The Dance Fever is Heating Up

At first students in the Break It Down Winterim had to learn from each other. They created dances based on their limited understanding of movement.   However over the past few days they have learned legitimate moves and techniques from some highly qualified professional dancers.

The Copoeira is form of dance which combines Brazilian marital arts with dance moves.  They were instructed in this style late last week.  Check out this video of one of their teachers.

This week the focus has been on hip hop and break dancing.  When asked about learning this, one student commented that the teacher is very good.  He knows what he is doing and he has really helped the group gain some specific skills for this type of dance style.

A final dance performance will happen at 1:00 pm, Friday (3/14) in the Black Box Theater. 

Wall Dive - Profound and Vast

We received another detailed summary from the Underwater Discovery Winterim Group.  Words can't describe the underwater world they've experienced, so we look forward to seeing more photos and video from them when they return.

Tanning With Tanner at South Water Caye, Belize.

A week and a half ago, we arrived in Belize. None of us imagined the experiences that we would soon undergo. It’s a shame that it will all be over so soon but all good things have to come to an end. Yesterday we completed our dive training. After a series of open water dives and some academic class work we have finally become certified open water divers. Today (Wednesday) was our first free dive. As a group we descended to around 70 feet.  We were wall diving which means we dove along the side of the reef wall. The marine ecosystem on the wall is profound and vast. It would be impossible to write down everything that caught our eye, but among some things that stood out we saw a sea turtle, lion fish, trumpet fish, moray eel, and tubular sponges as high as four feet. After our dive today Tanner and I put together a video of our experience on the island. We have learned so much on the island and most of that is because of the wonderful staff here at IZE. Everybody is engaged with one another and that has made it very easy to befriend the locals and develop relationships with them in such a short amount of time. And obviously we have all been getting tanner with Tanner. Special thanks to Winterim models Craig Waldie and Erik Ekberg

Sincerely, Adrian and Tanner

Part of a Greater Good

This past weekend, the Special Olympics Winterim group facilitated a basketball skills clinic for the Special Olympics at the Yawkey Sports Training Center in Marlboro, MA. Students helped the athletes develop their skills in basketball and team building.




















This skills clinic was one of many venues throughout New England that hosted the Special Olympics this past weekend and the students in the Special Olympics Winterim group were part of a vast effort to help out the athletes and the Special Olympics in general.

Final From the Ground Update

The From the Ground Up Winterim group sent us this final update about their last day in the Dominican Republic and their reflections on their time there:

Hello everyone!

It's hard to believe this trip is almost over! This will be our last update from the DR, as we are heading out early Thursday morning and heading back to the States. It's hard to imagine that we are coming back to snow after the wonderful sun and warmth we have been experiencing. If only we could take the weather back with us!

Our last day here was nothing short of amazing. The group woke up early to experience a spectacular sunrise together overlooking the ocean. We then headed out to La Laguna GriGri, where we took a boat through a mangrove estuary and saw not only the mangroves but some wildlife as well. We swam at two beautiful beaches, enjoyed a delicious lunch of fresh lobster, fish, chicken, rice, beans, and platanos, and enjoyed the warm weather as much as possible before heading back to the snow and ice that awaits us back home.

As we headed back to the Beach Comber, we were pleasantly surprised by a visit from LA alum Maritza Menjivar ('07), who is currently in the DR as well! She worked at LA in 2011-2012, so she knew many of the students, and they were excited to see her. She stayed with us for dinner, and then we had our final reflection together as a group. First, the students said a very heartfelt and thoughtful good-bye and thank-you (led by the seniors) to our guide, Luis, who has been with us the entire trip. Then, the students thought about their overall experience and journaled about their five biggest "take-away" moments from the trip, as well as how they would take what they learned from the trip and apply it to their lives back home. Their responses showed just how much they have truly grown during this trip, as well as how much their work in the community genuinely resonated with them. We will further discuss their plans for action on Friday when we have our last day on campus. As the students put it themselves, it is important we hold ourselves accountable to making a difference even after Winterim ends, and we very much plan to do just that.

To say it has been a pleasure being on this trip with this particular group of students would be a gross understatement. The bonding they have done, the work they have executed, the overall experience they have created for themselves, and the communities they have worked with is truly remarkable. It has been a Winterim that the students, as well as the leaders, will remember always.

Hasta manana,
Kacey and Rob

Immersed in the Wild

Imagine kayaking everyday in the middle of warm ocean waters and living among the lush green habitat of Costa Rica.

Our Kayaking in Costa Rica group is doing just that.  They are safe and having a great time. It is a wilderness immersion Winterim at its best with no access to technology.  During this second week they will kayak a little bit more in areas where they may spot dolphins and whales, take in the sites surrounding them and possibly white water raft.

A Puerto Jimenez Beach

Have no worries about this group; they are having a great time and we look forward to seeing their amazing photos upon their return. They return to Boston late Friday evening.

"Everyday is Memorable"

The students in the Arc of Opportunity Winterim group have been helping out at the Arc Community Services Center in Fitchburg, MA for the past two weeks, interacting with adults that have developmental and physical disabilities. These students play games, draw pictures, and help the clients out in the workshop, a place where some of the more advanced clients can work for money. While they are doing these activities, the students talk to the clients about things like sports, music, and other favorites of theirs. The students occasionally find it difficult to talk to the clients, but for the most part they are able to have a conversation with them. When asked about any memorable moments they have had at the Arc, the students said, "everyday is memorable." They also said that the clients love having the students come and everyday the clients tell them that they love them and they will miss not having them around after Friday, the last day of Winterim. The students really enjoy going to the Arc, despite how exhausting it is, and they have found that they can learn a lot from being around these individuals.

From the Arc of Opportunity website

A Tricky Spider and a Magic Rock

The Something for Nothing Players have been traveling around New England this week, performing for children, and will continue to do so for the rest of the week. Based on what the Players have said, they are really enjoying performing for the children. When asked what it's like to finally showoff their work for kids one performer respond by saying, "It's awesome!" They have said that the children's energy throughout the performance makes it feel real and the children really look up to the Players. The Players also enjoy hearing and answering the questions that the children have after the performances.

The Something for Nothing Players' play is about a spider who tricks other animals into giving her their food by making them say a phrase near a magic rock that puts them to sleep for one hour. The animals then decide to get back at the spider by making her fall for her own trick. 

On Monday, the Something for Nothing Players performed at the Claremont Elementary Schools, in Claremont, NH, for grades 1-5. On Tuesday, they performed at Charlotte Avenue Elementary, in Nashua, NH, for grades 1-4. Today (Wednesday), they will perform at the Wellesley Community Children's Center, in Wellesley, MA, for preschoolers to third graders. On Thursday, they will perform twice at Campton Elementary, in Campton, NH, for grades 1-4. On Friday, they will perform twice at Maple Avenue School, in Goffstown, NH, for grades 1-4. We wish the best of luck to all the actors and actresses throughout their performances this week. Break a leg, Something for Nothing Players!

Here is their schedule for the week: