Off-Campus Programs
Holton provides the opportunity for students to participate in a variety of structured, experiential learning opportunities that enrich their on-campus studies. These programs prepare students to become agents of positive change. Participants explore how leaders are working for quality education, gender equality, environmental sustainability, and the eradication of hunger and poverty and think deeply about social responsibility, pursue opportunities for leadership, and build life-long friendships.
This year (2022-2023) we will offer the following programs:
Cultural Immersion & Environmental Awareness- Belize (Grades 7 & 8)
Spanish Language & Cultural Immersion -Spain (Grades 9 & 10)
Chinese Language & Cultural Immersion - NYC (Grades 9 & 10)
Junior Journey to Morocco (Grade 11)
Junior Journey to India (Grade 11)
Junior Journey to Peru (Grade 11)
Check out blogs below from pre-COVID era trips!
- Lower School: Maine
- Middle School: Belize & New Orleans
- Upper School: France, Italy, Spain
- Upper School: China, India, Peru
Lower School: Maine
The grade 6 program to Maine is designed to provide a hands-on learning experience that is a direct extension of Holton's Grade 6 Oceanography Unit.
Partnering with scientists and environmental educators at Schoodic Institute and College of the Atlantic, Holton teachers design relevant, engaging, age-appropriate programming connected explicitly to two United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals: Life Below Water and Life on Land.
2019 TRIP BLOG - GROUP 1 2019 TRIP BLOG - GROUP 2Middle School: Belize & New Orleans
Belize
In Middle School, Holton and Landon School students partner together to study the ecology, history, and culture of Belize. Using the framework of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals to shape the program, they explore the following goals as they relate to Belizean culture and, by extension, their own: Climate Action, Responsible Consumption and Production, and Quality Education.
The focus of this experience is to gain cultural awareness and global perspectives on issues of climate change, education, and consumption while fostering leadership skills, such as respect for differences, appreciation for similarities, and awareness of the interconnectedness of the world.
New Orleans
In grade 8, Holton students travel to and learn about the culture and history of New Orleans, the unique ecology of the Mississippi River Delta, and the impact of urban planning decisions on communities within the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Activities are designed to engage with the local community to deepen student understanding of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Sustainable Cities and Communities.
NOLA 201
Upper School: France, Italy, Spain
France
The Holton World Languages Department, in partnership with the Centre International d'Études Françaises (C.I.D.E.F) in Angers, France, established a 16-day homestay language-immersion program for French language students in the grades 9 and 10. Holton recognizes and appreciates the motivational and academic advances that come from experiential language learning.
During their stay in Angers, Holton students live with host families, attend intensive language classes daily, and participate in guided visits in and around the Loire Valley. Two Holton instructors accompany the students each year with the goal of converting the quaint town of Angers into a compelling classroom in which to improve their French proficiency.
Italy
The Holton World Languages Department, in partnership with the Paideia Institute for Humanistic Study in Rome, Italy, established a 16-day cultural and language immersion program to give students in grades 9 and 10 the opportunity to study classical language, history, and literature. Holton recognizes and appreciates the motivational and academic advances that come from experiential language learning.
Two Holton instructors and one Paideia Institute teacher accompany the students with the goal of converting the exciting cities of Naples and Rome into compelling living classrooms. During their stay, students and teachers live together in convents or monasteries in Rome and Naples. Classes take place either in the convents or monasteries or on site in the city.
Spain
The Holton World Languages Department, in partnership with El Centro Español de Nuevas Profesiones in Madrid, Spain, established a 16-day homestay language-immersion program to give our Spanish language students in the ninth and tenth grades the opportunity to live and learn in Spanish. Holton recognizes and appreciates the motivational and academic advances that come from experiential language learning.
Two Holton Spanish language instructors accompany the students each year with the goal of converting the exciting city of Madrid into a compelling classroom in which to improve their Spanish proficiency. During their stay in Madrid, Holton students live with host families, attend intensive language classes daily, and participate in guided visits in and around Madrid, Segovia, and Toledo.
Upper School: China, India, Peru
China
With a growing, diverse population surpassing 1.3 billion people, China has experienced dizzying economic growth, emergence of a middle class, and a rapid rise to power on the world stage. During the last decade, development on an unprecedented scale and massive urbanization have resulted in mass migration, socio-economic diversity, and the need for quality education for all.
On this program, students explore the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals of: Decent Work and Economic Growth, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, and Quality Education. Holton students compare and contrast the global successes and challenges facing both China and the United States. Through their journey to Shanghai, Dali, Shangri-La, Xi’an, and Beijing, students grapple with a variety of topics and perspectives regarding industrial development and the modernization of China.
India
Students who participate in the India Program will experience and grapple with the complex issues of development that are evident throughout the country, in both the city and in rural areas where 70% of Indians still reside. India is an ideal location to observe the effects of globalization. The history and culture of India offer a fascinating look at the role of tradition, and its steadfastness in a country of over a billion people.
Through their travels in northern India, students explore how the dynamic push and pull of tradition and modernity affect and are affected by the population, culture, religion, and politics. Students deepen their understanding of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals of Good Health and Wellbeing, Quality Education, and No Poverty with educators and community leaders at The Modern School and Enactus in Delhi; Khalsa Chief Diawan Orphanage in Amritsar; and Norbulingka Institute, Chinmaya Organization for Rural Development, and Shreabling Monastery in Dharamshala.
Peru
Peru’s economy has grown significantly over the last decade, making it one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Governmental stability and increased foreign trade and investment have played a crucial role in establishing Peru’s presence on the global stage. Empowerment through education, training, and access to micro-financing has enabled women to contribute significantly to the economic story both at a local and national level.
Throughthis program Holton students explore the ways Peru is engaging women in the promotion and protection of its cultural patrimony in both Lima and Cusco. With educators, community leaders, and peers, students explore the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals of: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions; Gender Equality; and Decent Work and Economic Growth at San Silvestre School in Lima, at the Afro-Peruvian Center in Canete, and at Kuska School and the Sacred Valley Health Organization in Cusco.