LEAP – Learn • Engage • Apply • Perform

Train like an athlete while experiencing the best of the Adirondacks! Students will gravel bike, hike, canoe, climb, trail run, and practice yoga while learning about strength, nutrition, mobility, and recovery. Meet local elite athletes and discover what it takes to perform at your best. Note: This is an intensive week of exercise! 

Approximate Cost: $300 per student 

Leaders: Mr. LeBlanc and Mr. Runyon 

Eat, cook, create, and explore! Visit local farms, creameries, sugarhouses, and beekeepers; learn from professional chefs; cook with fresh local ingredients; and discover sustainable food practices. The week culminates in preparing a delicious meal for the Northwood community. No cooking experience necessary – just bring your appetite! 

Approximate Cost: $300 per student 
Leaders: Ms. Gerardi and Mr. Spero 

Become a dog trainer for a week! Work with faculty dogs alongside a professional trainer while learning obedience, service-dog training, pet nutrition, genetics, and animal care. Visit a vet and local shelter, participate in a Pup Trot fundraiser, and finish the week with a Dog Show and your Dog Training Graduation. 

Approximate Cost: $175 per student 
Leaders: Mrs. Walker and Mr. Mallaro 

Step outside the classroom and into one! Spend the week working alongside teachers and young students at local elementary schools and kindergartens. Observe expert educators, help in the classroom, and design and run a sports event for the children you meet. Make a difference while discovering what it’s like to be on the other side of the desk. 

Cost: $0 per student 
Leader: Mr. Shergold and Mrs. Riffle 

Ride, explore, and learn how to fuel your performance! Experience road, mountain, and gravel cycling around the Adirondacks, tackle challenging climbs, and ride the new rail trail. Learn bike mechanics, fitting, and power generation while exploring sports nutrition and preparing meals for pre-ride fuel, endurance, and recovery. 

Approximate Cost: $350 per student (including bike rental) 
Leader: Mr. Bryan Magnus and Mr. Brantley Beach 

Learn to fly fish in some of the Adirondacks’ most beautiful rivers, lakes, and ponds. Master casting, fly tying, fish identification, and fishing techniques while pursuing trout, bass, and other species. Along the way, explore the biology and ecology of our cold-water fisheries. 

Cost: $800 per student

Leaders: Mr. Garvey and Mr. Cousineau 

Play your way through Adirondack history! Visit and play historic golf courses throughout the Park while learning about their unique stories and traditions. Meet golf historian Peter Martin and experience some of the Adirondacks’ quirkiest and most beautiful courses. Must have clubs and some golf experience. . 

Approximate Cost: $350 per student 
Leaders: Mr. Donatello and Mr. Gilligan 

Become a maker! Learn traditional woodworking skills using hand tools such as planes, saws, chisels, and squares. Build a candlebox and footstool while mastering classic dovetail and mortise-and-tenon joints. No power tools—just craftsmanship, creativity, and the satisfaction of making something with your own hands. 

Approximate Cost: $100 per student 
Leaders: Mr. Weaver, Mr. Martin, and Mr. Green ’55 (Gary Green Furniture) 

Learn practical tools for finding balance, focus, and resilience. Through yoga, breathwork, meditation, and mindfulness, students will develop skills they can use long after LEAP week to support physical, mental, and emotional well-being. 

Approximate Cost: $350 per student 
Leaders: Ms. Kate Broderick Ms. Nikki Warren (Owner of  High Peaks Yoga Shala ) 

Turn thrift-store finds into one-of-a-kind fashion! Learn sewing, clothing alterations, embellishment, and upcycling while creating your own wearable designs. No sewing experience necessary. The week ends with a fashion show and before-and-after exhibit celebrating your creative transformations. 

Approximate Cost: $275 per student 
Leaders: Mrs. Van Slyke and Ms. Prime  

Ready for an adventure? Scramble up an Adirondack slide, boat to a wilderness campsite, spend a night under the stars, rock climb, zip line, go whitewater rafting and explore the Adirondack Park. Students will help shape the itinerary while experiencing the incredible variety of outdoor adventure the Adirondacks have to offer. 

Approximate Cost: $350 per student 
Leaders: Mr. Maiorca and Mr. Boone  

Take your kayaking skills to the next level! Paddle rivers throughout New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire while learning advanced whitewater skills, river rescue, safety, leadership, and decision-making. Students will also earn a Wilderness First Aid certification, gaining valuable skills for future outdoor adventures and careers.

Approximate Cost: $500 per student

Leader: Mr. Bobby O’Connor

Travel to Uganda for an unforgettable combination of adventure, conservation, and community service. Trek through Bwindi to observe mountain gorillas, work Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Lawrence Zikusoka ‘93 and Conservation Through Public Health, learn about wildlife conservation and public health, visit local schools and villages, and experience Uganda’s incredible wildlife at Queen Elizabeth National Park. 

Approximate Cost: $5,800 per student depending on enrollment

Leaders: Mr. Emery and Ms. Farrell 

Explore glaciers, volcanoes, lava tubes, geothermal pools, geysers, and the rift valley while discovering how Iceland harnesses its geothermal energy. Learn about plate tectonics, climate change, and the natural forces shaping this incredible landscape through hands-on experiences at GeoCamp Iceland. 

Approximate Cost: $5,000 per student depending on enrollment

Leaders: Ms. Carmichael and Ms. Wegrzyn 

Journey from the Taj Mahal to the high Himalayas! Explore Delhi and Agra, discover Mughal history and culture, meet local artisans, and experience everyday life with a Northwood family. Then head to Ladakh for trekking, whitewater rafting, remote villages, monasteries, and unforgettable Himalayan landscapes. Challenge yourself, immerse yourself in local culture, and experience India as an adventurer and learner. 

Approximate Cost: $5,500 per student depending on enrollment

Leaders: Ms. Fagan and Dr. Mark Fagan 

Explore Croatia’s spectacular Dalmatian Coast by kayak, bike, boat, and on foot! Snorkel in the Adriatic, hike in Paklenica National Park, explore the Kornati Islands, visit historic cities and villages, and experience Croatia’s incredible food, culture, and landscapes. 

Approximate Cost: $5,800 per student depending on enrollment

Leaders: Ms. Odell and Ms. Wardlaw 

Take your climbing skills to world-class Red Rock! Learn the fundamentals of single- and multi-pitch rock climbing while developing technical, environmental, organizational, and problem-solving skills in one of the country’s premier climbing destinations. 

Approximate Cost: $2,000 per student depending on enrollment
Leaders: Mr. Bobby O’Connor and Ms. Fagan (students will miss 5-6 class days)