Located in a beautiful mountain town in Costa Rica, New Summit Academy is an independent, year-round, supportive boarding school and study abroad experience for adolescent males (ages 14-18) who are in grades 9-12. Integrating college prep classes with cultural immersion, service projects, adventure trips and travel, New Summit offers an excellent environment for academic and social-emotional growth.
An intentionally small learning community, New Summit works with up to 26 high school students who enroll for a minimum of 6 months. Our students are bright, creative, committed, sensitive, passionate about an interest, and open to other cultures. Students may struggle with anxiety or depression, executive functioning, attention, self-confidence, identity or difficult social or family dynamics.
Within our supportive boarding school, they build positive coping skills for their anxiety, adopt healthier lifestyles for their mood, and develop strategies to support their learning and executive functioning needs.
Our lush, seven-acre campus contains gardens and outdoor gathering spaces, four dormitory houses, a student clubhouse, an academic building with five classrooms, a well-equipped academic resource room and a large common space for community meetings and events. The administrative building houses staff offices as well as our gym, outdoor basketball court, dining hall and student lounge spaces. Our music studio hosts a variety of musical instruments and digital music software as well as recording equipment for students to jam or record their music. The film studio is updated with the latest film editing software to facilitate our documentary filmmaking class.
Small class sizes (3-8 students per class) allow for executive functioning skill development, weekly academic advising and college counseling. Spanish and cultural immersion are key components of learning at New Summit Academy, with service projects, nature-based outings, weekend recreation, student club trips, and our homestay program developing cross-cultural communication skills. Through our Aventura program, students embark on weeklong national park adventure trips and international culture travel, and they leave New Summit Academy with professional certifications such as Wilderness First Aid and scuba diving.
Students are supported by their advising teams, which include a therapist, therapist assistant, an academic advisor and student life mentors. Therapists work afternoons and evenings and attend recreational activities and school trips to guide the milieu and build rapport with students. Individual sessions take place one to two times per week, while options for group therapy and family work are provided.
Our annual calendar at New Summit Academy allows for trips home every 2 months and flexible family visits in Costa Rica. Upon graduation, some of our students transition back home to complete high school, others to more traditional boarding schools, many to college and a few others to the work world. Our goal is to support each student in the best path for their future.
New Summit Academy helps each student and their family fill a tool kit of resources that they will use to pursue passions and overcome challenges in their futures.
Since 2005, New Summit has been helping students build healthier relationships with themselves and others, enhance motivation to set and reach goals, and become more resourceful global citizens.
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This program, more specifically the people and culture of the program, saved our son.
There is zero doubt these people love what they do and do it as a higher calling....... and because of that are the absolute best.
This doesn't happen overnight........this is the accumulation of very hard work and talent.......coming up with the 'recipe' that works.
This is not your typical boarding school for troubled kids. This is an environment to heal, learn, and grow for everyone including everyone in the family.
They have a strong educational curriculum which is unique among others. We had concerns over his academics during this year. Not only did he keep up with his classmates who were still here at home, he excelled and ultimately was accepted to excellent schools. He is now finishing his junior year in college.
I could go on and on and write a book. We are very fortunate and had any option available to us. We spent a lot of time researching and listening to experts. This was 100% the best decision we made and would make it again with no hesitation.
Having been a part of the alumni group before, during, and after also adds context as we shared similar outcomes and feelings about the program.
I hope peace for you and your son regardless your path. New Summit Academy will lead to that peace.