After seeing kayak videos and photos, and looking over the list of national and international accomplishments, you may wonder if your kayaking skills qualify for New River Academy.

Learning safety and kayaking with friends is part of the fun. Now you are living life.

The answer is not in your kayaking skills but in your heart. If you love kayaking and being active, you’re ready to start. As all Huge Experiences students discover, it’s not how good you are before you begin, but the enthusiasm and dedication you put into it after you’re there that makes a difference.

Ninth grade student Zoe Ross began the year working on her roll and gaining confidence in class III. After a month Zoe ran this 12 footer on the Seven Teacups.

A big advantage to studying at New River Academy is the opportunity to paddle every day under the supervision of great coaches. Young paddlers learn all moves and skills right the first time. This saves a tremendous amount of time, energy and frustration. The best time to join New River Academy is just as a young kayaker begins to feel ready to try and play in rapids. Coaches teach a progression from basic to advanced moves. Each move teaches skills necessary for mastering the next move in the sequence. This builds a strong foundation that keeps paddlers from the frustration of trying to learn moves beyond their ability and allows them to advance at their own pace.

On the river, the New River Academy team breaks up into small groups. This allows paddlers at different skill levels to train on the sections of river best suited to them. An advanced athlete will train with a coach on one rapid while another coach takes novice paddlers to a more forgiving section.

Are you good enough? New River Academy will make sure you are.

“And that has made all the difference.”

” And so we talked all night about the rest of our lives, where we gonna be when we turn 25.  I keep thinking times will never change, keep on thinking things will always be the same. But when we leave this year we won’t be coming back, no more hanging out cause we’re on a different track.  As we go on, we remember, all the times we had together. And as our lives change, from what ever, we will still be, friends forever … Will we think about tomorrow like we think about now? Can we survive it out there? Can we make it somehow? I guess I thought that this would never end, and now it’s like we’re women and men. Will the past be a shadow that will follow us  ’round? Will these memories fade when I leave this town? I keep, I keep thinking that it’s not goodbye.  Keep on thinking it’s a time to fly.” – Macy Gray.

Graduation day reminds me of sappy songs, tears, hugs, and hopes for the future.  I am so happy to have passed a semester playing, exploring and learning with all our students and staff. I am especially proud of my seniors, Chase, Matti, Stephen and Tracy. They all have respective plans for next year, scurrying off to various universities across the map. I know that they will use what they have learned here at New River Academy, while adjusting to “regular” academic life. I anticipate hearing from them during their first weeks at COLLEGE! (hint, hint, guys! )

As for the rest of these youngsters, well, I hope that we’re all back here together again come August. I am excited for this upcoming weekend, where all of us, and all of you, will play and reminisce together.  Personally, I expect teary speeches and farewells. But perhaps that’s just me, perhaps the students have a tougher sort of skin. They are, after all, serious athletes…. we’ll see.

It is Friday morning and students are turning in their final projects. Taylor just handed me a beautiful, artistic, poster board rendition of the characters (or rather, inanimate objects), from the novel Skinny Legs and All. I can hear Lorenzo’s Spanish class working on their final dialogues, and the seniors practicing their graduation speeches. Finality is in the air.  But, finality is always coupled with new beginnings, with endless possibilities.

We are all so grateful to all of you, who have helped make this possible. See you all tomorrow!

Callie

This update is from a few days ago, but I was having trouble uploading it. Enjoy!

The look on my AP English students’ faces as they finished their AP tests brought me zooming back to my last moments of high school. As they wrote that final word and triumphantly set their pencils down, their faces showed relief, pride, anticipation and ecstasy. I recall all of these feelings so well: relief at finishing a test I’d prepared an entire year for, pride at having done my best, anticipation for what’s coming next, and ecstasy to be DONE! Congratulations, seniors, you did it!!!

While the seniors are basking in their glory at completing the AP courses, the younger students are faithfully plodding along. With one week left, they are busy churning out research papers, essays and exams. Summer is in sight for all of us, although the predictably unpredictable New England weather would have us believe otherwise. Although the the cold weather is not exactly stellar for kayaking, the strong winds have made our camping experience more interesting. Just ask Zoe Ross, whose tent has proven its ability to fly across the yard! Yesterday we all took advantage of the stormy weather and took a group field trip to see the movie Iron Man 2. Action flicks aren’t my forte, but the kids were all thrilled.

Tomorrow morning we will rise with the sun, and journey south, hopefully to friendlier skies! I  am sure that our last week is going to fly by; before I know it, you will all be here to help us celebrate the end of the year! See you all soon!

Callie

Hey All,

News Flash, Taylor Cote has won the NRA spelling bee. Chase got second and Alex third. It was pretty fun to watch them!!!

The starting line up!

Chase getting a word right, I think it was "Karaoke"

As the school year winds down, classes are working on their final projects and lessons, and AP classes are finished with their exams. For seniors, we are finally glad to be done. Done with AP tests. Done with homework. Done with high school. It’s been a good thirteen years, but it feels great to relax at the end of so much hard work over the course of many, many years. As for the underclassmen, they are busy writing their final papers and studying for exams. It really is great to be a senior.
Kayaking over the past two weeks has been nothing less than phenomenal. Our week and a half at the Ottawa River included some of the best playboating in the world. We had to wait for the level to drop, but after a few days one of the most famous waves in the world, Garburator, came in. Garb is the fastest wave I’ve ever surfed, and some huge tricks were thrown. After our surf sessions every afternoon we relaxed at our home for our time in Canada: Keenerville. Wilderness Tours’ Keenerville is a kayaker’s paradise. It comes complete with a bed for everyone and three whole showers. For us, it was like a stay in a five star hotel.
After leaving the river, we traveled south to spend a night in the town of Niagara Falls, Canada. Upon arrival in Niagara Falls, we drove straight to Niagara Helicopters Limited, and, thanks to Jessica Droujko and her family, we all flew over the famous falls. Seeing the falls from this angle was truly amazing. After our flights, we roamed the town and visited the multiple tourist attractions, including seeing the falls from ground level. We went to the Ripley’s museum, a moving theater, and looked in the many shops. Stephen and I were content with watching playoff hockey and basketball in our hotel room all night. It’s not often that we get to watch sports. The following morning, Jessica’s family treated us to breakfast (which was the third meal they provided for us) and we hit the road once again. This time we were headed for Tino’s house in Shelbourne Falls, Massachusetts.
Tino’s house was a great place to get some school done and relax. We took all our AP exams and were treated to some great meals courtesy of Tino’s mom Claire. We all had a great time playing with their two puppies, one only eight weeks old, and Andy enjoyed providing Tino’s parents with enough firewood to last the next three winters.
Our ride from Massachusetts to West Virginia was long, but it feels good to be back at a familiar location. We’re winding down school, and getting ready for graduation in only a few days. I can’t wait to see my parents and meet all the others. This weekend should be a blast, and we’re all excited to get home.