Over the past two summers, I have completed two programs with Global Summers Academy and successfully completed two University level high school courses. Over the summer of 2023, I first embarked on the journey to the rugged rainforest and diverse country of Costa Rica to attain my Grade 11 Biology credit.
As someone who is interested in continuing my studies in Engineering, biology was not a required course, but recommended for the program I am interested in. I figured that I could still take biology and have the credit on my transcript without needing to take the course throughout the school year, which would free up space in my Grade 11 year to focus on the subjects that are more important for my program such as Chemistry and Physics.
I decided to go on another program to Italy with Global Summers Academy to complete my Grade 12 English credit, where I was able to experience more text-to-world connections rather than simply reading in a traditional classroom.
I found that having taken two Global Summers Academy Programs, it has allowed me to excel further in my studies at school without the worry of other classes taking up too much of my time. While academics was a major factor in taking Global Summers Academy programs, as someone who seeks to explore the world, I craved the independence from my family and the opportunity to discover my own interests and international connections. Getting to know peers my age from across different provinces in Canada is a benefit from these programs that I would have never experienced elsewhere.
I would highly recommend any high school student to look at Global Summers Academy and the many courses and destinations that they provide. The experience of learning more about the world, while also being able to have experiential learning with other academically motivated people, makes me wish that I could’ve started doing a program with Global Summers Academy before I even entered high school!
Thank you to Student Ambassador Frances L. for writing this blog!
