What is Nardin's Winter Experience?

Sana Said   ~   January 2023

Learning “outside the classroom” is beneficial and ensures a well-rounded education. But how often do students actually have the opportunity to participate in this manner of learning? The reality is that this kind of learning is not always valued and implemented. 

While there are definite benefits and rewardable aspects to sitting in a classroom and learning from teachers, it is also important to have opportunities to learn in a setting beyond a room with desks and a textbook. 

The Nardin Academy High School has dedicated a week of school to explore and learn new things to encourage experiential learning, whether that is in the community or beyond–among different peoples and cultures. This is the Nardin Academy Winter Experience. 

The inclusion of this unique manner of learning is something that us students value and look forward to. Every year, we can choose our top three choices for the experience, and then we are put into the groups that are completely run and organized by teachers. What makes this opportunity special and fun is that there is a large variety of options to choose from. For instance, this year some students traveled to New Orleans, New York City, Puerto Rico, Florida Keys or Iceland. Other students participated in internships in a career field they are interested in. Students could also participate in Winter Experience groups that explore areas like the culinary and hospitality world, fashion and the arts, and even ghostly American literature–there are so many different areas to explore! The groups involve students from all grades, so we are able to get to know people from different grades as well. These experiences allow us to learn skills needed for the future that we could not have acquired in a classroom setting. Additionally, us students can gain a better understanding of a career field we are thinking of pursuing in the future, and we can also learn new things and make wonderful memories!