VISIONS Island Passage, Virgin Gorda
- July 5 - 26
- Tuition: $4,100
- Island of Virgin Gorda
- Immersion in Afro-Caribbean culture
- Beaches, coves, island mountains
- Snorkeling, swimming, hiking, boating
- Dancing, steel drums, local crafts
- Ages 11 - 14*
The Island Passage program has the same components and basic framework as VISIONS programs for teens: service, cross-cultural learning and adventurous exploration in a supportive, inter-dependent small group setting. Participants will be fully engaged and appropriately challenged, members of a family-like team that lives and works together to achieve shared goals. Both Passage Programs aim to give participants a wider perspective, increased self-confidence, greater self-awareness and respect for others, rewards that will help pave the way for the high school years just around the corner.
Virgin Gorda is a small, quiet, closely knit island community. Our home base is St. Mary's School, long familiar to VISIONS. The roomy space sits atop a hill on the north coast, and boasts the best breezes on Virgin Gorda. From our back door we can see the ocean below and hear the waves. Projects will include renovating a few playgrounds, constructing playground equipment for the Little Rainbow preschool in Bregado Flax and a few dog houses for the humane society. We’ll assist Virgin Islands Search and Rescue in simple swimming lessons for children, visit the elders’ home nearby, do small projects for the BVI National Parks, and most likely a few odds-and-ends repairs at St. Mary's.
Excursions will include a boat trip to neighboring Anegada, an even more remote island and coral atoll where pink flamingoes forage the salt water ponds. We will hike, snorkel, enjoy mini-golfing, always the exquisite beaches, ferry to the main island of Tortola to shop and see the sights, and spend an evening watching the Mokko Jumbies (stilt walkers) perform. We’ll meet and mingle with many island friends, enjoy dancing and listening to steel drums, and learn about British Virgin Islands culture up close, every day.
* Our middle school programs are open to youth ages 11 - 14, with most aged 12 and up. Note that 14-year-olds have the option of either a high school or middle school program, and, historically, have successful experiences in all of our programs.
