18 had the opportunity to practice their conversational skills. •Participating in a wilderness emergency preparedness class, learning the history of local trails and parks, and other natural wonders of Western New York through several hikes and outdoor experiences led by the Earth Spirit faculty. While the main focus of Immersion at Park is an academic one, traveling together and experiencing something new is also really fun! Many Park alumni have reported that their Immersion experiences were transformational in their development as thinkers and doers because it was their first taste of independence and their first glimpse of the larger world of possibility. Immersion places students in unfamiliar settings where they must navigate daily life, solve problems, and make decisions without relying heavily on their parents. These experiences build independence for our students because: •Students must make real-time choices about things like managing money, or perhaps ordering food in another language. •Away from their usual support systems, students are challenged to manage their needs — from packing appropriately to handling differences from the daily norm. •At times, unexpected issues require quick thinking, and students become more resourceful and resilient when things don’t go as planned. •Students often need to keep track of schedules, belongings, and group responsibilities, and this is an opportunity to practice being organized, punctual, and accountable. •Traveling often involves group activities, shared responsibilities, and collective decision-making, and students end up learning to practice cooperation, compromise, and handling group dynamics - essential skills for life. I love our Immersion program because it intensely and critically combines the academic and social components of our school into one singular experience. Immersion is an opportunity for our students to be both adventurously studious and studiously adventurous. To be, in other words, pioneers! Planning for Immersion 2027 is underway with options of Italy, Puerto Rico, Quebec City & Montreal, Southern Spain, Alaska, Chicago, Disney Animation, WNY sports, Buffalo Maritime, and a writers and artists retreat! Costa Rica Dominican Republic Western New York New York City
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