World Class Kayak Academy | Program
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PROGRAM

PROGRAM

2024-2025 Destinations

Eastern Canada / Zambia / Ecuador / West Coast USA

Fall 2024: Eastern Canada / Zambia

August 25, 2024 - December 14, 2024

  • Flag of Canada

    Q1 Eastern Canada

  • 220px-Flag_of_Zambia_(Pantone).svg

    Q2 Zambia - Zambezi

Spring 2025: Ecuador / West Coast USA

January 19, 2025- May 10, 2025

  • 1280px-Flag_of_Ecuador.svg

    Q3 Ecuador

  • Flag of USA

    Q4 West Coast USA

2023-2024 Destinations

Eastern Canada / New Zealand / Chile / Europe

Fall 2023: Eastern Canada / New Zealand

August 27, 2023 - December 9, 2023

  • Flag of Canada

    Q1 Eastern Canada

  • Flag_of_New_Zealand_(3-2).svg

    Q2 New Zealand

Spring 2024: Chile / Europe

January 21, 2024- May 12, 2024

  • Flag of Chile

    Q3 Chile

  • European Union Flag

    Q4 Europe (Slovenia, Italy and Austria)

2024 - 2025 Schedule

Fall Semester 2024: Canada / Zambia

August 25, 2024 - December 14, 2024

  • August 25

    Students and staff meet in Ottawa

  • August 26

    Semester Orientation

  • August 27 - October 5

    Quarter 1: Rivers of the Andes

  • October 5

    Students and staff depart for fall break

  • October 6 - October 26

    Fall break

  • October 27

    Students and staff arrive in Zambia

  • October 28 - December 13

    Quarter 2: Zambezi

  • December 14

    Students and staff depart for winter break

Spring Semester 2025: Ecuador / West Coast USA

January 19, 2025 - May 10, 2025

  • January 19

    Students and staff depart for Ecuador

  • January 20 - March 7

    Quarter 3

  • March 8

    Students and staff depart for spring break

  • March 9 - March 29

    Spring break

  • March 30

    Students and staff meet in Los Angeles, CA

  • March 31 - May 9

    Quarter 4: West Coast USA

  • May 10

    Graduation at Trout Lake, WA USA

2023 - 2024 Schedule

Fall Semester 2023: Canada / New Zealand

August 27, 2023 - December 9, 2023

  • August 27

    Students and staff meet in Ottawa

  • August 28

    Semester Orientation

  • August 28 - October 7

    Quarter 1: Rivers of the Ontario and Quebec

  • October 7

    Students and staff depart for fall break

  • October 8 - October 28

    Fall break

  • October 29

    Students and staff arrive in New Zealand

  • October 30 - December 16

    Quarter 2: New Zealand - Aotearoa

  • December 16

    Students and staff depart for winter break

Spring Semester 2024: Chile / Europe (Slovenia, Italy and Austria)

January 21, 2024 - May 11, 2024

  • January 21

    Students and staff depart for Chile

  • January 22 - March 9

    Quarter 3

  • March 9

    Students and staff depart for spring break

  • March 10 - March 30

    Spring break

  • March 31

    Students and staff meet in Slovenia

  • April 1 - May 10

    Quarter 4: Slovenia Italy and Austria

  • May 11

    Graduation at Oetz, Austria

Food and Lodging

Food

World Class eats a variety of foods dependent primarily on the current destination.  While abroad, the program will eat food prepared for us either in restaurants or by hired chefs. We will eat cazuela in Chile, Lomo Saltado y Ceviche in Peru, Talapia in Uganda, Gallo Pinto in Costa Rica..... wherever in the World we are at, eating is an extension of the cultural experience. While in the United States and Canada, students and staff rotate between cooking responsibilities using our own cooking equipment. World Class Academy caters to any dietary needs and promotes healthy food choices. We always offer vegetarian options to meals and can cater to vegan diets as well. It is important while training that students eat well-rounded, healthy meal. Students and staff alternate between shopping trips, clean-up crew, and cook crew when preparing meals for the group. This is often one of the most important life lessons students take home: kitchen skills!

Lodging

While traveling both internationally and within the United States, the program looks for the most comfortable accommodations as close to quality whitewater as possible. During our time abroad, accommodations usually include cabins, lodges, hostels, and whitewater centers with sleeping facilities. On tour in the U.S. the program will typically pitch tents at campgrounds offering hot showers, cooking facilities and sheltered common areas. Lodging varies significantly depending on what destination we are at.

Our Faculty

The World Class team begins with a core of dedicated teachers; professionals in the art of teaching, kayaking, and outdoor leadership. In any given semester, there is typically over a decade of combined leadership experience within the faculty, providing a level of expertise, leadership, and education no other program can offer.

Kalob Grady

Head of School

In Progress: B.S. in Aviation and Geography – University of Waterloo

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Taylor Cofer

Program Director
AP Calculus, Biology, and Chemistry

B.S. in Fermentation Science – Appalachian State University
B.S. in Molecular Biology – Appalachian State University
M.S. in Biology – Western Washington University

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Kiah Schaepe

Teacher
Comparative Literature and Environmental Science

BS in Biology and minor in Environmental Studies – University of Victoria

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Sarina Chalmers

Teacher
Art and Comparative Literature

B.A. in Organismal Biology and Ecology – Colorado College

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Fabian Tandler

Teacher
Economics, Government, and History of the Americas

B.A. in Secondary Education – University of Teacher Education, Lucerne

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Laura Hofberger

Teacher
Algebra II and Spanish

B.S. in Education – Specializing in Math and Sport Science – University of Augsburg

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Beth Morgan

Teacher
Advanced Algebra, Physics, Pre Calculus, and Trigonometry

M.S. in Physics – University of Leeds

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Linus Widmer

Intern

T.A. in Physics, T.A. in Media Productions, T.A. in Pre-Calculus

High School Diploma – World Class Academy

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Mentor Groups

Mentor Groups

Each student enrolled in World Class Academy will be assigned to a teacher who will act as a mentor during the semester. With their mentors, students are encouraged to reflect regularly on their growth as athletes, students, and human beings. With their mentor group, students collaborate to provide meals for their peers, maintain living areas, and provide general support to each other.

Mentoring and the development of life skills happen on many levels at WCA. Through these processes, students develop an understanding of themselves, their place in the community, and their capacity to continue growing and learning.

Throughout the semester, mentors send weekly updates to individual parents on the progress of their son/daughter in the program. These updates lay the foundation for regular communication between parents, students, staff, and admin. Updates include specific details on progress in academics, athletics, and character building.

Supervision

World Class often fills the role of a family, and students are with staff 24 hours a day. From morning till night, teachers guide students through daily activities and help them adjust to the World Class lifestyle. Students and parents should be fully aware World Class has a zero-tolerance policy with respect to drug and alcohol use. Any student believed to be using or in possession of prohibited substances will be held to the stipulations of the Honor Contract, which students must sign before being accepted to the program.

Teachers will maintain the highest level of supervision possible as well as entrust students to make good decisions. Trust is a big part of the World Class lifestyle whether on the water or in the towns and villages where we stay throughout the semester.

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