Radical Sabbaticals for Students is a unique new summer program specifically designed for high school students involved in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program. All IB Diploma students are required to write an extended essay (EE) based on independent research in any chosen subject and to perform at least 150 hours, spread out over at least one and a half years, doing something creative, participating in sport or other physical activities, and doing community service / social work (Creativity, Action, Service or CAS).

As any parent or participating student is well aware, IB Diploma students have more than enough pressure to perform without the added stress of conducting EE research and CAS work during the school year. We created Radical Sabbaticals for Students to allow students to pursue their research and CAS work outside of the regular school year in an exotic location as part of a community of other exceptional young people. Thus, Radical Sabbaticals for Students incorporates research opportunities for the EE, complimented with 40 hours of community service towards CAS requirements and leavened with a few days of unadulterated active fun.

Radical Sabbaticals for Students

What is it?	I hear & I forget I see & I remember I experience & I understand" Confucius
	The Problem. The IB program is a very demanding, strictly regimented curriculum requiring students to complete the most extensive, broad- based education experience in the world. An above average work load, peer pressure, programme pressure, community work and various child-specific demands (involvement in elite sports or other extra curricular activities demanding long hours of commitment) all contribute to a hot-house atmosphere for IB students. It is a pressure cooker for students and their families. The Solution. Radical Sabbaticals for Students provide an opportunity to alleviate some of this pressure by allowing IB students to pursue the EE research and CAS community service outside of the regular school year in an exotic location in a relaxed atmosphere with a community of other exceptional students. The basic premise of Radical Sabbatical is to use the summer break, after grade 10 or 11, not for an escape to the lake , but as an opportunity both to travel and experience new cultures, while completing the mandatory, independent research project. For Grade 10 students, this allows them to get a head start on their IB Diploma requirements, and for Grade 11 students it provides an opportunity to complete their research outside of the school year but within the required time frame. In addition to providing a practical solution to the demands of the IB Diploma program, Radical Sabbaticals for Students apply the concepts of experiential travel and hands-on learning to help stimulate the mind and develop the character and social conscience of IB Diploma students.
How Does it Work?	We become more alive by simply changing our environment – in a novel setting where you can no longer count on things as they were, our senses become more finely attuned and our instincts sharpened – it’s a sure ticket to revitalized awareness” - Outward Bound Dictum
	Philosophically Speaking. Radical Sabbaticals for Students are premised upon the notion that the most powerful memories are formed through the alchemy of participation and immersion, and this holds equally true for educational goals as well as more personal ambitions. We believe in moving beyond merely seeing the sights or getting away from it all in order to pursue the more elusive transformative moments of personal discovery and meaning. In our experience, these moments tend to occur when people push themselves out of their comfort zones, but paradoxically, people only tend to push themselves once they have learned to slow down, breath deeply, and relax. Our expertise lies in creating the conditions in which moments of spontaneity and magic can flourish. Here, inspiration happens because we create inspirational settings. Practically Speaking. Having chosen their own topic, students are invited to a 28-day, supervised, three- part programme in a safe foreign location-Tuscany, Costa Rica, and Galapagos. Every Radical Sabbatical is built around the same basic components spread over 4 weeks. Students will spend their 28 days as follows: Phase 1 - 2 1/2 weeks researching a pre-determined topic of their choice. Living together with other IB students from different schools, and lead by qualified IB teachers, the students complete the research they need to write their 4,000 word extended essay in the autumn back in their home school. Phase 2 - a week long community project. After the research exercise, the students move locations, again to a secure environment, but this time nearer to communities in their host location. There, for seven days the students earn community service credit towards their CAS hours, participating in real projects with real results. Phase 3 - three days of fun. For the last three days, the Radical Sabbatical program is all fun, depending on the host location, rewarding the student with an action packed , mini vacation.in the specific location (surfing in Costa Rica, hiking in Tuscany, diving or snorkelling in the Galapagos, etc).  Groups are small (20 to 25 students) and will be accompanied by 2 IB teachers from Canada and at least 2-3 local teachers. The program is fully insured and all teachers will be rigorously screened. Students will have full access to technical facilities at each location, and the program is fully supported both in Canada and internationally. This program is the only educational travel program in Canada specifically geared to the needs and interests of IB Diploma students.
Why Should I Do it?	ADVENTURE = PERSPECTIVE CHANGE = INNOVATIVE THINKING
	The Simple Answer. Participating in a Radical Sabbatical for Students will allow the student to satisfy the independent research requirements and accumulate some of the CAS hours necessary to graduate from the IB Diploma program. Furthermore, using the summer break as an extension of the overall IB experience creates some space during the regular year for co-curricular activities to allow IB students to become all-around students. The Nuanced Answer.  The broader purpose of Radical Sabbaticals for Students is to encourage students to develop a better understanding and appreciation for other cultures and points of view while at the same time pursuing intellectually stimulating research in a fabulous setting. Radical Sabbaticals for Students use experiential travel as a vehicle to take diverse groups of students out of their comfort zone equally thereby forcing them to look at their world through a different lens. Horizon & Co's definition of adventure is: “any intentional experience that substantially alters your perspective long enough to see things we have never before seen and to see familiar things in ways we have never before seen them”. From our perspective, student programmes that employ physical hardship, endurance and deprivation miss the point – the travel element of the programme is simply the catalyst to help move people out of their comfort zones (since people don’t change their behaviour when they are comfortable). Our view of the “adventure” aspect of student travel is that is should be about “challenging your own internal limits of daring”, not ropes courses and traditional outdoor adventure activities (although we're not averse to having a bit of fun while we're at it...)
Where Can I go?	Tuscany Costa Rica Galapagos
	2006 Trips. See the Trips link on the sidebar. Radical Sabbaticals for Students in 2006 are being offered in 3 different international communities chosen for the diversity of their cultures and geography - Tuscany, Costa Rica and the Galapagos. The topics available for study are varied, and include a wide range of subject matters (the arts, politics, the environment, marine biology, etc). The international environment and exposure to multi-cultural living will broaden the soul, ignite the sense and illuminate the spirit.
How Do I Book?	Fill out the Application Form (PDF)
	1. SELECT YOUR PROGRAM. Choose the program that best suites you. Horizon can arrange the appropriate international airfare for you right from your home city. 2. SELECT THE DEPARTURE DATE THAT YOU LIKE BEST. Remember that some trips have several departure dates. Check the trip page of your trip for a full listing of available trip dates. 3. COMPLETE THE APPLICATION FORM ON-LINE, OR BY MAIL OR FAX. Our on-line application (above) is the easiest way to apply for a trip. You can also apply by mail or fax. The application form is self-explanatory. Please phone us if you have any questions while completing your application. 4. CHECK YOUR APPLICATION BEFORE SENDING IT. Please make sure that your application form is complete before you send it to us. Check that all appropriate boxes are filled in correctly and that the form shows that parental permission has been given. 5. ENSURE YOU HAVE PROVIDED YOUR CREDIT CARD DETAILS FOR THE $500 APPLICATION FEE. If you wish to pay by check, complete your application and post your cheque to our Toronto office at 478 Queen Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M5A 1T7. Your application will be processed when we receive your application fee. 6. PROGRAMS ARE FILLED ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE BASIS. Our most popular trips and departure dates sell out quickly. To ensure that you have a spot on the trip you want, sign up as early as possible!
Who is Radical Sabbatical for Students?	Jacquie Ison + Jen Deacon = Radical Sabbatical For Students
	The idea for Radical Sabbaticals for Students was developed by Jacquie Ison (an engaged and active parent) in partnership with Jennifer Deacon (Senior Trip planner at Horizon). Who is Jacquie Ison? Jacquie and her husband Stacey parent three teenage daughters, all in the IB program at Branksome Hall in Toronto. Like their mother, the daughters are heavily involved in their school community and in sports. Jacquie’s vision for Radical Sabbatical for Students was to use the summer break as an extension of the overall IB experience, but one that would allow some space during the regular year for co-curricular activities to allow her daughters and other IB students to become all-around students. Who is Jen Deacon?  Jen Deacon is an alumnae of the IB program, and an avid believer in the experience of travelling for education.  For several years she worked on student trips with Butterfield &Robinson, both recreational and educational, and was Assistant Director of their summer Siena Art School. While completing her degree in Art History in Italy, Jen worked for the University of Michigan at their study abroad program in Florence and became addicted to the foreign student lifestyle. Since then she has lived in Italy and France, and traveled all over the world planning cultural trips for all ages.
What is the IB Diploma?	The International Baccalaureate - Click Here For More IB Details
	The Diploma Program (DP): The Diploma Program (DP) is an educational program taught in one of three languages - English, French or Spanish - and is intended for students in their final two years of secondary school, often before entering university. It is taught in 1,348 schools in 121 countries (as of 2005). The program, administered by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), is one of the most widely recognised pre-university educational programs in the world. The Extended Essay (EE): Students in the DP program must write an essay of at most 4,000 words in any chosen subject (not necessarily one taken for the final exam) but not across subjects. The task involves independent research and requires producing a comprehensible written piece. Each student is paired with a supervisor, who provides insight toward the final product. It is essential to submit an Extended Essay (often abbreviated as EE) or the candidate cannot receive the IB Diploma. The essay requirement is intended to acquaint diploma candidates with the kind of independent research and writing skills expected by universities. The topic may be any that the student feels is researchable. The essay permits students to deepen their programs of study, for example by selecting a topic in one of their Higher Level (HL) courses. Or they might add breadth to their academic experience by electing to write in a subject not included in their program choices (if permitted by the supervising teacher). Creativity, Action, Service (CAS):Each DP student must complete at least 150 hours, spread out over at least one and a half years, doing something creative, participating in sport or other physical activities, and doing community service / social work. The general guideline for CAS is to split it evenly among Creativity, Action and Service, hence a de facto requirement of 50 hours of each. The whole lot of the work done for CAS must be documented in the 'CAS diary', which is eventually sent to the IBO as a proof of the fulfilled CAS program. Participation in CAS raises students’ awareness of community needs and gives them an opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom to address those needs. It also gives them confidence in their ability to bring about change. The projects must have tangible results and offer real benefit to others.