At Monday's All School Meeting, students were presented with experiential excursions for this upcoming Pro Vita Session in March of 2015. We are excited to offer these unique opportunities to travel and volunteer in Guatemala as part of Discover Corps (a group within the Peace Corps), to study Marine Biology in the Bahamas at the Island School, to learn to fly in Florida as part of Berkshire's Aviation Science Program, and to participate in a backcountry skiing leadership program in Wyoming with NOLS.
Here's a quick look at the details from Mrs. Bullock.
A Sneak Peek: Pro Vita Excursions, March 2015
Pro Vita is a week-long session where the school community challenges and stretches itself in ways beyond the traditional high school curriculum. With over 80 courses and a number of unique excursions, students explore the larger world around them and practice applying the school motto, Pro Vita Non Pro Schola Discimus (Learning--not just for school but for life).
Four off-campus excursions will be offered during Pro Vita Week, March 2-7th, 2015. Students remaining on campus will choose three seminar-style classes from over eighty offerings. Here is an advance look at where our students can go this upcoming year:
Guatemala with Discovercorps, A Peace Corps Program
This ten-day trip will immerse students in Mayan culture by connecting directly with local people. The trip, while visiting some of the Guatemala’s unique archeological and geographic spots, will focus on work in a unique school, run by Mayan teachers, that actively promotes indigenous language and culture. Berkshire students will complete a week-long service project which will include building a new addition to the school, and additionally, they will share their talents in arts and crafts, play sports and games, and teach basic conversational English with the local students.
Island School: Marine Ecology and Sustainability in the Bahamas
Based on the island of Eleuthera, The Island School engages in the process of inquiry in order to discover sustainable solutions to real world problems. For seven days, students will spend a week at the school working on several projects including restoring natural habitat, tagging and tracking marine life populations, and establishing aquaponic gardens. In addition, students will have an opportunity to snorkel nearby coral reefs, explore the island by foot, and interact with local Bahamian students.
NOLS Rocky Mountain Backcountry Ski Leadership Trip
Imagine the solitude of a winter night with a sky blanketed in endless stars. Living and traveling in the winter wild requires leadership and self-awareness skills, and through a seven-day backcountry ski trip in the mountains of the Teton Valley, students will learn from the National Outdoor Leadership School their leadership curriculum, outdoor ethics, and wilderness skills which help every student become the strongest leader he or she can be. No skiing experience is needed, and the trip will include ski instruction and accommodations for five nights in a wood-heated backcountry yurt.
Flying in Florida, Aviation Science
A perennial favorite: students on this trip will attend to a fully credentialed and FAA certified flight school based in Lakeland, Florida. They will undergo initial flight training for a Private Pilot and will complete approximately 8 to 10 hours of flight training and 15 hours of ground school training during the week. Berkshire students will return from the trip with big smiles along with an experiential understanding of flying an airplane and gained sense of self confidence. No prior experience is needed.