Imagine studying Spanish in South America. Your teacher prepares a Spanish scavenger hunt and your race through a local community asking, “donde esta la ferreteria?” “Where is the hardware store?” You even work outside of class as you flirt with the local Chilean girls on the beach in Pucon. Your video teacher is having you complete interviews about the first female president of South America, Chile’s Michelle Bachelet. Each class seems to be exciting and related to your interests.
These girls enjoy learning near our Pucon, Chile base.
It is 2:50 pm and you have just 5 more minutes of 6th period. Now, you are ready to load your kayak and go master your Space Godzilla or stick a clean waterfall line. You are working hard in school, progressing in your kayak, and learning about a new culture. This is New River Academy: An accredited high school for serious kayakers.
New River Academy follows a traditional education curriculum in a non-traditional setting. Since you can’t bring the rivers to the school, the school goes to the rivers. Students, teachers, coaches and support staff all travel from one great whitewater destination to another. With bungalows, cabins, patios and lodges as classrooms students follow the traditional 7 hours of school before breaking free in afternoons to paddle more whitewater in one year than most kayakers will see their entire lives.
Aside from the great paddling and world travel there are some unique advantages to the New River Academy’s educational model. The student to teacher ratio is 3 to 1 giving students incredible, personalized attention. Students learn life skills from doing laundry and cooking to negotiating travel logistics in a foreign culture. Experiential education opportunities abound. A phenomenal kayak coaching staff includes many f today’s top pro kayakers. Past coaches have included Eric Jackson, Stephen Wright, Clay Wright, Bryan Kirk, Tino Specht, and David Hughes to name a few.
Read more about Applying To New River Academy.
