We just went through the quickest check in and security check that I have experienced in the 12 years of doing summer programs. It is safe to say your children are more seasoned travelers than they started on July 2, 2022. In this moment, it is hard to describe the impact that this program had on the students, staff and myself but we do know, when we all have some time to reflect on our journey that began on July 2, we will look back on this opportunity with a big smile on our face. Our last dinner and dance on the rooftop of the Stanley Hotel, was a wonderful evening of celebrating what was accomplished, a great group of young adults that formed a cohesive community in 25 days. About half the students decided to celebrate by jumping in the pool (closed to swimming at 8pm) with all their clothes on. The students finally pulled one over on Jason! We truly have an amazing group of young adults with us.

Your children have a big heart and sound direction on where they are going in life, they are ready for what lies beyond high school. Last night we had the opportunity to sign their name on each other’s souvenir t-shirt that was purchased by Global Summers and the staff. Looking around the room it was easy to see how well the group liked one another as they all excitedly signed their name on every t-shirt. This group enjoyed being with one another, for the most part they went from strangers to friends and in some cases, we feel they will be lifelong friends. A perfect way to end a fantastic program.

We want to take this time to thank all the parents for raising such great young adults and for the support you gave to me, our staff and your child throughout the program. I would also like to thank our incredible staff team. Arek, Betty, Gary, Kim and Mary-Rose truly were amazing to work with. Our team embraced experiential education with their classes, they connected with students to bring out the best possible outcomes for academic success and they also showed such great empathy and care for your loved ones while on the program. I could not have done this without them, they were always there to support the program for the entire adventure. Their tireless effort and passion for their subject areas and for creating fun activities for them made this program the success it was. Thank you all so much, we hope to work again another time. This program is coming home today, Wednesday afternoon, but this program will live on, these bonds from this trip will not be broken, these new best friends, this new community, will continue on in Canada.

Have a wonderful rest of the summer everyone.
Sincerely, Jason Smith – Program Manager

With pizza to fuel their studies and shenanigans, our travelling scholars conquered their last task of the program: exams! We celebrated with a banquet and a beautiful rooftop party, dancing with a view of Athens and the Acropolis. Congratulations to our new worldly wanderers for achieving your course credits while experiencing Rome and Greece! 

After a steep climb and many a question about ancient Athenian footwear, our travelling scholars were rewarded with the most magnificent view in Athens! Equipped with our water bottles and wearing our sunscreen, we strolled through the spectacular remains of Grecian antiquity. 

Beach volleyball in Kalamata! We had a blast on a study break with the sun in the sky, the sand under our feet, and the Top Gun soundtrack playing on loop in our heads.

Maybe the last part was just me ?

Fearless explorers by land and sea! Our travelling scholars took on the Messenian Gulf, building muscle – and trust! – in tandem kayaks. Some were so at home on the water that they simply put their feet up for the most relaxing of paddles. 

Happy to report that there were no surprise swims!

Class is in session! The sunny seaside in Kalamata offers our scholars a change of scenery and their pick of beautiful venues for class. Back on the mainland, minds are flourishing in conference room and café alike! Togas are optional but they always help!

Not far from the sunny resorts of Kalamata lies a geological gem: the Diros Caves. A drive through picturesque Greek villages brought us to our first stop in Stoupa for a swim in the clearest waters we’ve seen yet! On to Diros Caves where we rowed through magnificent caves and learned the difference between stalagmites and stalactites (the former grow from the ground up and the latter extend from the ceiling down!) 

O Captain, my Captain! For three magical days, our travelling scholars got to call the sailboats home as we sailed the clearest, ancient waters of the Mediterranean with our little boat families.

It was on these very seas that Aristotle watched the hulls of ships disappear over the horizon before their masts, concluding that the earth must in fact be round. Our journey involved a little more sunscreen and a lot more floaties than those of the ancient Greeks!

After getting their feet wet, our travellers spent their sailing days splashing through the seas and leaping from the sides of the boats in majestic dives and flips. We balanced speed with studies and remembered our sunscreen! 

Throughout the many blog posts and pictures that have appeared on the Photo Blog for our program, our Activity Coordinator Mary-Rose and the staff have tried to capture how it feels to be on this program with your children. We are now past the halfway point and I would like to try and sum up in a few short paragraphs the themes of opportunity, community and responsibility that can be used to sum up our experiences thus far.

It is safe to say that your children have been given an incredible opportunity to visit two amazing countries and many locales within these countries for this program. Everyone has seen thousands of years of history first hand, been able to learn about buildings, people, events and cultures first hand. Sometimes these experiences are formal where a teacher or a tour guide is explaining a part of their curriculum that allows them that experiential education that Global Summers Academy provides on every program. Many times though it is when students are exploring with a group of friends without any formal guide, experiencing these cities and islands. Shopping, interacting with locals or interpreting culture or historic sites first hand without any help. All of our students have really taken advantage of this opportunity. They are not letting their time in these amazing locations slip away and are taking every advantage to soak it all in. They realize how special this opportunity is and are taking the opportunity and experiencing it as mature and reflective young adults. Many parents may be wondering if your child was ready to be away on their own away from home. The students on this program have truly shown that they are ready for that opportunity and are mature enough to take full advantage of what you offered them this summer in taking a Global Summers Academy program.

From the first day of the program the staff have stressed the importance of our program becoming a strong and supportive community. The importance of supporting one another academically and socially is vital for the success of this program. With parents thousands of km’s away we need to make sure we are providing the care and empathy as we deal with the ups and downs of being so far away from our loved ones at home in Canada. Again, our students have taken this to heart and have bonded very closely with one another. Students are supportive in and out of the classroom to help one another keep up with the fast paced curriculum that they are experiencing together.  They have bonded as friends to support each other in and out of the classroom, to make sure they compromise when deciding what to do at night or on weekends based on the group’s needs rather than just their own. When students have missed home, felt ill or are stressing about school other students have shown empathy and care when helping their new friend work through it. The maturity of the students on the program is truly evident on a daily basis and they have built a strong community of 48 students in a very short period of time. In the near future, for most of these students, post-secondary education is a next step. I can see that these students, given their maturity and abilities at the moment, will be ready for that independent life of post-secondary education.

Many parents may have wondered about the safety of their child as they are so far away from the nest of home but I can assure you that your child have been very responsible in following the guidelines that Global Summers has to ensure their safety. When a student has made an unwise choice it has been handled as an opportunity to learn from it. This opportunity will prepare them for when they truly are out of the nest, which is in the very near future for many of these students. This group of students respect themselves and each other to represent their families, our school, our country and themselves in a way that all our locations know our Canadian students are a fantastic group. As a staff we have also commented just how well this group travels. We have had some long days travelling, waiting patiently and touring but the program has shown great resilience. They truly have been a respectful and adventurous on this program. Thank you for raising such a thoughtful, responsible and respectful group of young adults. Our staff have often reflected just how lucky we are to have this group on the program.

Thank you for reading. We are only 12 days away from coming home. I know students are excited to see all of their loved ones on the 27th but they also are realizing just how much they are going to miss their new friends and miss the opportunity that you have provided to them this summer with this program.

Sincerely,

Jason Smith
Program Manager

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