martin and Heather’s presentation outlined how a program can develop an integrated approach to strengthening Executive Functioning skills. This approach begins with an intentional, systemic structuring of how students – and the professionals with whom they work – are guided in problem-analysis, goal-setting and management of steps, daily time management, self-monitoring, and more – so that the very programmatic steps students engage in build Executive Functioning skills by applying them throughout the day, every day.
The presentation provided concrete techniques and structures – using our one-of-a-kind program as examples – which allow teachers, therapists, experiential educators to collaborate in developing an integrated, whole-program approach to building Executive Functioning skills.
When we consider that students will need to, after transition, apply these skills in every facet of their adult lives, no approach but an integrated one can succeed.
Because Executive Functioning is such an essential and elemental set of processes which help determine success in so many areas, NSA works holistically with students who struggle so that these skills are intentionally strengthened and consistently applied in academic work, community life, therapeutic interventions, and the development of key life skills. This daunting task cannot be accomplished by a lone therapist, a favorite teacher, or a passionate mentor alone, as this approach would isolate skill development to only one type of task – homework completion, flexibility in changing plans, or incorporating feedback.
Martin and Heather’s presentation outlined how a program can develop an integrated approach to strengthening Executive Functioning skills. This approach begins with an intentional, systemic structuring of how students – and the professionals with whom they work – are guided in problem-analysis, goal-setting and management of steps, daily time management, self-monitoring, and more – so that the very programmatic steps students engage in build Executive Functioning skills by applying them throughout the day, every day.
The presentation provided concrete techniques and structures – using our one-of-a-kind program as examples – which allow teachers, therapists, experiential educators to collaborate in developing an integrated, whole-program approach to building Executive Functioning skills.
When we consider that students will need to, after transition, apply these skills in every facet of their adult lives, no approach but an integrated one can succeed.
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Spring is an exciting time for students, families and staff at New Summit Academy as college decisions begin to arrive.
Though most decisions will be made in February and March, we have received acceptances for some of our seniors from amazing schools including:
Keep an eye out for many more acceptances in the coming months!
Though most decisions will be made in February and March, we have received acceptances for some of our seniors from amazing schools including:
- Manhattan College
- Augsburg College
- Lynn University
- Curry College
- Whittier College, and
- Western Washington University.
Keep an eye out for many more acceptances in the coming months!