Often referred to as the best kept secret in private education, Nawa Academy is a coed, independent boarding school located on the West Coast. As a leader in experiential education, Nawa Academy serves students in both middle school and high school, utilizing a hands-on learning approach.

Examples of children who benefit from experiential learning include nontraditional learners, those with time management, motivational and organizational issues, as well as students with learning disabilities. This includes students with auditory processing, comprehension, visual processing, fluency and decoding, and attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADD / ADHD). Students searching for a dynamic educational experience who are excelling academically may also benefit from one of our traveling or snowboarding programs.

Nawa Academy is a fully accredited, college preparatory boarding school that offers highly effective educational alternatives to suit many types of students. Imagine a school that travels into areas such as China, Ecuador, Egypt, Guatemala, India, Peru, and the Philippines to conduct their academic studies, or one that combines academics with snowboarding. Imagine a school with small classes, creative and fun teachers, and learning through doing instead of being confined to a classroom filled with more than thirty students. These are the dreams that our students realize.

Having pioneered the concept of a traveling boarding school program in 1992, Nawa Academy continues to set the standard for blending academic and personal growth with international travel. Our traveling program is called International Academy. This extraordinary experience is ideal for students who desire to be challenged academically, learn through experience, and travel to multiple countries. University campuses, libraries, research centers, laboratories, museums and wildlife preserves are just a few of the learning environments utilized during each 2-3 week educational experience. Students also develop valuable life skills working with nonprofit service organizations and businesses.

Our main (on-campus) program, the California Academy, is located in Northern California. The California Academy offers a low student-to-teacher ratio as well as a wide variety of electives from fire science to metal shop. Additionally, an optional on-site learning lab provides exercises to increase reading comprehension and language fluency skills. Basketball, volleyball, paintball, skateboarding, ultimate Frisbee, rock climbing, surfing, and weekend leadership and team-building trips are just a few of the extra-curricular activities offered.

Snowboard USA (SUSA) is another program available to our students who are ready to focus on their studies and improve their snowboarding under the guidance of our coaches. Students can apply to join our competitive team or can choose to join the recreational snowboarding group. During the week, students attend classes at our main campus and spend the weekends focusing on improving their snowboarding skills. The off-season consists of conditioning activities, and once the snow falls, the students can be found on the slopes at Mt. Shasta, Mt. Ashland, Lake Tahoe, and Mammoth.

Adventure summer school is also available to students seeking to combine summer school courses with fun and challenging outdoor experiences. Our four-week summer school programs are for students in grades 7-12. Students take summer courses and earn academic credit while rock climbing, caving, backpacking, and whitewater rafting. In addition to summer school, a summer camp experience is also available for younger children. For over 20 years, our summer programs have improved self-esteem, self-confidence and leadership skills. We also teach basic outdoor rescue in areas such as basic vertical rescue and swift water rescue to create an optimal environment for leadership development and teambuilding.

Review our website and discover more about our boarding school and adventure summer school programs.