Collegiate Cougars Spend Summer Around the World
With summer break now underway, many Collegiate students have embarked with their classmates and faculty chaperones on meaningful and exciting excursions across the state, nation and globe. Students’ adventures range from the annual 8th Grade service trip to Dungannon Va. to visits to Nicaragua, Bermuda and China.
School administrators and teachers are also on the go, making connections in schools around the world to deepen partnerships and gain insight on practices and programs that can benefit Collegiate students. Trips will occur throughout the summer, but here are some of the highlights from this week's departures:
Dungannon, Va. - The annual Middle School service trip to Dungannon began on Sunday with 20 rising 8th Graders and five chaperones, who will spend a week working together to help others who are less fortunate. Click here to follow their activities and service endeavors throughout the week.
Nicaragua - Global Service Learning Trip. - Twelve Upper Schoolers are in San Marco this week working with orphaned and abandoned children who receive services from our partner organization, Los Quinchos. The participating students spent the last semester meeting weekly to learn more about the challenges facing these boys and girls. They also explored the underlying causes of child abandonment and orphanhood, both in Richmond and Nicaragua. At Los Quinchos, Collegiate students are assisting and mentoring the children as they complete their schoolwork, and working alongside them in their vocational tasks, which stem from Los Quinchos’ farm, restaurant and bread-making enterprises. Upper School faculty members, Erica Coffey and Toby Desch, are leading this program in partnership with Where They Be Dragons, a leading global service-learning organization. Learn more and follow their experience on their blog by clicking here.
Washington, D.C. - Youth Service Opportunities Project (YSOP). For the eighth consecutive year, 12 rising sophomores and two faculty chaperones are spending the week in Washington, learning through education, site visits, hands-on-service and reflection about issues related to hunger, homelessness and poverty. The organizations they are touring and volunteering at include SOME (So Others May Eat), Martha's Table, Parks and People, and Unique Residential Center. They also will visit D.C. Central Kitchen, where they will assist in preparing thousands of meals to be distributed throughout the greater Washington D.C. area to other non-profits serving those in need. To keep abreast of their experiences, view the Collegiate YSOP blog by clicking here.
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Bermuda - Sailing and Mathematics Trip. Upper School math teacher, Karen Albright, and two Collegiate students have set out on a 17-day sailing trip along with faculty and students from Cape Henry Collegiate and St. Stephens and St. Agnes schools. The group is traveling on a traditional schooner to Bermuda and back. Onboard Schooner Virginia, the group is being led by a captain and crew from the Virginia Maritime Heritage Foundation as they learn the mathematics and physics behind traditional navigation and sailing. During the group's time in Bermuda, they will continue to live onboard, but the schooner will function as a museum for local visitors to come and learn about Virginia maritime history with our students as guides. The group does not have regular Internet access; however, a Facebook page will be updated periodically. Please like "The Pilot Schooner Virginia" Facebook page to follow their adventures.
China - Cultural Immersion and Study Tour. Seven students and two teachers arrived in China today, where they will begin their visit with a three-day stay in Beijing, visiting the historic sights of The Forbidden City, The Great Wall and Tiananmen Square. They also will experience a taste of old Beijing life as they stay in a traditional courtyard guesthouse and explore the food and vibrant culture of the alley-streets. After this orientation, the group will travel via high-speed train to the cities of Yangzhou and Changzhou, which are both in Jiangsu province, to visit Collegiate’s two Chinese partner schools. They will stay with host families and visit classes, along with exploring the smaller cities that are full of both history and modern growth.
The trip concludes with a two-day visit to Shanghai, the hometown of Upper School Chinese teacher and trip co-leader Zhangyi Shi.
The trip concludes with a two-day visit to Shanghai, the hometown of Upper School Chinese teacher and trip co-leader Zhangyi Shi.
Dungannon, Va. - The annual Middle School service trip to Dungannon began on Sunday with 20 rising 8th Graders and five chaperones, who will spend a week working together to help others who are less fortunate. Click here to follow their activities and service endeavors throughout the week.
Nicaragua - Global Service Learning Trip. - Twelve Upper Schoolers are in San Marco this week working with orphaned and abandoned children who receive services from our partner organization, Los Quinchos. The participating students spent the last semester meeting weekly to learn more about the challenges facing these boys and girls. They also explored the underlying causes of child abandonment and orphanhood, both in Richmond and Nicaragua. At Los Quinchos, Collegiate students are assisting and mentoring the children as they complete their schoolwork, and working alongside them in their vocational tasks, which stem from Los Quinchos’ farm, restaurant and bread-making enterprises. Upper School faculty members, Erica Coffey and Toby Desch, are leading this program in partnership with Where They Be Dragons, a leading global service-learning organization. Learn more and follow their experience on their blog by clicking here.
Turkey - Cultural Immersion and Study Tour. Four students and one faculty member from Collegiate, along with students and faculty from Cape Henry Collegiate School, Wilbraham & Monson Academy, Hathaway Brown School, Ravenscroft, and Head Royce departed on Monday as part of a group tour hosted by the Global Education Benchmark Group. Over the course of nearly three weeks, students will travel through many diverse areas of Turkey - from Istanbul to Cappadocia to Ephesus to Troy to Gallipoli - with many stops in between. Turkey is a modern republic with a growing economy and has become a major player in regional and global politics. During their visit, students will be exposed to both the modern Turkish state and its place in the world, as well as the rich Roman and Ottoman history of the region. The program begins this week with an exploration of Ottoman palaces and mosques, traversing the old bazars, and a homestay experience with students from Robert College, a private secondary school in Istanbul. To learn more about the group's experiences and follow them on their journey throughout Turkey, visit their blog by clicking here.
Washington, D.C. - Youth Service Opportunities Project (YSOP). For the eighth consecutive year, 12 rising sophomores and two faculty chaperones are spending the week in Washington, learning through education, site visits, hands-on-service and reflection about issues related to hunger, homelessness and poverty. The organizations they are touring and volunteering at include SOME (So Others May Eat), Martha's Table, Parks and People, and Unique Residential Center. They also will visit D.C. Central Kitchen, where they will assist in preparing thousands of meals to be distributed throughout the greater Washington D.C. area to other non-profits serving those in need. To keep abreast of their experiences, view the Collegiate YSOP blog by clicking here.
FACULTY Travel
Casablanca, Morocco - Dr. Jill Hunter, Head of Lower School, and Laura Fields, Assistant Head of Lower School, are visiting George Washington Academy this week - Collegiate’s partner school in Casablanca. They are meeting with the Lower School Head to discuss teacher exchange opportunities, which can benefit Collegiate’s faculty members who teach French, just as Collegiate’s teacher exchange program with a partner school in Mexico has benefitted our Spanish teachers and students. During their week-long travels, Dr. Hunter and Ms. Fields are also visiting Collegiate’s new partner school in Loches, France, St. Denis School, to discuss teacher exchange opportunities.
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