Summer Camps & Programs

Program Description

Broadreach and Academic Treks

Scuba, Sailing, Marine Biology, Language Immersion, and Community Service Adventures for Teenagers
Caribbean, Australia, Costa Rica, Honduras, China, Bahamas, Canada, Mexico, Belize, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, France, Egypt, South Africa, and Fiji

		Program Description Program Overview Visit Web Site Get Free Info See Photos

For More Information, Contact
BROADREACH/ACADEMIC TREKS
806 McCulloch Street, Suite 102
Raleigh, North Carolina 27603
919-256-8200
888-833-1907 (toll-free)
http://www.gobroadreach.com or http://www.academictreks.com
E-mail: info@academictreks.com

Type of Program: International adventure and experiential education programs in more than twenty countries, including live-aboard scuba- and sail-training voyages in the Caribbean from beginner to advanced, wilderness adventures, advanced scuba training, marine biology studies, community service, language immersion, and academic expeditions. All trips are designed to maximize fun, learning, and adventure. Additional adventure activities include whitewater rafting, sea kayaking, backpacking, surfing, cultural immersion, and island and rainforest exploration, with hands-on skill building, cultural immersion, and leadership training. No experience is necessary for many trips. High school and college academic credit is offered, as well as community service credit (up to 55 hours).
Participants: Coed, grouped by ages 13–14, 15–18 or 19
Enrollment: 10–14 participants per trip
Program Dates: Two-, three-, four-, and six-week programs, June through August

Location

Each BROADREACH and ACADEMIC TREKS location offers its own special blend of discovery and challenge. Destinations are selected to maximize cultural, educational, and adventure opportunities and provide participants with exceptional personal growth experiences.

Background and Philosophy

BROADREACH goes beyond the traditional structure of other summer programs. Each trip is designed to take advantage of the unique opportunities in regions traveled by combining the thrill of discovery, the pride of accomplishment, and the excitement of exploring the wilderness and sea. BROADREACH participants learn and grow together in an active, hands-on environment that is both fun and educational. Whether the activity is sailing, surfing, or scuba diving, expertise is built sensibly through a step-by-step, learn-by-doing approach. No experience is necessary on most programs, only a desire to try new things and broaden experiences.
    BROADREACH’s ACADEMIC TREKS offers academic and community service adventures in some of the world’s most extraordinary environments and cultures. Programs blend the hands-on study of marine science, language, or cultures with community service, wilderness adventure, and international travel. On each dynamic journey, students are fully immersed in an educational experience in a real-world setting, gaining a global perspective and a hands-on understanding of the topics studied. They also get a head-start on college by earning college credit and up to 55 hours of community service credit and by building a host of skills they are likely to use both in school and beyond.
    A small group size is one of the key ingredients in BROADREACH’s ability to offer the highest caliber summer experience. Limiting the group size to 10 to 14 participants encourages strong friendships in an atmosphere of teamwork, support, and accomplishment. The small group permits individual attention, preserves the sense of discovery, and allows the staff to cater to the specific dynamics of each group.

Program Offerings

CARIBBEAN ADVENTURES Discover the magic of the underwater world, feel the freedom of life aboard a yacht, hike through lush rain forests, experience rich cultures, and water ski in a paradise cove. No experience is required for Adventures in Scuba and Sailing/Underwater Discoveries, an incredible live-aboard voyage through the Caribbean’s Leeward Islands that offers scuba instruction, sail training, and island exploration. Certified divers take this adventure to the next level on Adventures Underwater–Advanced Scuba (St. Martin, St. Barts, Saba, Nevis, and Statia) and Adventures in the Grenadines–Advanced Scuba (St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines), extraordinary dive-training and sail-training adventures. Participants live aboard and crew fully equipped yachts while working toward multiple scuba and sailing certifications. They also learn about marine biology while exploring flourishing coral gardens, mysterious wrecks, dramatic pinnacles, and world-renowned marine parks. Arc of the Caribbean is an adventure-filled, intensive thirty-one-day sail-training voyage from St. Martin to the coast of South America.
WORLD ADVENTURES Explore the world with BROADREACH on scuba diving and multisport wilderness expeditions that span the globe. On Adventures Down Under, participants dive the spectacular Great Barrier Reef and explore Australia’s diverse terrain—beautiful beaches, lush rain forests, thrilling white water, and the Outback. On the Costa Rica Experience, Broadreachers experience the ultimate ecological adventure by backpacking, rafting, horseback riding, surfing, and sea kayaking in this wilderness wonderland. Participants on Baja Extreme experience amazing diving, with an abundance of big marine life, surfing, beach camping, hiking, sea kayaking, and a festive culture on this journey to the Sea of Cortez. Broadreachers on Fiji Solomon Quest encounter the magnificent scuba diving, beautiful islands, lush rain forests, rich history, and unique cultures of the South Pacific. What Jacques Cousteau rated as the best diving in the world is the heart of the Sinai Experience—a spectacular odyssey combining scuba training in the hypnotic Red Sea, cultural immersion, and a desert camel safari. Honduras Eco-Adventure combines scuba diving, marine biology studies, rain-forest ecology, whitewater rafting, and cultural exploration from Mayan ruins to Garafuna dancing.
MARINE BIOLOGY ADVENTURES BROADREACH and ACADEMIC TREKS offer a wide variety of hands-on marine biology adventures that qualify for high school and college credit. Students on Marine Biology Adventure scuba dive with professional marine biologists and study tropical marine biology with the Bahamas’ thriving reefs as their classrooms. On Sea Turtle Studies, students travel to Costa Rica to learn about sea turtles and assist in research and protection efforts, trek through lush rain forests, and snorkel with a wealth of marine mammals. Participants on Dolphin Studies travel to the beautiful cayes of Belize to learn about dolphins up close with expert researchers as their guides, monitoring dolphin behavior, scuba diving, and gathering data that contributes to ongoing research projects. Participants on Caribbean Marine Reserves scuba dive and study the marine parks in Saba, Statia, and St. Barts, designed to safeguard endangered marine resources while allowing for their sustainable use. On Marine Mammal Adventure, students study the awe-inspiring whales, sea lions, seals, and dolphins that congregate off the coast of British Columbia each summer, work alongside professional scientists, and sea kayak through breathtaking vistas. On Marine Biology Voyage, participants learn about tropical marine biology on a live-aboard voyage through the Caribbean’s beautiful Leeward Islands.
COMMUNITY SERVICE ADVENTURES Although every program includes a community service component, these trips have a much stronger focus on service. Participants work on fun and rewarding community service projects while exploring unique cultures and spectacular environments. Participants on Adventure Peru trek to Macchu Picchu, explore historical cities, learn about Incan and colonial traditions, and do service work with Quechua Indians in the magnificent Peruvian Andes. On Adventure Brazil, students learn basic Portuguese, do service work alongside Brazilians, and explore—from the carnival city of Rio to the remote corners of the Amazon. Students interested in medicine travel to Belize for Wilderness and Traditional Medicine to become Wilderness First Responders (WFR) and then put their knowledge and skills to use volunteering in medical clinics and villages. Students on Primate Studies travel to the wilds of Costa Rica and Panama to learn about New World monkeys and how to help protect them from extinction.
LANGUAGE IMMERSION ADVENTURES There is no better way to learn a language than to live and work among native speakers. ACADEMIC TREKS offers several adventure-filled immersion trips that qualify for college credit and up to 40 hours of community service credit. Participants on Immersion Ecuador, Immersion Oaxaca (Mexico), and Immersion Costa Rica/Nicaragua build their conversational Spanish language skills experientially while hiking through beautiful mountains and magnificent landscapes, exploring villages, living with families, and working on community service projects with locals. Students on Immersion France and Immersion French West Indies develop their French language skills through formal instruction, cultural exploration, adventure activities, and community service work. Students on Immersion China learn basic language skills and do service work while exploring the intriguing history and culture of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in transformation.

Daily Schedule

Days are energizing, challenging, and fun, with participants fully involved in all aspects of the trip. There are goals for each day, but the schedule is flexible, and the group decides how the adventure will unfold.

Staff

BROADREACH staff members are as diverse as its programs. Program leaders include experiential education professionals, PADI scuba instructors, marine biologists, Coast Guard–licensed sailing masters, teachers, and graduate students. On ACADEMIC TREKS adventures, the primary academic instructors have a master’s degree or Ph.D. in their program’s field of study. At various points in the programs, marine scientists, naturalists, and native culturalists join the group to enhance the educational experience.

Costs

Tuition is between $3880 and $6680, depending on the program and is all-inclusive except for airfare. Sibling discounts are available.