Academy for Global Exploration
Encyclopedia
Academy for Global Exploration (AGE) is a college preparatory school
traveling high school for grades 9 through 12 based in Ashland, Oregon
, United States
. AGE spends half of each semester overseas in such countries as Greece, Japan, South Africa, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Peru and others.
. AGE's Southern Oregon base camp is the 81 acres (327,795.7 m²) Valley View Ranch located 10 minutes from downtown Ashland.
. While traveling, students interact with local cultures and visit museums, theaters, historical sites, and geographic areas. While in Ashland, AGE students have access to the Southern Oregon University
Library as well as the Ashland Public Library.
AGE maintains a 3:1 student-teacher ratio, assessing their progress through traditional and alternative methods of testing, and also through regular writing opportunities, presentations and discussions. Students have around-the-clock access to their teachers.
The academic calendar is based on a two-semester model, with each semester sixteen weeks long. Classes are held five days a week using a rotating daily schedule (block schedule). Weekends sometimes involve travel from one site to another.
and bouldering
, to skiing
, surfing
, and kayaking
. Fitness is developed and maintained through daily strength training
and cardiovascular workouts, as well as through cooperative sports and outdoor challenges.
University-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
traveling high school for grades 9 through 12 based in Ashland, Oregon
Ashland, Oregon
Ashland is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, near Interstate 5 and the California border, and located in the south end of the Rogue Valley. It was named after Ashland County, Ohio, point of origin of Abel Helman and other founders, and secondarily for Ashland, Kentucky, where other...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. AGE spends half of each semester overseas in such countries as Greece, Japan, South Africa, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Peru and others.
Basic information
Academy for Global Exploration is a traveling high school spending approximately half of the academic year abroad. When in residence in the United States, AGE is located in Ashland, OregonAshland, Oregon
Ashland is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, near Interstate 5 and the California border, and located in the south end of the Rogue Valley. It was named after Ashland County, Ohio, point of origin of Abel Helman and other founders, and secondarily for Ashland, Kentucky, where other...
. AGE's Southern Oregon base camp is the 81 acres (327,795.7 m²) Valley View Ranch located 10 minutes from downtown Ashland.
Academic overview
Academy for Global Exploration's accredited curriculum is aligned around the Oregon Content Standards and the guidelines set forth by the Northwest Association of Accredited SchoolsNorthwest Association of Accredited Schools
The Northwest Accreditation Commission , formerly named the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools, is an organization based in Boise, Idaho which accredits a variety of schools, including K-12, elementary, middle, and high schools; schools offering distance education; non-degree-granting...
. While traveling, students interact with local cultures and visit museums, theaters, historical sites, and geographic areas. While in Ashland, AGE students have access to the Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University
is a public liberal arts college located in Ashland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1926, it was formerly known as Southern Oregon College and Southern Oregon State College . SOU offers criminology, natural sciences, including environmental science, Shakespearean studies and theatre arts programs...
Library as well as the Ashland Public Library.
AGE maintains a 3:1 student-teacher ratio, assessing their progress through traditional and alternative methods of testing, and also through regular writing opportunities, presentations and discussions. Students have around-the-clock access to their teachers.
The academic calendar is based on a two-semester model, with each semester sixteen weeks long. Classes are held five days a week using a rotating daily schedule (block schedule). Weekends sometimes involve travel from one site to another.
International travel
Each semester Academy for Global Exploration spends eight weeks visiting a different international destination. Students learn from and about other cultures, and have the opportunity to participate in adventure sports. While on expedition, students and faculty travel together and the normal academic schedule is maintained. Homestays, cultural events, school visitations, and community service projects are incorporated into each semester's curriculum and itinerary.Cultural studies
Each semester, all students at AGE take AGE's Cultural Studies class, co-taught by all AGE faculty members, as well as the students. The course content is a blend of process-oriented and country-specific topic lessons.Outdoor adventure
AGE's Outdoor Education program promotes outdoor activities that vary from rock climbingRock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
and bouldering
Bouldering
Bouldering is a style of rock climbing undertaken without a rope and normally limited to very short climbs over a crash pad so that a fall will not result in serious injury. It is typically practiced on large natural boulders or artificial boulders in gyms and outdoor urban areas...
, to skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
, surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
, and kayaking
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
. Fitness is developed and maintained through daily strength training
Strength training
Strength training is the use of resistance to muscular contraction to build the strength, anaerobic endurance, and size of skeletal muscles. There are many different methods of strength training, the most common being the use of gravity or elastic/hydraulic forces to oppose muscle contraction...
and cardiovascular workouts, as well as through cooperative sports and outdoor challenges.
Sample semesters
- Rock climbing in KalymnosKalymnosKalymnos, is a Greek island and municipality in the southeastern Aegean Sea. It belongs to the Dodecanese and is located to the west of the peninsula of Bodrum , between the islands of Kos and Leros : the latter is linked to it through a series of islets...
, Nafplio, and the Peloponnesus PeninsulaPeloponneseThe Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
in GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
; - Surfing down the Pacific Coast of NicaraguaNicaraguaNicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, Costa RicaCosta RicaCosta Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
and PanamaPanamaPanama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
; - Skiing and snowboardingSnowboardingSnowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
on the islands of HonshuHonshuis the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
and HokkaidoHokkaido, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
in JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
; - Kayaking the rivers of Northern and Central Costa Rica;
- Bouldering and rock climbing in RocklandsRocklandsRocklands is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk which encompasses the villages of Rockland All Saints and Rockland St Peter.It covers an area of and had a population of 702 in 282 households as of the 2001 census. For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of...
and MontaguMontagu- People with the surname :* Alexander Montagu, 13th Duke of Manchester* Ashley Montagu* Charles Montagu , several persons* Edward Montagu , several persons* Edwin Samuel Montagu* Elizabeth Montagu* Ewen Montagu...
, South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.