FALL SEMESTER 2011

West Coast U.S.A/B.C. Canada New Destination!

World Class will meet for the beginning of the school year at its home base in Trout Lake, Washington, 30 miles North of Hood River, OR where river safety classes and orientation occur prior to beginning regular coursework. For many years the school has made the long journey from the West Coast to the East Coast, but this year we welcome you to be part of a new itinerary and a new history for World Class. Rather than drive for three days across the country to compete with the crowds of the East and volatile river levels, we are proud to announce a new itinerary in which we maximize our time in the classroom and on the water. After our initial orientation week in Trout Lake, the school will head to Idaho where we will embark on a multi-day river trip with raft support. We will be having classes on the river and the trip will be focused on creating positive group dynamics and teamwork that will set the foundation for the rest of our semester. After this trip we will head through Montana and up into the crown jewel of Fall whitewater: British Columbia. This is prime time to be in B.C. and students will get to explore the rivers of Southern British Columbia around the greater Whistler area before jumping on the ferry to world-famous Skookumchuck Narrows a place of dreams, legends, and one of the biggest surf waves on the planet. After this we will head back to Oregon to compete in a big-wave competition on the Oregon Coast. From here, students and staff will leave for their Fall break before leaving the incoming cold weather for our international portion.......vamos a la playa, la selva, y la tierra de los Ticos....vamos a Costa Rica!

No lines, but good lines on the West Coast; Kootenai Falls, MT

Costa Rica

As winter begins to advance upon the U.S.A., World Class will head to Costa Rica for the remainder of the Fall semester. Warm water, mountain jungles, a diversity of whitewater, and a unique ecological bio-diversity, makes this small Central American country a world class destination of the most epic proportions. Students will immerse themselves in the culture of the ticos, the word the locals use to describe themselves, and will be able to practice their Spanish using the clean, expressive dialect spoken in the country. Whether ordering a breakfast of gallo pinto or chatting with a local shuttle driver, immersion in the language is one of the semesters main goals. The diversity of whitewater makes our daily paddles a healthy mixture between big-water playboating and jungle river-runs. A week-long trip to the coast will give students a chance to surf the clean steep waves of the Pacific side. Students will go home with a deep understanding of why the local saying in Costa Rica is simply "Pura Vida", roughly translated to the "good life".

SPRING SEMESTER 2012

China – Previously Visited Spring 2007 and 2009

China’s growing influence to both America and an increasingly global world, provide a strong rationale for visiting this amazing country during our 2011 spring semester.  The itinerary encompasses the Yunnan province, along the southwest fringe of China’s “Western Front,” where economic development such as tourism, hydropower and resource extraction spurned by the east’s increasing demand contrast significantly with cultures holding on to ancient tradition.  At the heart of this struggle lies the Nu Jiang or Salween, China’s last free flowing river and the subject of 13 hydroelectric dam proposals.  One of the finest kayaking rivers on earth, the school will spend a month paddling along the 200 miles of river accessible by road to interact with local minorities and witness first-hand what role ecotourism can play in influencing sustainable development at the local level.  When traveling away from the Nu Jiang, the school will visit other nearby areas in the province to gain a diversity of perspectives, climates and cultures.  These include a trip on the Great Bend of the Yangtze, as well as a visit to the Mekong River Valley, lying between both the Nu and the Yangtze drainages, all of which originate on the Tibetan Plateau.  WCKA’s stay in China will also include time in the vibrant city of Lijiang where The Nature Conservancy of Yunnan is based to gain a perspective of the difficult issues confronting China’s long term development in both the region and the world abroad.

West Coast/Montana

Following spring break World Class once again begins the tradition of packing up and singing the tune, "take me to the river, take me to the sun, take me to California". Enjoying the Spring run-off of the Sierras, the school will visit the famous granite lined rivers that make California a destination for whitewater enthusiasts worldwide. We will start out in Sacramento and work our way south, following the sun and the river flows. By the end of April the school will have made its way back North to Oregon with a stop at the Kokotat factory in Arcata, CA. Continuing North back to our headquarters in Trout Lake, the school will tap into the Spring flows of the White Salmon, Little White Salmon, and Wind Rivers while staying out our comfortable headquarters after our long time on the road in California. Time to catch our breath. We will take field trips to the Bonneville Dam and salmon hatcheries on the Columbia River Gorge giving students further insight into the area. From here we will take a trip into Idaho before returning to WA for finals and graduation. 

April 1            Students/Staff arrive in Sacramento, CA for 4^th Quarter

April 2-30*            California; various rivers dependent on flows; options: Feather, Kaweah, Thule, Kern, Trinity, Cal Salmon, etc.

May 1*            Oregon and Washington; Columbia River Gorge and surrounding areas

May 14*            Idaho

May 21-24            Mid-terms in Trout Lake, WA

May 25            Graduation in Trout Lake, WA

*Dates/times are flexible and based off of water levels and other logistical factors

For questions, updates or further information please call our office, (541) 908-5937, or send us an email at info@worldclassacademy.com.