Academic Treks: Winward Island Expedition Program Overview & Recommendation

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Choice Camps Recommendation of Academic Treks: Winward Island Expedition

Backed by sixteen years of experience in running educational programs for thousands of teenagers, Academic Treks combines the finest elements of experiential learning, traditional classroom learning, and service learning with wilderness adventure, international travel, and cultural exchange to create extraordinary college-accredited expeditions. Each course includes an important community service component, and the themes of teamwork, leadership, and personal growth are interwoven in each AT experience.

Academic Treks students are fully immersed in an educational experience in a real world setting, gaining a global perspective and hands-on understanding of the topics studied. They also get a head start on college by earning college and/or community service credit and by building a host of skills they will use both in school and beyond. For students looking for an educational and exciting summer experience, Academic Treks may be the perfect choice.

Trip Description

Known as the “Nature Island of the Caribbean,” Dominica boasts a rugged and unspoiled beauty that begs to be explored. The largest and most mountainous of the Windward Islands, its green volcanic peaks tower almost 5,000 feet above sea level. With untamed tropical rainforests, crystal clear streams, cascading waterfalls, tranquil black sand beaches and the absence of any large scale tourist development, Dominica is truly one of the most pristine islands in the world. In addition to its natural splendor, the island enjoys a rich culture which comes from its mix of Kalinago Indian, Colonial European, African and Creole peoples. Join Academic Treks on a community service adventure to discover the ecological and cultural treasures of Dominica while volunteering alongside its welcoming inhabitants and making a real contribution to their communities in need. Then embark on a weeklong sailing voyage to explore neighboring islands in the French West Indies.

Staff Overview

Academic Treks leaders bring a wealth of experience to every program. They share a love for working with young people, as well as a passion for experiential learning and teaching. The average age of AT staff members is typically around 26.

The Academic Treks course design requires the use of several instructors for each program. Two AT staff members lead the trip, providing focus and continuity to the program. In-country outfitters are used to provide the local knowledge and expertise for expedition phases. These additional teachers and outfitters provide a perspective, depth of knowledge and access to resources that could not be obtained otherwise. Formal instruction is given by professional educators with experience teaching young adults through experiential and project-based learning.

Setting & Accommodations

For the first part of the trip, you stay in lodges or cabins. During the middle of the program, you and another Academic Treks participant stay with a local family in the Castle Bruce village, where students assist the community with various service endeavors. For the last week of the program, you live aboard a 50-foot sailboat as you explore Dominica’s coastline and nearby islands.

Safety Standards

Academic Treks Course Lead Instructors complete intensive staff training before the program, which includes a focus on risk management, in-country logistics, emergency protocols, leadership training, and teaching students how to integrate experiences learned on program into their everyday lives when they return home. At least one of the course leaders is a certified Wilderness First Responder (WFR), Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (WEMT) or Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) with a minimum of 80 hours of emergency medical training.