Resiliency for Life

News at Resiliency for Life

An RFL freshman takes a plunge on the giant swing on the summer retreat to Project Adventure at New England College in Henniker, NH.  This retreat exposes new RFL students to the expectations of the program as well as the staff.  This year’s two-day program was cut short due to inclement weather, but students and staff still participated in icebreaker activities and low elements on the New England College ropes course.  The lessons that students learn on the ropes course about adversity and pushing oneself hard will be utilized during the school year when students feel like giving up on academics. 

For the second straight summer, all freshmen attended the Resiliency for Life Summer Program.  Research shows that the transition from middle school to high school is one of the greatest contributors to poor grades, so the program was geared towards easing this tough adjustment.  For four hours a day over the course of four weeks students attended an English class and an Algebra I class.  Both were designed to expose the students to elements that would be taught at the outset of their 9th grade year and each student completed one of their two summer reading books in class.  They also became acclimated to the large facility and enjoyed a fun activity each day as well.  These ranged from painting ceramics at Plaster Fun Time to canoeing on Lake Cochituate and preparing meals at Dream Dinners.  This year the program was expanded so that the sophomores could participate as well.  They took an English class and a geometry class and helped the freshmen understand the expectations for the school and RFL.