The Traveling School

The Traveling School’s mission is to empower young women academically, physically and culturally through an experiential overseas high school semester.

Semester Program: The Traveling School offers teenage girls ages 15-18 the opportunity to explore the world, form a cohesive community and learn about themselves. Each semester up to 16 students and four teachers travel through 3-4 countries, learning about the region through their studies and experiences. Fall semesters travel to southern Africa (Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa). Spring semesters explore South America (Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia).

Academics: The Traveling School emphasizes student-centered instruction that is inquiry-based and experiential in nature. Students earn full academic credit for six semester courses in global studies, history, science, English, foreign language (Spanish spring semester only), health and physical education and mathematics. Learning comes to life through the places we visit, the people we meet and especially from the stories they tell us.

Cultural Engagement: Our students engage with new situations and cultures, recognize how cultural lenses affect perception and travel with the spirit of a world citizen. Students practice language skills in local markets, engage in service projects and participate in homestays. This cultural engagement helps cultivate self-awareness, respect and a sense of environmental and social responsibility.

Outdoor Adventure: Students camp, hike, backpack, canoe, mountaineer, rock climb, rappel, whitewater raft and more. Outdoor experiences push students to try new activities, embrace the unknown, turn challenging situations into opportunities and assess risks so they can enter new experiences with self-awareness and confidence.

Leadership Skills: Leadership skill development is practiced in all aspects of the Traveling School semester. Starting with self-leadership (self-awareness and self-care), students learn to become independent travelers. Next, students develop strong communication and conflict resolution skills to build community, close relationships and promote group responsibility. Students leave the semester with confidence in their own ideas and an ability to respect differences and address conflict, exhibiting competence and leadership skills.

The Traveling School builds female leaders with powerful voices who are inspired to learn, able to adapt and prepared to stretch their comfort zones. Because of this unique, transformative academic experience, Traveling School students return home with widened perspectives – globally engaged and community minded. As well, over the past 18 years, our alumnae have been accepted to competitive colleges and go on to find meaningful employment, where they continue to thrive and actively participate.

Tuition is $31,000 and includes academic instruction, book fees, meals and lodging, transportation while overseas, museum and national park fees, recreational activities and visas and medical evacuation rescue and security extraction service. Additional fees include $40 application fee and $1,000 enrollment deposit (refundable upon completion of semester, less outstanding balances). Financial aid and fundraising opportunities are available.