FALL 2024 Travel + Exchange Opportunities

The Ex Ed Office is excited to share that we will have experiential travel and cultural exchange courses available to secondary students over Fall Break this coming October. We recognize the need to provide opportunities and expeditionary learning at different times in the year and have created a small catalog of offerings that will occur over Fall Break for those who are interested.

Official Applications for these courses will open on June 5th and remain open until June 30th.

A few key things to note:

  • Students can participate in both Fall and I-Term (in May)

  • Students who participate in a Fall Term course may be exempted from May I-Term, pending an application and approval from Ex. Ed.

  • Because these are extracurricular experiences that exist in addition to the main Secondary I-Term catalog, there is no financial aid available for these experiences.

  • Some courses are only available to certain students based on grade level, age, or required certifications or experience. Please review the catalog carefully to ensure that you are aware of the necessary requirements.

  • We are hoping to add additional experiences to this Fall Catalog! Check This Page for additional travel opportunities going forward.

If you have any questions about these travel and exchange opportunities, please contact exed.secondary@lejardinacademy.org

Thailand GCD Exchange 

Grades: 9-12

Description: Explore the city of Bangkok, a modern capital of commerce where ancient traditions still survive, alongside students from NIST, one of our GCD school partners. Wander the ancient city of Ayutthaya, the former capital of the Thai kingdom, and explore food systems, culinary traditions and sustainable agriculture practices in the idyllic Thai countryside. Immerse in the biodiverse rainforest and search for elephants on safari, and learn about large mammal research and conservation on the front lines of habitat loss and the illegal wildlife trade. 

Learning Outcomes / Driving Questions:

  • Gain appreciation and exposure to the history and diverse cultural heritage of Thailand.

  • Explore culinary traditions, food systems, and sustainable and small-scale farming in Thailand - What is the cultural importance of food, and how does it help us build a sense of place?

  • Learn history of forest conservation and the illegal wildlife trade in SE Asia.

  • How can we use photography as a visual storytelling medium?

  • Cultural and school exchange with one of our GCD partner schools (NIST)

Cost: $2100 + airfare

Dates: Oct 4th-13th

Hawai’i Island: Sustainable Ecosystems

Grades: 8-12

Description: Spend a week on Hawai’i Island camping out at Kaiwiki, a 20-acre parcel of conservation land, and learn about sustainable and culturally-informed farming practices and food systems. Backpack in the remote and rugged wilderness of Hawaiʻi Island and learn about native ecosystems and species. 

Learning Outcomes / Driving Questions:

  • Develop a sense of place in Hawaiʻi and Big Island.

  • Develop relationships and knowledge of the native species of Hawaiian forest ecosystems.

  • I ulu no ka lālā i ke kumu: The branches grow because of the trunk. Exploring the value of ancestral knowledge.

  • How can Hawaiian food systems and environmental knowledge help us learn how to feed our communities in a sustainable way?

Cost: $650 + airfare

Dates: Oct 6th-13th

Life on the Ranch

Grades: 6-8

Description: Spend a week at White Stallion Ranch, one of LJA’s established global partners and a working dude ranch in Tucson, Arizona. Learn about daily life and routines on the ranch, the work that goes into caring for horses and other animals, and develop horsemanship skills while riding through the Tucson Mountains. 

Learning Outcomes / Driving Questions:

  • Introduce students to the inner workings and daily routines of ranch living, animal husbandry and horsemanship.

  • Explore how self-care and caring for animals can be beneficial in many aspects of students’ lives.

  • Leave students with a set of practical tools to cultivate independence, cooperation and responsibility.

Cost: $1500 + airfare

Dates: Oct 6th-12th

Big Island Scuba

Grades: 8-12

Description: Already SCUBA certified? Travel to the Big Island for a certified dive experience off the Kona coast. This is an opportunity for students who have already been dive certified to put their skills to good use, exploring epic coral reefs and experiencing the bathymetry that only Big Island can offer. This includes a night dive with Manta rays. In addition to diving, we’ll visit the only seahorse farm in the U.S. to learn about sea horse conservation and rehabilitation.

Cost: $1200 + airfare Requirements: PADI Open Water Dive Certification

Dates: Oct 7th-12th

Maximum: 8 students