Kent Expeditions

KENT EXPEDITIONS Kent has a long tradition of bringing the world and its culture to campus. Another important step to creating global citizens is to give our students opportunities to participate firsthand in the world’s culture outside of classroom walls. These experiential expeditions bring students and faculty members beyond the gates of Kent to destinations in the United States and around the globe.

There is the opportunity for Kent students to travel on these expeditions thanks in part to the support of generous alumni.

Please find descriptions of some of our recent trips in the pages that follow.

Service Trips, pages 2-5 Experiential Learning Trips, page 6-7 Cultural Trips, pages 8-11 Athletic Trips, pages 12-15

Service Trips Costa Rica, June 2010-current: Students and faculty travelled to El Sur de Turrabares, Costa Rica with Globe Aware in 2011. The group re-constructed a footbridge that had washed away, taught English and computer skills to village residents, harvested sugar cane and learned how to make sugar, took a horseback ride to a local waterfall and played many soccer games with local children.

In 2010, students and faculty travelled to Parismina, Costa Rica with Globe Aware to volunteer with a turtle rescue program.

The group had nightly turtle patrols to aid mother turtles in laying their eggs and to deter predators and poachers. The group also laid a cement floor down in the town recycling center.

Cuzco, Peru, June 2012: Students and faculty traveled to an orphanage in Cuzco, Peru to work with the orphans, play games, teach English and computer skills, and take

the children on field trips. Students participated in service work in rural villages outside Cuzco, building environmentallyfriendly stoves for cooking and home heating. The students had the chance to visit Machu Picchu during their stay.

New York, NY, March 2013: Six students and two members of the faculty spent one week in New York City on a service trip during their spring break to assist after Hurricane Sandy. They volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, The Broadway Kitchen, Harlem Academy (founded by Vinny Dotoli '87), YES Solutions, and Occupy Sandy.

New Orleans, LA, March 2009 – 2012: Students and faculty worked with the Episcopal Diocese of New Orleans to rebuild homes that had been destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The group was also able to spend time touring the French

Quarter, a historic plantation home, the New Orleans Aquarium, Loyola University and Tulane University.

Lynchburg, VA , March 2007 – current: Students and faculty helped to build houses for low income families with the Habitat for Humanity program. Building houses side-by-side with the future homeowners is a powerful experience for all. The group enjoyed nights of bowling, minigolf, movies, 'snowboarding' on synthetic snow, and touring local colleges.

Ecuador and the Galapagos, June 2009: Students and faculty travelled to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands with Sustainable Horizons. In the Galapagos, the group toured tortoise habitats and also painted a local

school. In Ecuador, the group lived with families in a small village and helped to construct a greenhouse at the local school to provide fresh produce year-round for the students.

Experiential Learning Trips SEEK 4 Alaska, June 2013: Students and faculty explored the natural world this June in Alaska's Bristol Bay region and Lake Iliamna for SEEK4: Marine Science Expedition, the 4th branch of the Summer Educational Experiences at Kent. They kayaked with North America’s only freshwater seal population, interacted with diverse sea birds, and hiked in the alpine tundra. They had the opportunity to fish in rivers for trout and salmon, study the ecosystem, explore the region’s geology and climate in nearly 24 hours of daylight.

British Virgin Islands, June 2011 and 2012: Students and faculty partnered with Sail Caribbean to take part in a trip to the British Virgin Islands in Kent’s first Marine Science Expedition. For two weeks, they lived on a catamaran, learned to sail and navigate, and became certified scuba divers. Most importantly, they learned a great deal about the Marine

Sciences: Marine Biology, Geology and Conservation. As one student said, "These two weeks, everything from dissections to diving, have been the highlight of my life."

Cultural Trips College Ste. Anne Exchange, Montreal, Canada, February 2004 – current: Kent has partnered with College Ste. Anne in Montreal since 2004. Upper-level French students can participate in a home stay with a Ste. Anne family, attend classes, and enjoy some local sightseeing.

A Kent faculty member also accompanies the group and has the opportunity to attend classes and talk with teachers in their discipline. In the spring, the Ste. Anne students and a teacher are able to spend a week at Kent, where they also attend classes, sports, and learn about boarding-school life.

Winter Weekend: Montreal & Quebec, Canada, February 2007 – current: Since 2007, groups of Kent School students and teachers have traveled three times to Canada during the Winter Weekend break to enjoy a variety of cultural and outdoor activities. The Quebec City Winter Carnival has been a big hit, despite temperatures well below

zero. In both Montreal and Quebec City, students have been able to go snowshoeing, snow tubing, dogsledding, ice skating, and singing, dancing, and eating at the sugar shack. Students and faculty have also raved about Quebec’s European-style Old City, Montreal’s Old Port and Basilica, and the Underground Mall. While not offered every year, this trip has been a great success each time and is open to students of French as well as to others with an interest in French-Canadian culture.

China, July 2006 – current, biennially: Kent Chinese language students and faculty spend 4 weeks during the summer in Beijing improving their language/speaking skills and immersing themselves in Chinese culture. The program is capped

with an additional week to travel to at least three other historical and modern Chinese cities. Students explore the connection between Kent and the students from China, and enjoy the opportunity to serve as ambassadors representing the U.S. and Kent School.

Florence, Italy, June 2011: A group of 17 students and faculty took a whirlwind tour of Italy, with stops in Venice, Florence, Verona, Assisi, Orvieto, and Rome. Led by Explorica Student Travel, they experienced the geographic and cultural diversity of this wonderful country. Highlights included St. Peter's and the Colosseum in Rome, a gondola ride in Venice, and gelato at least once a day.

France, June 2010: Eight Kent students and two members of the faculty joined groups from other schools on a tour of Paris and the surrounding

area led by Explorica. In addition to main attractions like the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, and the Arc de Triomphe, they left Paris on some day trips to see the chateaux of Chenonceau and Chambord, the spectacular cathedral of Chartres, and the home and gardens of Monet at Giverny.

Athletic Trips Kent teams travel to warmer climates for spring preseason practices. Both girls and boys teams work out in Florida and Texas each March.

Sometimes, teams have the opportunity to travel as a group and play outside New England.

Dublin, Ireland, August, 2012: The Boys Varsity Football team traveled to Ireland to play a game against a British All-Star team in Dublin. Sponsored by USA/Global Football, this event was part of an Photo credit gift2012.com initiative to promote the sport of American football overseas and involved several other high schools from different regions of the country. The boys enjoyed the Irish countryside while getting in shape this preseason. In between practices, they visited a cow and sheep farm, toured Argdillan Castle, and saw the small fishing town of Hoath. They enjoyed a full Irish breakfast at a 16th century pub, too. After their game, the boys watched Notre Dame beat Navy in the Emerald Isle Classic.

Michigan, December 2010 The Boys Varsity Hockey team had the opportunity to play the boys of Salisbury at the University of Michigan. The teams played in Michigan’s outdoor stadium in front of alumni, parents, and friends of Kent. The following day, one hundred thousand fans watched as the University took on Michigan State in a sold-out game billed as the Big Chill at the Big House.

England, July 2009, 2010 In 1927, Kent became the first American schoolboy crew to be invited to the Henley Royal Regatta and we have been participating there on regular basis ever since. In 2009, in the Redding Regatta, Kent's eight boat won the Senior Eight event and the four won the Junior Four event, both crews taking home the silver tankards awarded to the winners.

After posting a school-best record of 47-2 in 2010 and setting the school record for fastest race over 2,000 meters while winning the national championship over a previously

undefeated California club team, Kent Boys Varsity Crew traveled to the Henley Royal Regatta again where they finished second to Eton College in the Princess Elizabeth Cup for schoolboy eights.

England, October 2009: Kent Football had a unique opportunity to travel to England and represent the school against Filton College in Bristol, England. This was a first for any American secondary school - the chance to compete internationally during the fall season. Sponsored by USA/Global Football, an affiliate of the National Football League, this event was part of an initiative by the NFL to promote the sport of football overseas.

Kent Football won their match over Filton 27-6 in the Global Bowl in Bristol. Coach Todd Marble described the once in a lifetime opportunity for his players as, "Truly a magical experience."

England, June 2002, 2005 Kent Girls Varsity Crew had an historic year in 2002. They won the Connecticut State Championships and headed to the New England championships undefeated. The team placed a disappointing third in New England, but decided to make the trip overseas. The girls rowed to victory at Reading where they were the first US crew to win the Mallard Cup. At Henley, the girls found gold again in the junior eights division where they finished with a time of 5:11.

The girls won the New England championship in 2005 and returned to England to row at Reading and Henley. The girls won gold at Reading against high school and university crew.

They made the final at Henley but lost to a crew from Oakland, CA.