Have you ever wanted to eat your way around the world? Well, in this course, you’ll get to do just that. Even better, you’ll learn to cook everything you eat. We will explore cuisine and cooking techniques from all over the world, while also discovering more about the culture, geography, stories, and languages of each country or region. As we are cooking we will also investigate the science behind these meals while also learning a variety of cooking techniques and basic life skills like meal planning and grocery shopping. We will venture out on several field trips to local establishments that sell and or cook international food. Come discover the world of food with us!

The landscapes in Sonoma County have drawn many an artist to the easel. In this beginning Plein Air Art class, students will learn how to apply oil paints to canvas while capturing the breathtaking beauty of our surrounding environment. Plein Air literally translates from French to English as “outdoors” and that is exactly where we will be. Subjects for our canvases will include the views from various vantage points around campus in addition to Taylor Mountain, so bring your hat and hiking boots.

In this course, students will create, perform, and/or engineer original recordings using a variety of recording techniques and equipment to capture, manipulate, and mix performances. Students will work in the Recording Studio and around campus. Students will use both analog and digital technology, and be encouraged to explore outside their comfort zones to create unique sonic soundscapes. This is how some of the most memorable songs and albums in history were recorded. Then they’ll play the music and show their takeaways at a listening party with family and friends.

The Bahamas Intersession is a full-immersion experience: We will immerse ourselves into the warm waters of the salt flats, over and through pristine coral reefs with snorkels and masks; We will immerse ourselves in sailing by living in a 30-foot open sailboat which will serve as home and classroom, and be a vehicle connecting us to the storied history of the island chain. Finally, we will immerse ourselves into the larger connections this experience provides: a connection to each other, the natural world, and ourselves.

The heart of the Bahamas Intersession is learning by doing, and doing can be, at times, uncomfortable. This course will be both physically and academically challenging. We will spend long days in the water. We will be living aboard, sailing, and maintaining a sailboat so there will be wind and elements. Weather happens. We will participate in meal preparation and cleanup, and act not only as ambassadors, but as stewards to a fragile ecology. This course is designed specifically for students who thrill at the opportunity to explore biology and marine ecology, enjoy pushing their comfort level by spending time in challenging conditions, and have a thirst for field science, vibrant ecosystems, and diverse cultures.

Watch this video of last year’s Baja Intersession to get a feeling for the experience.

Sonoma Academy teams up with The Green School in Bali to examine the secrets to sustainable living. Bali has existed for centuries with limited resources, and it has learned the secret to living with them long, long ago. Come explore how rice has been planted in the same field for generations without any chemical inputs, fertilizers, or pesticides. We will stay on the amazing, completely sustainable campus of The Green School, which is being hailed as a model for the future. We will work with the unique faculty of this international institution as we explore the island with its reefs, volcanoes, and rushing streams.

In this beginning jewelry class, students will learn basic fabrication of ring bands, basic stone setting, and soldering. We will go over basic jewelry tools, equipment and safety. Students will gain experience in jewelry design, metal texturing, bezel setting, polishing, sanding, filing, and basic metal forming. Get inspired to continue your craft after Intersession at the Chimera Jewelry Studio in Sebastopol.

Home to one of the world's most vibrant art scenes, Berlin, the capital of Germany, is a hip, cosmopolitan city full of history and culture around every corner. Students taking Art & Activism in the fall are highly encouraged to sign up for this trip, which will come on the heels of that class. In addition to exploring Berlin's many galleries and museums, we hope to also collaborate with a local artist to create a work of art exploring a pressing contemporary social issue. We will visit historic sites both in and outside of the city, including the Buchenwald Concentration Camp, in order to gain a deeper appreciation of Berlin's complicated past. There is the possibility that students will also do a homestay with German high school students, as part of a school exchange, in order to learn even more about this amazing city and the diverse array of people who call it home.

Burn calories in the morning… and then put them back in the afternoon. We’ll start the day with CrossFit classes, where we’ll practice functional fitness. Using body weight exercises, high intensity interval training, and proper weightlifting technique, we will push our physical and mental toughness. Stretching and mobility work will keep us going all eight days. After a shower and fresh clothes, we’ll eat lunch on campus and reconvene in the teaching kitchen, where we will balance out all that exercise with some good old-fashioned carbo-loading. Butter and sugar will be your BFF’s as we make delicious baked goods, from pies and cakes to breads and pastries

The point of this Intersession is to learn to appreciate the incredible, anadromous steelhead, which spends four years in the Pacific Ocean, swimming as far as Alaska, before returning to the fresh waters of the Trinity to spawn. It will be all catch-and-release only!

Immerse yourself in Chinese culture! In partnership with our sister school, Beijing #4, students will explore the city of Beijing, be immersed in Chinese home and school culture, practice their Mandarin language skills, and learn about the fascinating history of one of the world’s oldest civilizations. China has the longest continuous history of any country in the world—3,500 years of written history, and though you won’t come close to learning about all of it, you will learn about dynastic history, the Great Leap Forward and the history of the cultural revolution. You’ll have the opportunity to explore how architecture influences culture and community. And then, you’ll spend some time volunteering at the Xi’an Panda Preserve, learning about sustainability, endangered species and how China has worked to take the panda off the endangered species list.

The first rule of CrossFit is to tell everyone that you do CrossFit. What is CrossFit? “CrossFit is constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity. All CrossFit workouts are based on functional movements, and these movements reflect the best aspects of gymnastics, weightlifting, running, rowing, and more. These are the core movements of life.” In this course, we will be taught by certified CrossFit instructors to challenge ourselves physically and mentally. You’ll learn proper techniques for fun things like squatting, push-ups, burpees, hill sprints, overhead carries, handstands, and more things that will not be mentioned here because otherwise no one would sign up for this.

This trip is for students that can perform at an intermediate level of Spanish. Cuba will be the perfect place to get a taste of what Caribbean Spanish sounds like. By living in local homes and working with local artists, teachers, students, and farmers, Sonoma Academy students will experience what Cuban daily life is like. In this journey, they will learn about Cuba’s political history, and its impact on Cuban society and economy. Students will also take Spanish classes, visit an organic farm, and learn about sustainable agricultural practices, explore caves, hike in nature, enjoy the gorgeous Cuban beaches, interact with people in the beautiful streets of La Habana, visit a high school, and learn about the education system in Cuba. The daily activities and itinerary are presented in a dynamic way through the Chill Expeditions “Story Approach,” which shares information in a cohesive theme that is meaningful to students.

Design, make, and deliver! Let’s take some wood, cut it up, and put it back together in the shape of something awesome. You will gain experience using a wide range of design, building, and making tools such as Sketchup, table saws, mitre saws, nail guns, laser cutters, CNC routers, and whatever loud powerful machines we can find that can cut through wood like butter. By the end of our time together, we will have made something to take home for ourselves and something to be donated to a local charity for the benefit of others. Bring your ideas and hands, we’ll provide the splinters and tweezers. Let’s build!

We live in the age of great documentary filmmaking: From feature film to Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, our culture has become obsessed with documenting and curating our lives. In this course, students will watch compelling documentary films on a variety of topics, such as grizzly bears. Then, students will attempt to make their own (short!) documentary films, turning the readily available technology of their everyday lives into art-making tools and turning themselves into semi-professional video storytellers. Students will develop a deep and lasting appreciation of a number of important documentary films from a number of different time periods and genres.  They will also learn basic filming and editing techniques and interviewing strategies. Students will learn to develop a point of view, and also learn to interrogate and deconstruct their own point of view in search of the greater truth that only art can provide.

If you love animals of all kinds and want to learn more about them, this is the Intersession program for you. There will be cuteness, but let it be known that there will be actual education involved, too! We’ll visit animal rescue organizations, get out to the coast to tidepool and learn about elephant seals, learn about organizations that help animals or train them to become helpers to humans, and much more! learn about local wildlife, and discover ways we can help our non-human friends survive and thrive. You will learn about the birds, animals, and sea creatures of the Bay Area, their habitats, and the potential threats to their survival, and will investigate what you can do to help support animal-related causes in our community.

We’ll spend a few days exploring the capital of Athens, namesake of the goddess Athena, where we will walk in the footsteps of ancient Greeks at the Acropolis, the Temple of Zeus, the Olympic Stadium and Syntagma Square. We’ll also walk in the footsteps of current residents in the Plaka district. Then we’ll travel on to Delphi, Epidaurus and Cape Sounion, where we will learn how an old belief in mythological figures still influences medicine, politics, and philosophy. In addition to visiting temples, museums and other historic sites, we’ll also have opportunities to participate in modern Greek life and culture, exploring the food, theater, music, and art of the region. Students taking Rodney’s Mythology course may be particularly gratified to visit the locales where so many of the Greek myths were made.

In this course, we will recreate what the Humans of New York photojournalism series did: Interviewing strangers on the street and pairing the most meaningful snippets of these interviews with compelling photographs of the interview subjects. Both stories and photography connect people in ways that other mediums fall short, and we will front-load our experiential field trip learning with deep exploration of why stories and photographs have such connective power. We will find interview subjects from all walks of life on the streets of Sonoma County and on longer excursions to Berkeley and San Francisco. By conveying others’ stories to a larger audience through online photojournalism platforms, students will ultimately find their own place in the Bay Area.

Join us for a rich and reflective inner and outer adventure. In this Intersession course, we will delve into our inner and outer terrain through meditation, yoga, hiking, outdoor exploration, and more. Guest presenters will introduce various wellness practices, teaching us about the associated philosophies and guiding us through wellness experiences. We will explore some of our region’s finest landscapes together, including one or two overnight trips. These outings will offer us opportunities for self reflection and appreciation of the beautiful land we live in. We will use journals, council, and discussion to process our experiences, alone and in groups.  You will feel rested, rejuvenated, stimulated, and nourished and you will have new ways to keep yourself happy and well by the end of our time together.

Ireland has produced a vast array of literary legends: James Joyce, Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde, W.B. Yeats, Jonathan Swift, C.S. Lewis, George Bernard Shaw, and so many more. We will delve into the rich literary history of the Emerald Isle as we walk in the footsteps of poets, playwrights, novelists, and rebels. In Dublin and other parts of the country, we will learn about the culture, politics, and geography that have inspired some of the greatest works of literature. From city to countryside, we will immerse ourselves in the lives of Irish literary greats by chatting with locals, dining in cozy pubs, visiting a castle or two, enjoying some fine traditional Irish music and dance, and maybe even attending an Irish sporting event. Please note, part of Ireland’s charm lies in its chilly temperatures and rainy climate, so please be prepared to walk in the lovely Irish rain!

Sights and activities might include: Trinity College Library; Dublin Writers Museum; The Oscar Wilde House; 1916 Rebellion Walking Tour; Walking tour of locations from James Joyce’s Dubliners; The Titanic Museum; Hiking in the beautiful Irish countryside.

Are you interested in journalism? Well, maybe you are and you don’t know it yet. Are you interested in finding out more about the major issues facing our local or regional community? Are you interested in making a difference by getting the word out about an important situation or cause? Is there a national issue--like gun violence--that you want to investigate and write about? Is there a mystery you want to get to the bottom of? Is there a person or group (politician, sports figure or team, prominent member of the community, famous relative, etc) that you are interested in profiling in depth in a way that illuminates some larger social or cultural concerns? If so, then congratulations, you actually are interested in journalism. The only other requirements for this course are that you can work independently, don’t mind talking to strangers, enjoy writing (even if you think you’re not good at it!), and rewriting.

In this course, students will create, perform, and/or engineer original recordings using a variety of recording techniques and equipment to capture, manipulate, and mix performances. Students will work in the sound studio, as well as several dramatically different acoustic spaces around the Bay Area: a church, a hillside, even somebody’s kitchen. Students will use both analog and digital technology, and be encouraged to explore outside their comfort zones to create unique sonic soundscapes. This is how some of the most memorable songs and albums in history were recorded. After students have recorded and mixed their songs, they will create a slideshow, highlighting their experiences and some of the things they learned about sound and acoustics. Then they’ll play the music and show the slides at a listening party with family and friends.

Would you like to make a light-up birthday card? How about a hat that displays your name in lights across the brim, or gloves that light up in different colors with each finger? In this half-day workshop, you will learn the fundamentals of electronic circuitry. Then, you’ll apply that knowledge to small starter projects in embedded electronics. Ultimately, you’ll develop more complex creations of your own imaginings. You may, with skills and time permitting, also delve into the world of microelectronic programming and build even more exciting circuitry!

Surf With Amigas provides all meals and lodging, surf instruction, yoga practice, collaboration with Waves of Hope, and additional activities. For more information about Surf With Amigas, Waves of Hope, or the location in Chinandega, Nicaragua, visit http://surfwithamigas.com/ and http://www.waves-of-hope.com/

There are so many hidden treasures in the Bay Area, right in our own backyard. This Intersession provides opportunities to visit many of these landmarks. Beautiful Angel Island was the landing point for so many immigrants in the early 1900’s, and these newcomers went on to have an enormous impact on local culture. The Lower Fillmore and Japantown in San Francisco have greatly impacted our rich history and culture… not to mention giving us access to amazing food! The amazing Musee Mechanique was one of the earliest forms of an arcade in the Bay Area, and the antique games housed there still work! Finally, there is the incredible submarine, the USS Pampanito, a WWII relic found at Fisherman’s Wharf… have you ever been inside a sub? Experience the history, culture, and fun right here in our own backyard.

Known as the City of Lights, Paris is renowned for its art, food, fashion, and sophisticated culture. Romanticized in literature and movies, many dream of Paris, but few get to experience it the way a local does. Not so for those taking this Intersession course! From the top of Montmartre to the depths of the catacombs, you will get a taste of Paris that most visitors never experience, le jour quotidien (daily life) with a French teenager and his/her family. During the day, we’ll visit museums and galleries, ride the bateau mouche along the Seine, stroll through boutiques and eat crepes in the Quartier Latin. There will be a few surprises along the way! In the evenings, you will share meals with your host family, observing their way of life and learning about French culture up close. Your homestay will be with a French student from the l'École Suger, our sister school near Versailles. You will have opportunities to hang out with your French peers and get to know their way of life. Whether you speak some French or none at all, you’ll learn about French culture and improve your foreign language skills along the way as you acquaint yourself with the city of lights.

Come to one of the most remote and pristine places on the planet. You need not be a pro mountaineer nor expert conservationist to join this trip. If you're enthusiastic and in decent shape, you're a great participant. But these backcountry expeditions are physically, intellectually, and interpersonally demanding, and we're looking for people eager to jump into the adventure. You're a good pick to join this course if you're excited about: Sleeping in a tent every night; Carrying a moderate-weight backpack; hiking 4-8 hours a day, sometimes off-trail; lending a hand (and more) to physical ecosystem restoration work; sharing your thoughts in group discussions; working cooperatively with a new group of like-minded travelers; spending over a week off-the-grid, with no cell reception; smiling through Patagonia's notoriously variable weather.

We will start and end in Balmaceda, Chile. We’ll traverse the future Patagonia National Park, which lies approximately five hours south of Balmaceda. In keeping with our lightweight guiding approach, our style is simple. We'll ask you to bring some personal gear. Groups travel with no porters, carrying everything they need, and camp in simple backcountry spots each night.

In this course, you will have an opportunity to slow down and take a moment to reconnect with yourself by practicing a wide range of yoga (fusion yoga, vinyasa yoga, hatha yoga) as well as meditation every morning. Each afternoon you will learn about the needs of our community by volunteering at the local Food Bank. Through focusing on ourselves, doing our own inner work, physically, mentally and spiritually, we are able to be more present to the needs of those around us.

The Robotics Team will leverage the two-week winter Intersession course to analyze the 2019 FRC Game Release Video and build associated autonomous/remote control game strategies and physical prototypes. Team members will work with team leads (Build, Programming, etc.) to accomplish daily and weekly goals in the context of a strict Engineering Design Cycle. In addition to robot-related tasks, fundraising and communication sub teams will implement marketing and fundraising protocols developed during the Quarter 2 Exploratory. This Intersession is open only to members of the Robotics Team, and participation is mandatory for any team members wishing to attend regional competitions during the 2019 FRC season.

This on-campus Intersession will focus on creating a focused and collaborative rehearsal time for the Sonoma Academy Student Shows (SASS). The days will involve group warmups/games, guest teacher lectures (directing and design), an evening field-trip to see a local production, extended rehearsal time in the Fitz, time to tech for lights and sound as well as build and create sets/props. The student pieces will be critiqued by the teacher/mentor and peers and will culminate in fully staged invited performances at the end of Intersession. One of the SASS productions will be selected to attend the 2019 Lenaea High School Theatre Festival in February and the entire cast must be available to travel.

If you love sports and media, this is the course for you. This course will be led by Dave Cox, who, in addition to coaching baseball at Sonoma Academy, has an extensive background in Sports Media. Dave worked for Comcast Sports for many years and currently owns and operates Youth Sports Network (YSN365) which focuses on covering youth and high school sports in the area. The focus of this course will be to learn all aspects of producing a sporting event, including camera work, editing, play-by-play and color commentary. We will work together to produce at least one Sonoma Academy sporting event during Intersession, as well as several smaller group projects that may include: highlight videos, player profiles, team previews, game day posters, and sports podcasts. In addition to exploring a wide range of sports media, students will participate in a daily sports activity, ranging from well-known sports like basketball and soccer to lesser known sports like badminton and team handball.

Stewards of Coasts and Redwoods’ mission is to make a difference by Promoting, Restoring, and Protecting YOUR state parks. This program engages students in various citizen science initiatives including redwood and fern surveying, pinniped and seabird monitoring, gathering whale watch data, and a general volunteer training with the Stewards of Coasts and Redwoods. This is a great way to experience environmental science “in the field” collecting data for multiple agencies. After this Intersession, students will be a docent enabling them to lead volunteer summer or weekend groups in citizen science data gathering or interpretive park programs. This is a great way to make a difference in your local community, learning in-the-field environmental science data collection, while at the same time enjoying nature in your state parks!

Do you want to make a difference in the world but don’t know where to start? Are you inundated and overwhelmed to the point of inaction? Do you want to meet local heroes who spend their days enacting change? If so, then this class is designed for you. Our time together will help you learn the skills and habits of mind that will enable you to be proactive agents of change in today’s complicated world. The first week is experiential, featuring numerous field trips that will put us on the front line with community activists who are helping the homeless. You will lend your own efforts to this work (e.g., spending some time helping at the soup kitchen). The second half of the course will challenge you to choose an issue you care about, and apply the methods learned in the first week to understand, design, and present an action plan that the Sonoma Academy community can implement to combat this issue. You will gain a deeper understanding of the complexity involved in identifying and solving societal issues. You will also learn how to evaluate issues and their solutions, determining what efforts are most meaningful. And you will gain hands-on experience with working at a community level.

Come fly around the solar system, travel into the human body, or wander around the streets of Italy using some of the most advanced technology in existence. We will be travelling to Oxford, Ohio to learn about and experience virtual reality at one of the top multimedia centers in the nation. Miami University houses the largest HIVE (huge immersive virtual environment) in the world and students that join us on this trip will have the opportunity to not just be immersed in virtual environments, but also to create their own content and then enter their own virtual environments.

After a three day solo experience, the next three days are devoted to the phase of Incorporation, reflecting on the solo journey and its many gifts, while preparing to return to the world that has been left behind. This can be the most challenging part of the journey. The leaders will take time to listen carefully to each story, illuminating through reflection the meaning and beauty that can be found there.

If you love all things winter and can’t wait to get out into the snow, this Intersession is for you. In partnership with the Gateway Mountain Center, we will be engaging in a variety of winter adventures in the Sierra Nevada that balance field science, physical activity, and reflection. We will be staying at Clair Tappaan Lodge—a historic, rustic mountain lodge nestled in the woods near Lake Tahoe, California. We’ll have a variety of activities to choose from including: Skiing and snowboarding, snowshoeing, searching for animal tracks, cross country skiing, snow camping (which include techniques for staying warm and making shelters), exploring the area’s geology and volcanic history, learning about the Sierra’s snowpack as California’s “water bank,” and studying the forest and the benefits it provides (carbon sequestration, timber, beauty, etc).