Passport to Possibility: 2025–26 Experiential Learning Update

Spring is always a busy time around AWS, and it’s especially exciting as students head out on their division-specific travel windows! 

You may have seen on Annie Wright’s social media all of the amazing experiential learning that took place across ten different time zones during the Upper Schools spring travel window–not to mention our students who have participated in Language and Global Alliance Exchanges or grade-level travel learning experiences over this past school year. At AWS, education extends beyond the classroom, guided by a commitment to developing curious, compassionate, and globally minded learners. 

Inspired by the values of the International Baccalaureate, we encourage students to think critically, embrace diverse perspectives, and engage meaningfully with the world around them. In alignment with the AWS mission, we cultivate confidence, creativity, and character through passion-driven learning beyond the school day. Together, these experiences empower students not only to achieve academic excellence but to lead purposeful lives as engaged citizens of an interconnected world. 

Here’s what our world travelers have been up to:

At the end of April, Middle School students journey farther afield than previous in-state inquiry visits and field learning experiences: Grade 6 investigates science and history in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, Grade 7 explores the national parks of the American Southwest on foot, and Grade 8 stretches their comfort zones speaking Spanish and exploring the ecology of Costa Rica. 

Grade-level experiential learning continues in the Upper School as Grade 9 Gators spend several nights at a regional retreat center building community and developing as leaders, and Grade 10 students choose to travel with part of their grade to a learning destination. This year, Grade 10 chose to discover either Iceland, Italy, or Peru with their peers. Each of these experiences, included in AWS tuition, is designed to support students in safe risk-taking, connection-making, reflection, and community-building.

(s)Electives are after-school passion classes that provide a prime opportunity for students to build relationships around shared interests across divisions and tie colors. Guest speakers, local field trips, on-campus collaborations and service, simulations, and hands-on experiences keep the learning in (s)Electives active and engaging. 

From Podcasting students creating the “Chatting with Chomp” podcast and Inkwell producing the AWS student magazine to the Great Outdoor Adventure Team learning to plan and prepare backcountry menus and Mock Trial, Rocketry, and Model UN students participating in conferences and competitions, our (s)Electives students learn through hands-on projects. We’re excited to announce the newest (s)Elective, starting in the fall: Culinary Arts!

This fall and spring, 110 Grade 11 and 12 (s)Elective students stretched their learning to include budgeting, itinerary-building, and networking as they collaborated with their teachers to design school-sponsored travel learning experiences. This year (s)Electives learned in Seattle, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Moab, San Francisco, Portland, Auckland, Dublin, Tokyo, and Sarajevo. The diversity and breadth of facilities visited, chances to meet with professionals and experts, fun cultural learning, and community building make these trips a highlight of the year for many students. 

The Global Alliance program offers Grade 9 students a transformative opportunity to experience the world through immersive cultural exchange. 

Students spend three weeks living and studying at IB schools on other continents, followed by three weeks hosting their international partner, creating a meaningful balance of independence and responsibility. This experience fosters global awareness, adaptability, and empathy as students navigate new cultures and perspectives firsthand. By stepping outside their comfort zones and building lasting cross-cultural relationships, students develop confidence, communication skills, and a deeper understanding of their role in an interconnected world—benefits that extend far beyond the classroom and last a lifetime. 

This year, three students exchanged with partners from Windhoek International School in Namibia, two students exchanged with partners from the International School of Western Australia, and four students exchanged with NIST International School in Bangkok, Thailand. Global Alliance ambassadors share that their travel abroad is the highlight of their lives so far, and many of them have caught the travel bug for life!

Because immersion focused on daily conversation and listening to authentic content is the best way to improve language skills, AWS facilitates Language Exchanges in the acquired languages offered, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish. 

The AWS internal Mandarin-English Exchange pairs Mandarin learners with native Mandarin speakers in the AWS dormitory. This year, six students will participate through one Tacoma-Taiwan partnership and two Tacoma-China partnerships. 

Our Spanish Exchanges facilitate learning in Mexico and Argentina. Five Grade 10 students studied and stayed with host families in Chapala, Mexico, for three weeks in January and then welcomed their exchange partners from Instituto Internacional Octavio Paz into their homes and the AWS community in February and March. 

Grade 11 and 12 AWS families hosted six students from Buenos Aires, Argentina, and in June, the next round of students will travel to our partner school, Colegio Pestalozzi, for three or four weeks. Language Exchanges provide an important opportunity for students to venture into the world and experience achievable challenges, which lead to growth and understanding. 

In addition to developing language skills, exchange participants develop confidence in themselves. Participating families have shared that the best parts of these exchanges are building relationships with other families, including the privilege of knowing and caring for a young person from another country, as well as expanding cultural understanding. 

We are so proud of our world travelers and can't wait to see how they use their experiential learning trips out in the real world and in the classroom.