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    New Summit Academy of Costa Rica

    New Summit Academy of Costa Rica CalenderRecently Updated

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    (3 reviews)

    Details

    • Listing Type: Private Schools
    • Residency: Residential
    • Type: Therapeutic
    • Grades Offered: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
    • Country: Costa Rica
    • High School Admission Test: Not Required
    • CEEB: 834256
    • Enrollment: 24
    • Percent Boarding: 100
    • Special Needs Served: Other, Learning Differences, Therapeutic, Autism Spectrum, Other Developmental Disability
    • Last Updated:November 2024
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    Overview

    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 24 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.

    Reviews (3)

    • Our son spent a year...
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      Reviewed on Sep/14/2024 by Marita Sturken

      Our son spent a year (2022-23) at NSA and it was a life-transforming experience for him, helping him to develop important life and academic skills. The therapists, teachers, and staff are skilled and dedicated. The aventuras for students were amazing. It is an exceptional school.

    • Great Boarding School for boys...
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      Reviewed on Sep/14/2024 by Sheri Geoffreys

      Great Boarding School for boys in High School! We looked at several in USA, this one was absolutely perfect! We worked with an educational consultant and were surprised that it was out of the country, but after doing research and meeting everyone there, it is top notch, supportive, caring, healthy environment, great activities from outdoor adventures kayaking, surfing, hiking, camping, waterfalls, to art, film, reading, academics, healthy food and so on! Nurtured my son with structure. He got a lot out of it and today he is grounded, great head on his shoulders, married and pursing his career.

    • It's been a year since...
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      Reviewed on Sep/04/2024 by Victoria Maggiulli

      It's been a year since my son graduated with his HS diploma from NSA's program. Reflecting on NSA and reasons why we chose this program:
      1) their strong focus on family; 2) the five original owners are still running NSA for almost 20 years; 3) the International experience; 4) longevity of staff with little to no turnover.

      Since graduating my son has done really well at focusing on healthier living and lifestyle choices and has tremendously improved regulation of his emotions. He says he "has the skills inside of him" that he learned while at NSA.

      For our family, we're now better able to communicate, we're more mindful and intentional in how we interact with each other, we're all more accountable for ourselves and for our own self growth.

      My parenting has also tremendously improved as a result of the work I did alongside my son at NSA. I've become less controlling, less fearful, have less anxiety. And, I have grown to have so much more compassion for my son.

      NSA IS A "DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH". I will be forever grateful for the support and guidance they gave to my family during a challenging time. NSA feels like family to us, and always will!

    Testimonials(4)

    • New Summit Academy has provided me with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take a much needed break from my life. I've reflected on my tendencies, developed coping skills, spent so much time working through relationship struggles, and experiencing beautiful things every single day. But most importantly, I've planned. I've used my past experiences as a benchmark for where I never want to be again, and how to keep myself "in the green." I will never forget this year, and all of the people who helped me along the way.

      - Luke, Class of 2024 - August 9, 2024
    • Leaving the USA was the critical benefit for my son. He left the negative environment that was both triggering and enabling his poor choices and began to reset and rebuild in a safe and therapeutic environment.

      - Parent of 2020 Graduate - June 22, 2024
    • Costa Rica gives much more to write and talk and be proud of for years to come...to have lived abroad! For us it was no contest to choose NSA. The distance was not much different than flying out west from the east coast, and the NSA environment was worlds different in terms of freedom, warm and friendly, healthier food and outdoor space.

      - Parent of 2019 Graduate - June 12, 2024
    • All staff viewed students as worthy and capable young men and expectations were set accordingly. From the beginning, we were impressed with the professionalism, caring and experience of all the NSA staff. Communication was excellent regarding everything from coordinating visit logistics to updating us on our son's challenges and progress.

      - Parent of 2022 Graduate - June 20, 2024