INTERSESSION DESCRIPTIONS 2015-2016
*Denotes trip that satisfies Service Intersession requirement
ROCKS AND REEFS: SCIENCE IMMERSION IN BERMUDA – Sharon Wall, Adam Keller & Angela
Colegrove, 18 Students, 8 Days, $2500
This is a science immersion Intersession. Students will work and stay at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences
(BIOS) Research Station. Students experience working in BIOS labs and on active BIOS research vessels to
explore the reefs, lagoons, and beaches of Bermuda. Students will be hiking and snorkeling the pink sand
beaches of Church Bay; snorkeling off BIOS vessels on the Rim Reef; having sunset Meeting for Worship in
Tobacco Bay; exploring the sinkholes, caves, mangroves, and lagoons of Waldingham Caves; doing restoration
and wreck free-diving off Nonsuch Island; night snorkeling in Whale Bone Bay; and tree planting in and
exploring the natural reserve at Cooper’s Island. After a day of science and exploration, we will convene in the
BIOS labs to explore data results and process the day. Students will also explore the small towns on the island of
St. George, where BIOS is located.
Students will partake in ecologically-based projects and service that include biodiversity surveys (including a night
survey) involving hiking, snorkeling, boat rides, sample collection, habitat restoration, and plankton tows. (Due to
permitting restriction, we will not be SCUBA diving).
Criteria for Selection: Physically able to swim; valid visa and passport. Priority will be given to students that have
shown active interest in the SSFS Geology and Biology programs. If needed, a lottery process will be used to select
participants by the Selection Committee.
*HEAD START- Tom Harrison, Heather Engle & Robin Bruck, Service Intersession, 20 Students, 5 Days, $175
This community service Intersession will provide aid to HEAD START and elementary programs at several local
schools and childcare centers in Montgomery County. Students will gain more empathy for young children from
disadvantaged backgrounds. Students will develop a greater understanding of adolescent development and the
ways in which we learn. Students will complete meaningful community service. Daily classroom activities include
direct work with students and general teacher support. This trip runs Monday through Friday beginning at 8 am
and returning to school by 3:20 pm. On Wednesday, the group takes the “day off” and participates in a fun, local
excursion.
Criteria for selection: Seniors who need a Service Intersession have priority. Preference will also be given to those
who have a strong desire to work with small children. If needed a lottery process will be used to select
participants by the Selection Committee.
* SERVICE THAT BENEFITS THE LOCAL LATINO COMMUNITY – Eduardo Polón & David Kahn,
Service Intersession 18 Students, 5 Days, $200
Join Eduardo and David in this popular and long-standing community service Intersession helping aid the SED
Center (Spanish Education Development Center) daycare staff in their predominantly Hispanic bilingual
preschool in Washington, D.C. Participation will directly serve the educational, social, cultural and selfimprovement needs of Latin Americans, particularly recent immigrants. Opportunities to eat lunch in diverse
cultural restaurants will occur daily, prior to returning to campus. This convenient and affordable Monday
through Friday Intersession will depart daily from SSFS at 8:00 a.m. and return to campus by 3:20 p.m. in time to
catch the school bus.
Criteria for selection: While speaking Spanish is not a requirement for participation, priority will be given to
Spanish students (in order of most experienced to least), including students in need of a service Intersession (in
order of 12th down to 10th grade), as well as students in need of a first choice Intersession, and ideally 8-9 boys &
8-9 girls.
If needed a lottery process will be used to select participants by the Selection Committee.
NEW YORK- CHICAGO: A CULTURAL ODYSSEY – Bryan Seith & Cathy Harrison, 18 Students, 7 Days,
$1950
This week-long adventure will offer the culturally curious student of Sandy Spring the opportunity to sample some
of the rich artistic and musical treasures found in two of the most exciting cultural jewels of the U.S. and the
world: New York and Chicago. Each of our seven days will devote time to exploring the visual arts both old and
new in such landmarks as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Guggenheim and
Museum of Contemporary Art. Time will also be given each day to experiencing the important landmarks and
sights unique to each city. Scheduled each day will also be concerts and performances in a variety of venues to
sample opera to a musical to jazz to blues.
This Intersession of 16 students will travel to New York by bus where we will stay in simple but comfortable
accommodations for three nights, giving us enough time to really experience some of the cultural wonders of this
grand city. On Tuesday evening we will board a night train where we will arrive refreshed and ready to take on the
sights and sounds of Chicago. There, we will have another three nights to acquaint ourselves with the unique,
rich artistic and musical traditions of Chicago before flying back home to Maryland on Friday.
Criteria for selection: If needed, a lottery process will be used to select participants by the Selection Committee.
GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM!!- Kathy Laughlin & Elizabeth Glabus, 18 Students, 14 Days: March 11-25,
$2,800
This first-of-its-kind 14- day Intersession to Vietnam will focus on the rich culture heritage and history of this
Southeast Asian country. Leaving Dulles airport on Thursday, March 11, the group will arrive in the northern city
of Hanoi on Friday, March 12, where we will spend two days exploring the city, including an evening visit to the
Tang Long Puppet Theater. We will then travel to magnificent Halong Bay, where we will cruise the Bay, stay
overnight on a traditional boat, and spend the next day kayaking through the island and caves. Returning to
Hanoi, we will take an overnight train to the city of Hue on the east coast, where we will spend two days seeing
the sites of the area, including the Imperial City, the Tropical Gardens, and the Perfume River. From there, we
will travel to Hoi An on the north bank of the Thu Bon River where we will spend three days exploring the
famous Chua Ong Pagoda, the historic Old Quarter, and the ancient religious center of My Son. We will also do
a daylong bicycle excursion to the Tra Qui village. From Hoi An, we fly to Ho Chi Minh City for the last leg of
our trip. With Ho Chi Minh City as our base, we will cruise the Mekong Delta, visit the floating market of Soc
Trang, and spend and day and night in Can Tho, the largest city on the delta. Back in Ho Chi Minh City, we will
take a cylo tour of the city, and visit the Jade Emperor Pagoda. Finally, we will take a day trip to the Cu Chi
tunnels, an elaborate network of tunnels, used by the Vietnamese for centuries, and extending for more than 125
miles. On Thursday, March 24, we will depart Vietnam, and arrive at Dulles at 10:50 am on Friday, March 25.
This promises to be a trip of a lifetime!
Please Note: All our students, except the Japanese, will need a visa for Vietnam. Also, all passports must be valid
within 6 months of return.
Criteria for selection: If needed, a lottery process will be used to select participants by the Selection Committee.
LET’S GO TO THE MOVIES - Nancy O’Leary & Brian Brubaker, 13 Students, 5 Days, $700.
What do Batman, Rocky Balboa, James Franco, zombies circa 1960s, Denzel Washington, Emma Watson,
Harrison Ford, and Tom Cruise all have in common? They have all been in movies filmed in the Mid-Atlantic
region! We will visit the cities of Annapolis, Philadelphia (one night in a hotel), and Pittsburgh (2 nights in a
hotel) to better understand the movie-making process and see how city landscapes are represented and/or
distorted in film. We will mix movie-watching with travel to the locations where actual scenes were shot, for
movies such as Annapolis (2006), Rocky (1976), Night of the Living Dead (1968), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), and
Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012). In addition to recreating scenes in movie locations (for prizes!), we will also visit
the Philadelphia Art Museum, tour a film school (Pittsburgh Filmmakers), and take a guided tour through Frank
Lloyd Wright’s architectural masterpiece Fallingwater. Want to pretend to be Batman taking on Bane on the
steps of Gotham City Hall or the graveyard zombies that inspired The Walking Dead? Join us - we’ll take you there!
Criteria for selection: If needed, a lottery process will be used to select participants by the Selection Committee.
GREAT BRITAIN QUAKER PILGRIMAGE - Ben McClellan, Gwen Handler & Elizabeth Thornton, 9 days
(Friday, March 11 – Sunday, March 20), 18 Students, $2350
This nine--day international Intersession will take students to England, Wales, and Scotland in the pursuit of
Quaker roots and Anglican culture and history. Our tour throughout the United Kingdom will be conducted
primarily by train. We will spend several nights each in Bath, Kendall, York and London. Students will fly into
London on Friday, March 11, and depart from Heathrow to Bath. Bath will be our first home base as we visit
ancient Roman ruins, Stonehenge, the Salisbury Cathedral and the Salisbury Friends Meeting. In Wales we will
tour Caerphilly Castle and the National Museum. On Tuesday, we will travel north to Kendall and rediscover the
birthplace of Quakerism visiting Swarthmoor Hall, Briggs Flatts Meeting House and Firbank Fell. We will follow
with a day trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, and then take the train south to York and finally, London. The final two
days will be spent visiting the iconic palaces, monuments, and institutions of this world-class city. You must be
prepared to travel lightly using public transportation, and to cooperate with fellow students and chaperones to
make meals, reach our destinations, and look out for the good of the group.
Criteria for selection: If needed a lottery process will be used to select participants by the Selection Committee.
NATIONAL TREASURE/GEOCACHING – Frances Koons & Ariel Voorhees, 14 Students, 6 Days, $300
Geocaching is an international pastime involving a scavenger hunt based on GPS coordinates. Thousands of
geocaches are hidden all over the world, in bustling cities and the middle of nowhere. In day trips to DC,
Baltimore, and Annapolis, plus an overnight trip to Philadelphia, we’ll explore the region’s most popular and less
well known locations. Through hunting for geocaches, and propelled by a sense of friendly competition, we’ll
learn about navigating and orienteering using maps and GPS devices, while trying to find caches before the other
teams. Discover what geocaching is all about and find some real national treasures!
Note: With the exception of Wednesday, March 16, we’ll depart at 8:00 and return in time for the afternoon bus.
Criteria for selection: If needed, a lottery process will be used to select participants by the Selection Committee.
*NOLA: SERVICE WITH A SIDE OF SOUTHERN CULTURE Lizzy Rosen, Lauren Shiflet & J Cole, Service
Intersession, 18 Students, 6 days, $1200
Adventure down to The Big Easy on this service-based trip to New Orleans. Lend a hand to the Ninth Ward
during the day and explore the culture and diversity of NOLA at night. During this 6-day trip, students will
spend their mornings volunteering with Sustain The Nine, an organization that works to rebuild many of the
communities hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Each afternoon/evening will focus on a different cultural
component such as attending a New Orleans music venue, an alligator swamp tour, a traditional cooking class,
and exploring the Vieux Carre (French Quarter). Students participating will earn at least 20 hours of community
service as well as come away with an incredible sense of accomplishment, all while learning about some good ol
southern culture!
Criteria for selection: If needed, a lottery process will be used to select participants by the Selection Committee.
BEACH, BAY & RAINFOREST: EXPLORING PUERTO RICO Leah Niepold & Barry Merritt, 18 students,
8 days (3/12/16 – 3/19/16), $2295
Explore the wonders of the island of Puerto Rico, a Spanish speaking U.S. Territory in the Caribbean. We will
visit Old San Juan, Rio Camuy Cave Park, Tropic Ventures Rainforest Preserve, El Yunque National Forest, and
Luquillo Beach. Our many activities include touring the capital, practicing Spanish, Salsa dance lessons, enjoying
Puerto Rican cuisine, visiting the third largest underground river in the world, volunteering with Puerto Rican
scientists, not to mention a night kayaking tour of the world famous bio-luminescent bay. There are many
wonders to be found such as Spanish fortresses, underground caves, rainforest creatures including several species
of a small frog native to Puerto Rico called the coquí, pristine beaches and the wonders of the bio bay at night.
This trip will be full of adventure and includes one day of environmental service work in the rainforest.
Criteria for selection: If needed, a lottery process will be used to select participants by the Selection Committee.
A TASTE OF ART - Lyn Ostrov and Kexin Zhang, 15 Students, 5 Days, $300
Join us for five wonderful days of exploring beautiful places on day trips near Sandy Spring. We will create photosilkscreens at Pyramid- Atlantic in Silver Spring. We will go behind the scenes at the Baltimore Museum of Art
where the conservators will share their abilities in their laboratory, the curators of the Prints and Drawings
Department will show us drawings and prints without frames or glass, and we will explore the Contemporary
collection. We will participate in a day of service utilizing the visual arts, and visit the first Modernist Style gallery
in the Americas known as The Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. Lunches are projected to be at Ethno
Express in Silver Spring, Gourmet Inspirations in Wheaton, Tio Pepe’s in Baltimore, Thai Cuisine in Olney, and
1789 Restaurant in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. We will also take walks to see and experience the
neighborhoods.
Criteria for selection: If needed, a lottery process will be used to select participants by the Selection Committee.
*WEST VIRGINIA SERVICE: FOOD, SECURITY & ECONOMIC JUSTICE Bim Schauffler, & Dave
Burgevin & TBA, Service Intersession, 25 Students, 6 Days: Sun, March 13TH through Sat. March 19, $550
The West Virginia trip will be working with the group The Appalachian Center for Equality (ACE), an affiliate of The
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), on community service in the small town of Logan, West Virginia.
Student will primarily work to clear, till, and plant a 1000 square foot community garden in the town of
Shamrock and work to clean up, plant, and extend a smaller community garden at the Women’s Shelter in
downtown Logan. The group will also work with a local teenage mentoring group in a variety of other venues
including a visit to Logan High School. Participants on this trip will share in cooking and cleaning
responsibilities at the old Logan Jr. High School, where we stay in dormitory accommodations during the six days
we are in Logan. There will be one day for primarily recreational/educational activities, which include bowling,
ice-skating, go-cart racing, or hiking as well as a mountain top removal site visit, and meetings with local economic
justice activists. Students who participate in this Intersession will get 40 hours of community service, twenty of
which meet the community service Intersession requirement with the balance counting toward the community
service requirement for graduation. Students are guaranteed to put in some hard, wholesome, and fun work in
addition to learning about economic justice in one of Americas poorest regions.
Criteria for selection: If needed a lottery process will be used to select participants by the Selection Committee.
*THEATER INTENSIVE – Scott Carneal & Julie Borsetti, Service Intersession, 16 Students, 5 Days, $350
Join Scott Carneal and Julie Borsetti for a week exploring and interacting with the thriving local theater scene.
On this Intersession you will have a chance to experience a major classical production at the Shakespeare Theater
and compare it to brand new award-winning plays at DC’s Arena Stage, Baltimore’s Center Stage, and more. Get
a chance to go behind the scenes to learn what goes into the making of a play. Learn basic acting techniques
through theater games and scene study. This is also a service Intersession and we will be completing 20 hours of
community service through a variety of service projects. This Intersession is open to everyone. No previous theater
experience is necessary!
Please note that families will need to provide their own transportation to and from SSFS each day. From SSFS we
will travel to local theaters together as a group. We will be seeing a lot of evening shows, meaning that we will
generally meet from approximately 10:00 am-10:00 pm each day.
Criteria for selection: If needed, a lottery process will be used to select participants by the Selection Committee.