Gap Year Fair Exhibitors
Following is a sampling of gap year program exhibitors that were invited to Gap Year Opportunities Fairs 2008.
Gap Year Opportunities Fairs
2008
Program Profiles
Dynamy Internship Year -
Dynamy Internship Year is the oldest and only residential internship program in the country. Our mission is to offer young people, ages 17-22, a transformational gap year (or semester) opportunity. Located in Worcester, Massa¬chusetts, Dynamy Internship Year integrates full-time mentored internships in over 240 organizations with urban and backcountry leadership experiences, personal and college/career advising, city apartment living, and the com¬pany of a remarkable group of peers.
GlobalQuest -
GlobalQuest is a non-profit, experiential study abroad program offering summer and semester programs in Thai¬land and Ecuador/Galápagos Islands. The 12-week semester programs are designed for high school seniors and students seeking a meaningful learning experience between high school and college. The 6-week summer pro¬grams are for rising juniors and seniors, and recent high school graduates. These off-the beaten path academic adventures include homestay, service, language classes, and leadership training.
AFS USA / AFS International –
AFS (formerly the American Field Service) is a leader in intercultural learning and offers international exchange programs in more than 40 countries around the world through independent, nonprofit AFS Organizations, each with a network of volunteers, a professionally staffed office, and headed up by a volunteer board. AFS-USA works toward a more just and peaceful world by providing international and intercultural learning experiences to individuals, families, schools, and communities through a global volunteer partnership. AFS Community Service Programs are perfect for high school students and graduates who want to have an international experience.
Bridgton Academy -
Bridgton Academy's mission is to provide a program for young men in a unique, one-year postgraduate environ¬ment to prepare for the rigors of college and beyond. Bridgton Academy consists of an adult community committed to developing the whole student by providing a dynamic and challenging skills-based curriculum, a diverse campus life, and an appropriate extracurricular program to promote mental, social, and physical growth. The Bridgton Acad¬emy graduate should have grown through the postgraduate experience so that he enters college with improved confidence, values, judgment, life skills, and maturity to succeed.
Brown Ledge -
The Brown Ledge Gap Year Program gives students life and work skills, as well as training them in documentary production to help them investigate and respond to the world around them. The program starts with an intensive training session in techniques and styles of video, audio and digital photography. Participants will then travel to two unique American cities--New Orleans and El Paso--where they will live together, while individually doing half-time internships or community service and creating their own documentary work.
Center for Cultural Interchange -
Established in 1985, The Center for Cultural Interchange (CCI) is a non-profit international education exchange or¬ganization dedicated to the promotion of cultural understanding, academic development and world peace. CCI is recognized by the U.S. Department of State as an official exchange visit program sponsor. Based in Chicago, Illi¬nois, CCI organizes high school exchange, short-term group homestay, internship, work & travel, and language study programs in the United States and in over 30 countries around the world.
Center for Interim Programs -
The Center for Interim Programs is a consulting service that helps young people find meaningful gap year place¬ments. Since our inception in 1980 as the first organization of its kind in the United States, Interim has designed creative gap year opportunities for over 5,000 young people. We have built relationships with organizations world¬wide and offer a database of over 5,200 program opportunities.
Council on International Education Exchange -
CIEE offers US high school graduates a unique way to explore the world. A Gap Year Abroad with CIEE offers college-bound graduates an opportunity to acquire a broader global perspective, foster independence and gain self-knowledge. Students seeking to stretch intellectually, explore new vistas, develop leadership and become responsible global citizens are ideal candidates for a CIEE Gap Year.
City Year -
City Year was founded on the belief that young people can change the world. City Year’s vision is that one day a year of service will become an opportunity for and common expectation of every young person. City Year’s signa¬ture program, the City Year youth service corps each year unites more than 1,400 young people age 17-24 for a demanding year of full-time community service, leadership development, and civic engagement. These young leaders come from diverse backgrounds and put their idealism to work by tutoring and mentoring school children, reclaiming public spaces, and organizing after-school programs, school vacation camps, and the Starfish Corps, Young Heroes, and City Heroes programs.
Global Volunteers -
Join our worldwide network of long-term, ethical service on a volunteer vacation abroad or a USA volunteer program. Live and work directly with local people on life-affirming service programs for one, two or three weeks. Extended stay options up to 24 weeks. We support some 100 host communities in 20 countries year-around through short-term volunteer teams.
El Casal -
Do you want to do something different and exciting before heading off to college? Do you want to challenge your¬self, renew your sense of discovery and gain perspective on the world around you? If so, El Casal,in Barcelona, Spain, offers a special opportunity in one of the most beautiful and engaging cities in the Europe. El Casal is a multi-faceted program combing seminars in Spanish language and other subjects, travel, outdoor activities, intern¬ships and community service. You’ll find just the right balance of structure and free time that will allow you to grow and explore in a rich and stimulating environment.
The Gap-Year Advantage
Karl Haigler and Rae Nelson have a combined forty years of experience in the fields of education policy and prac¬tice. They have written a comprehensive guide to planning time off before or during college. With college costs ris¬ing each year and increased competition for acceptance into college, parents and their children are looking for ways to stand out and to get the most out of an expensive education. Taking a 'gap year' between high school and college-a growing trend in the United States-or structuring time off during college offers the opportunity for students to gain focus and discipline, learn to set realistic goals, get real world experience, and build a stand-out resume.
Global Learning Across Borders –
Global Learning Across Borders exists to educate and inspire new generations of people to become responsible and committed global citizens in their local communities and beyond. We do this through international cultural immersion and community service programs for young adults; global studies professional development programs for educators; and by partnering with schools to help design and implement experiential global curricula and service programs.
Global Vision International –
By joining one of our programs worldwide you can help critical conservation and education projects ranging from teaching Literacy and English to indigenous communities in Latin America to wildlife research and conservation in Africa . Our international network of over 150 field staff ensure your peace of mind, cultural orientation, in-depth training and 24 hour support throughout your stay. So, join the world's most exciting and progressive volunteering organization and experience the world through new eyes.
GlobaLinks (AustraLearn) –
AustraLearn provides college/university students with study abroad opportunities in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. Students may participate in a semester or year abroad or earn an entire degree at one of more than 30 major universities. There are also opportunities to participate in a high quality internship in Australia or New Zealand or a January term or summer abroad program.
Kroka Expeditions –
Founded in 1996, Kroka Expeditions is an Earth Living Skills School dedicated to assisting young people in developing strong character, responsibility, community and a sense of place in harmony with nature. All of our programs offer sustainable community living experiences balanced with state of the art instruction in adventure sports and the ancient art of wilderness living.
Leap Now -
LEAPNOW provide students with access to thousands of diverse learning experiences in 126 countries, and offers transformational teachings that give students the opportunity to empower themselves to “be the change that you wish to see in the world (Gandhi).” Cultural immersion, study abroad and work abroad are our main vehicles for learning about ourselves and the world. Intense work and study experiences abroad are complemented with contemplative learning retreats at our northern California campus that serve to teach students how to wholeheartedly participate in the world and live passionately without leaving any parts of themselves out - mind, body, spirit, soul, emotion, etc. We call this way of learning, “Transforming Education.”
Lexia Study Abroad Programs -
To ensure that your study abroad commitment is more than simply an exposure to another culture, Lexia has developed an approach that is based on full participation in the daily life and work of a community. Lexia's programs, all of which are located in dynamic urban centers, emphasize student engagement in active, reflective learning, small, individualized classes, affiliations with local academic institutions, a dedicated, on-site resident director and staff, individualized, personal advising, and an independent academic research project.
Magic Carpet Rides -
Magic Carpet Rides is a gap-year educational program empowering high school graduates to explore the world of possibilities before defining a life path. Our experiential curriculum fosters development of life skills and discovery of one's passions. Guatemala's rich cultural heritage and natural beauty provide a stunning setting for nine months of cultural immersion. Learn Spanish through one-on-one instruction and live with a Guatemalan family. Volunteer your service in one of Central America’s poorest countries. Explore a project of your choice such as investigating the Maya heritage through archeology. Enjoy activities including white-water rafting, making tamales, and jungle trekking.
NOLS (The National Outdoor Leadership School) - www.nols.edu
NOLS, the premier teacher of outdoor skills and leadership, offers courses 10 days to full semesters in the world's most spectacular wilderness classrooms.
Outward Bound -
Scale a wind-swept mountain peak. Ride a surging whitewater river. Hike into a remote forest glen. Sail to an offshore island. On Outward Bound you’ll travel to places you’ve only dreamed of and carry away something you’ll remember for the rest of your life.
Projects Abroad -
Projects Abroad is the leading organizer of volunteer placements across five continents. We offer a diverse range of teaching, care, conservation, medical, journalism and work experience projects, plus the opportunity to become part of one of our local communities overseas.
Reel Wisdom -
Reel Wisdom is the effort of Monica Andrews, Ed. D.. To help families become better informed and less overwhelmed by the college admissions process, Dr. Andrews has produced TIME ON: Planning a Successful Gap Year. TIME ON is a 38-minute DVD for students and parents who are considering the benefits of a Gap Year. The DVD features interviews with students who have recently returned from a gap year, as well as their parents, college counselors, gap year professionals, and spectacular photos and videos taken of the students during their gap year experiences.
Rustic Pathways -
Rustic Pathways is proud to offer gap year experiences in every country where we operate, encompassing most of Asia, Africa, The South Pacific, Central and South America. Within these regions we have extensive knowledge and resources available to create an endless array of extraordinary community service, language immersion, and cross-cultural adventures programs. You can arrange Rustic Pathways Gap Programs that last anywhere from a few weeks to fifteen months or more!
Student Conservation Assoc. -
SCA is a nationwide force of high school and college-age volunteers who are committed to protecting and preserving the environment. We are conservation in action. Through internships, conservation jobs and crew experiences, SCA members are rising to meet environmental challenges while gaining real, hands-on field experience. They complete projects in every conservation discipline - from archaeology to zoology - and everything in between.
Thames Academy at Mitchell College -
Thames Academy is Mitchell College’s innovative post-graduate or pre-college transitional experience. It is a year of academic preparation that students take between the end of high school and the start of their college studies. Unlike traditional post-graduate programs at independent or prep schools, Thames Academy enables students to take a reduced load of college level courses for credit. It is also unique in that it provides a highly structured academic program within a collegiate environment and co-curricular interaction with two-year and four-year students. Students admitted to Thames Academy will have already obtained their high school diploma and are college age.
Thinking Beyond Borders -
Thinking Beyond Borders takes 16 graduating high school seniors around the world for 8 months to study global development issues from social, political and economical perspectives. Students study the AIDS epidemic and public health in South Africa, sustainable agriculture in India, public education in China, environmental conservation in Vietnam, and clean water issues in Ecuador. In each country, students live with local families, work with non-government organizations, study with top professors and area experts, and meet with local politicians and the US ambassador to create a broad perspective of the issue.
Sojourns Abroad -
Programs in Siena, Barcelona, and Paris include social service internships, language study, homestay, excursions, outdoor adventures and cultural enrichment. Each element of the program is designed to combine with the others to ground participants quickly as residents in their chosen city. A stimulating respite from the restricting demands of both traditional academic paths and conventional study abroad programs. Sojourns Abroad is for those who want some time away from over-scheduling and the expectations of others.
Up With People -
Up with People provides students with an extraordinary six month tour. Our student ambassadors experience an intense, hands-on, education in which they form a global network of lifelong friendships. Up with People students travel with 100 young adults from over 20 countries to many fascinating cities on several continents. They live with host families in each city, develop and refine leadership skills beneficial to any career path, conduct service learn¬ing projects, perform a one-hour professional musical production in each community, and gain college credit at several universities in the U.S.
Where There Be Dragons –
For fifteen years, Where There Be Dragons ("Dragons" for short,) has pioneered unparalleled small-group learning adventures in Asia, Latin America and Africa. Through off-the-beaten-path travel, home-stays, language study, service, and remote wilderness exploration, Dragons provides an honest and authentic survey of culture, landscape and development issues in the world's most intriguing locales. Summer programs are for students fifteen and up. For gap year students, Dragons also runs three-month semester programs in the Himalayas, China, India, and the Andes and Amazon.
Woolman Semester -
The Woolman Semester is a high school semester studies program for juniors, seniors, and 1st year postgradu¬ates. Through a focus on the issues of peace, justice, and sustainability, the Woolman Semester enriches a typical high school curriculum with seminar-style course work and experiential opportunities that promote life-long learning, personal growth and intellectual commitment.
Youth for Understanding -
American Overseas programs offer US high school students and recent graduates the opportunity to experience the world firsthand. By going abroad with YFU USA, you will live in a totally new culture - not as a tourist - but as a member of a family. Choose from over 100 programs in more than 30 countries to learn a new language and global perspective while on an academic year, academic semester, or summer program.
Gap Year . . . the Experience of a Lifetime!
