What do teenagers need so they are prepared for the future? This question is constantly being asked in a variety of ways, as follows:
What social and emotional capacities will help kids weather the highs and lows of adolescence so they can mature into secure and confident adults?
What skills and competencies do students need to be ready for a competitive college admissions landscape and a dynamic employment market?
How can we help students feel empowered and ready to take on the daunting challenges of our time–environmental, political, and social–challenges that threaten to upend human life as we know it?
Sonoma Academy has created an academic program that addresses all of these questions and more, grounded in a deep respect for and understanding of the importance of teenhood. When teenagers are engaged in their learning and given the right environment and the right tools, they can unlock tremendous potential and accomplish great things…all while embracing the joy that comes with self-discovery and belonging.
SONOMA ACADEMY: HIGH SCHOOL SHOULD BE AMAZING
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Courses at Sonoma Academy are college preparatory, but they go much farther. Students develop a strong academic foundation through core classes in STEM, world languages, the humanities, and the arts by participating in innovative courses taught by world-class faculty. Teachers create in-depth classes that allow students to find real meaning in their coursework as they address real-world problems and make connections with the world beyond the classroom.
Rather than memorizing maps and capitals, Humanities students examine questions like “How does geography shape culture?” as they develop their writing, researching, and critical thinking skills in an interdisciplinary framework. STEM students might be challenged to design a machine to assist a person with disabilities. World language students practice vocabulary and grammar as they write and perform video skits and commercials. These experiential, multidisciplinary classes are unique, challenging, and above all, fun! All of this adds up to a program in which students are engaged, empowered, and excited by learning. When students are encouraged to follow their curiosity and to apply their knowledge to the real world, they develop capacities that will serve them both in the classroom and in the workplace later on.
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Beyond College Prep
During teenhood, the brain is developing at an extremely rapid rate. This is what makes teenagers natural risk-takers; they crave new experiences and exploration. In the right environment, this hard-wired drive to take risks can be channeled in positive ways. When teenagers have the freedom to try new things and are challenged to move out of their comfort zones, they can discover great potential and find their lifelong passions.
In order to have the confidence to take these kinds of positive risks, teenagers need to feel safe and supported. This is why Sonoma Academy places a great deal of emphasis on creating a warm community where students feel seen and appreciated—by their classmates, their teachers, and all of the people who are a part of their education.
When students have close mentoring relationships with their teachers, they can discover their own abilities, find resilience in failure, and see themselves as valued members of the community. They are more willing to take the kinds of risks that lead to deeper learning. And when students are surrounded by accepting and inclusive peers, they feel that they can be their authentic selves at school. This is crucial as they navigate a world in which authenticity is becoming increasingly rare.
Unlocking Potential, Nurturing Passions
Underlying every aspect of school life at Sonoma Academy is a strong belief that teenagers have the power to do great things. Armed with the knowledge they receive in the classroom, the support of their community, and the confidence to take on new challenges, Sonoma Academy students are motivated to make a difference in the world. From climate activism to DEI work to student-directed community impact projects and student-produced plays and concerts, SA students feel empowered to use their skills for the greater good.
And another foundational belief at SA is that school can and should be fun! There is an element of playfulness to class assignments (think students dressing up as philosophers and staying in character to have a roundtable debate in Humanities, or creating Rube Goldberg machines for Physics). And every day provides small moments of joy around campus, from lunchtime open mics to spontaneous games of spikeball. Teenagers want and need opportunities to be silly, to make connections with friends, and to celebrate this particularly formative time of their lives.
Even with the unprecedented challenges and unpredictability today’s teenagers face, when they are given the right sort of school environment, they can thrive. Many high schools are set up to constrain and resist the natural tendencies of the teenage brain to take risks, to seek peer connection, and to explore. Sonoma Academy works with those instincts to create a transformative learning environment in which teenagers can become the best versions of themselves.
Finding Power, Finding Joy
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By StoryStudio on October 5, 2023
Sponsored by Sonoma Academy
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Learn about our dynamic, multi-faceted program, as well as opportunities to explore and connect with Sonoma Academy. Register for an Open House to meet our teachers, students, and staff as well as to learn about what makes Sonoma Academy "so SA."
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REGISTER TODAY!
For two weeks this summer, middle school students can have the Sonoma Academy experience: inspiring teachers, fun and engaging learning, opportunities to try new things or explore an interest more deeply, all on our beautiful campus at the base of Taylor Mountain in South Santa Rosa. Summer offerings are designed for rising 6th to 8th grade students and cover a broad array of interests and opportunities. Students will learn new
skills, make new friends, and have a good time.
Summer offerings include: Art in 5 Days, Earthology, Intro to Debate, Jam Band, Italian Cooking & Baking, Outdoor Adventures, Spooky Stories Podcasting, Sports Sampler, Your Phone is a Photo Studio, Basketball Basics & Beyond, DIY Beauty Brand, Intro to Film making, and Storytelling! Summer camps are one week long, from 9 am to 3 pm, and lunch and snacks are included in the fee.
SUMMER @ SONOMA ACADEMY
Summer @ SA is Back!
June 10-14; June 17-21
Register Here Today!