Experiential Learning

Experiential Learning at Noble and Greenough School “ ...dedicated to inspiring leadership for the public good” — from the Nobles Mission Statement

Experiences that broaden perspective on the world are critical to adolescent development and reveal the positive role young people can play in shaping their world.

Through challenging experiential learning programs, Nobles students become critical, creative and socially- conscious thinkers who know when and how to take action.

Nobles Travel Global Service Learning Programs and Partnerships New Orleans: Since 2006, Nobles has partnered with 10 community-based organizations for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. n South Africa: Since 1997, Nobles students have partnered with St. Brendan’s School, Kliptown Youth Program, Willing Workers in South Africa, Grassroots Soccer and the Masiphumelele Foundation. n India: Since 2009, Nobles has collaborated with the Mussoorie Village Development Committee to improve sanitation, water and education services in remote villages in the Himalayan foothills. n Romania: Since 1999, Nobles has supported at-risk, abandoned and handicapped children through the Alfred Rusescu Pediatric Hospital and Romanian Children’s Relief. n Cambodia and Vietnam: Since 2003, Nobles students and teachers have taken extensive cycling journeys and most recently partnered with Soleaid International, building homes and a library, and working in schools in the Kampong Kreng villages near Kampot, Cambodia. n

To help Noble and Greenough graduates become responsible, empathic and skilled global citizens, the school offers a variety of challenging domestic and international travel opportunities. To do this, we create and sustain long-term partnerships with organizations around the world where students and faculty share experiences that allow them to develop a conviction that individuals can make a difference in the world.

At Nobles, students and adults work together during trips that involve service learning, language immersion, cultural exchange, intellectual pursuit and physical challenge. Whether it is helping to rebuild post-Katrina New Orleans, working with orphaned children in Romania or tutoring math in South Africa, these shared experiences allow students to develop an ethic of connectedness.

“The Nobles trip to the Middle East taught me that it was more important to be well informed and unsure about where you stood than to pick a side for the sake of having an opinion.”

— Lucie Wright ’10

Nobles Travel continued

Community Service

Language Immersion and Cultural Exchange

Nobles is committed to cultivating purposeful citizenship on local, national and global levels. Nobles service programs require all students to give their time, talents and energy to help people in need.

Through community service, Nobles:

Nobles students live with host families, attend classes and visit cultural and historic sites: Toledo, Spain—Instituto el Greco Montpellier, France—Jeu de Mail School n Sapporo, Japan—Hokkaido Sapporo Intercultural and Technological High n n

Hands-On Learning Honduras: At the the Institute for Marine Sciences in Roatan, Nobles students study marine biology and ecology. n New Hampshire: Nobles students learn about sustainable farming and agriculture at multiple sustainable farms in New Hampshire and Vermont. n Middle East: Building off of the 2010 trip to Israel and Egypt, Nobles students and faculty plan to travel in alternate years to Israel and a Muslim state to learn about the complexities of the Middle East. n

Middle School Travel Each year, Middle School students take trips designed to introduce them to international travel and learning.

Recent trips include South Africa, Greece, Italy and Spain/France.

“Before going to South Africa, I knew there was poverty, but I didn’t know how bad it was in some places. I used to complain about the simplest things—things I took for granted. I met kids with no parents or with parents who had died of HIV. Going on this trip made me realize I really have nothing to be unhappy about. It made me appre- ciate what I have a lot more. It also made me want to help people less fortunate than I am.”

— Jaida Judge ‘13

Encourages a lifetime commitment to community involvement n Nurtures a sense of social responsibility and global citizenship n Cultivates awareness and understanding of human circumstances and differences that extend beyond the student’s typical classroom or home experience n Helps students develop self-esteem and self- reliance through substantive responsibility and committed work ethic n Elicits meaningful responses to the needs and experiences of others n

These partners in Greater Boston annually receive thousands of hours of service from the Nobles community:

Community Servings, Boston Roxbury Prep Charter School and Epiphany School, Boston n Riverdale, Oakdale and Avery Schools, Dedham n Romanian Children’s Relief n Upward Bound and Achieve at Nobles n n

Study Away from Nobles

Gap Year

Each year, 10 to 15 Nobles students study off-campus for a year or a semester. Nobles encourages students to take advantage of quality academic and experiential educational programs around the country and the world including:

Taking a “gap year” between high school and college is becoming increasingly attractive to high school seniors. The benefits of engaging in a combination of new experiences—through work, service, alternative educational programs, internships and travel— before college are widely recognized. More Nobles students are considering gap year opportunities after they have completed their college process and graduated from Nobles.

The Island School, Cape Eleuthera, Bahamas CITYterm, New York n Chewonki Semester School, Maine n Mountain School, Vermont n School Year Abroad—China, France, Spain, Italy n High Mountain Institute, Colorado n Various secondary school programs worldwide n n

“The Island School helped me realize how much you can gain and learn by stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things. In the process, you learn a lot about who you are and what is around you.” — Welbis Ortiz ’11

Senior Projects Senior projects allow members of Class I to engage in new experiences that will significantly and substantively expand their understanding of interests outside the Nobles curriculum.

Recent Senior Projects Working as an intern at Mass. Eye and Ear Hospital Writing and performing a one-person theatrical production n Building a bio-diesel engine for use at Nobles n Volunteering in a Boston charter school classroom n Writing and implementing a startup business plan n n

Recent gap year experiences of Nobles graduates:

Serving with CityYear in Boston, New York and Washington, D.C. n Hiking the Appalachian Trail n Volunteering at a local shelter n Interning with a non-governmental organization or political campaign n Working in construction n

“Taking a gap year was extremely valuable for me. For one, I was lucky enough to go on some pretty awesome adventures as well as work some challenging jobs. Moreover, I was able to figure out what I wanted to get out of four years of college and grew to appreciate more fully the great opportunity that going to college represented.”

— Sam Trachtman ’07

“It’s important to do community service in your own back yard, but it’s just as important to understand that the whole world is your back yard.”

— J u l i a nn a W r i g h t ’ 12

“During just 10 days in Romania, I did not think I could learn so much about humanity and selflessness through the nurses and doctors at the hospital and about innocence and patience from the babies. It was truly a life-changing experience, and hopefully I will get to go back there someday.”

— S u s r u t h i R a j a n a l a ’ 13

“People say time flies when you’re working hard and having fun. Well, we definitely worked hard and had fun in Vietnam and Cambodia, but time doesn’t fly when you’re wishing time not to fly because you want to savor and live every moment of it to the fullest.”

— T u n g N g u y en ‘ 11

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175 to 200 students and 25 to 35 faculty participate in Nobles travel programs each year.

80 percent of 2009, 2010 and 2011 graduates have participated in Nobles travel programs or spent time studying away from Nobles.

Nobles provides significant financial assistance so that all students can participate in Experiential Learning Programs.

Each year, Nobles students perform more than 20,000 hours of service.

“Going to New Orleans showed me a different part of the world that was so close, yet so different from where I live. We could tell how much our help meant to the people of New Orleans and that there was still hope for and faith in the reconstruction of the city.”

— M a tt K i n g ’ 12

“The people I met at the Mountain School and the e xperiences we shared have taught me about what it means to truly take care of the environment, those around me, and myself.”

— E len a Ro d r í g u e z - V i ll a ’ 12

“My City Year at the Ohrenberger School in West Roxbury taught me the exponential power of people.

I took a gap year not because I was not ready for college, but because I wanted to make a positive impact in my local community.”

— H a nn a Atwoo d ’ 0 9

For further information and contacts for all programs, please visit

www.nobles.edu/experiential Noble and Greenough School, 10 Campus Drive, Dedham, MA 02026, 781.326.3700