Beyond the Classroom: TEA’s Individualized Adventure Program
Tahoe Expedition Academy combines academics with character development and adventure to prepare students for life in the real world. Where TEA integrates adventure into academics, TEA’s Individualized Adventure Program (IAP) integrates academics into adventure.
TEA created the Individualized Adventure Program to foster student growth and success during extended periods of time spent outside the classroom. Students who balance academics with commitments like competitive sports, travel, or other passions can benefit from the IAP, its student support, and its individualized curriculum. The program allows students to stay engaged with their peers and their education, which IAP Program Coordinator Emily Reid personalizes to them through the program.
“The Individualized Adventure Program was born out of our desire to provide a creative and flexible solution for students who needed to leave school at different times during the year. We wanted to ensure they could continue learning in a way that reflects TEA’s core values—embracing adventure, fostering curiosity, and staying academically engaged—no matter where their journeys took them,” Emily said.
Students have access to one-on-one support both on and off campus to assure they stay on track academically. Their IAP projects are customized to their needs and make use of their adventures for learning.
“We maintain a project-based focus to ensure students remain connected to what’s happening in the classroom, even when they’re away. These projects are designed to integrate their life experiences, recognizing that these moments contribute significantly to their well-being, personal growth, and future goals,” Emily said. “By blending academic rigor with real-world applications, we aim to create meaningful learning opportunities that align with their unique journeys.”
11th grader Zeb joined the IAP as a freshman so he could balance his school work with competitive free ride skiing. Zeb skis five days a week, including two days during the school week. The IAP enables him to make up for the school he misses and stay on track. In 2023, Zeb came in second place at the Junior Freeride Championships.
“I, this year, will be traveling to Europe twice. Once to Austria for the Junior Freeride World Tour. The second time with the Blizzard Freeride Team, so skiing has really just opened a lot of doors and new opportunities for me,” Zeb said. “I think the flexibility is really key… I’ll just text Emily… ‘I can’t make it in today, I need to go to this,’ or ‘I’m going to go ski’ and she’s always really flexible, and it allows me to do what I need to do and get it all done, and balance my education and skiing.”
8th grader Matteo has been part of the IAP since he started at TEA in 7th grade. He hopes his extra time training to ski will allow him to go to the Olympics. He said his teachers are accommodating and help him stay on top of his work when they know he has to ski.
“I’ve gotten better at skiing for sure, now that I get more days off of school and on the snow, and I’ve also been able to get the same amount of education as if I was there all day because I have Emily,” Matteo said. “You get to do more of what you love, and at the same time be able to learn more.”
Matteo said TEA has prepared him to go beyond what he could have at his old school. The IAP program at TEA is designed to go above and beyond traditional schooling, empowering students to merge academics, and personal passions and enjoy life’s experiences in transformative ways. Matteo highlighted this beautifully, sharing how TEA prepared him to achieve more than he ever could at his old school.
The Individualized Adventure Program supports students with diverse interests and circumstances. For example, Emily once developed a science project on genetics and family traits for a 3rd grader traveling for their sibling’s birth, tailoring the learning to the student’s personal life and enriching their education. A kindergartner attending their parent’s adaptive surfing championship documented lessons on perseverance, inclusion, and adaptability, later leading a hands-on art project with their peers that inspired a classroom discussion about empathy and resilience. International travelers have created travel guides, websites, and cultural awareness projects connecting their global adventures with TEA’s pillars of academics, character, and adventure. Whether exploring genetics, connecting with organizations for conservation efforts, fostering inclusion discussions, or diving into cultural exploration. The IAP program enables students to thrive wherever their adventures take them, reinforcing TEAs commitment to meaningful, personalized education.
