As June 30 approaches and we welcome home the Class of 2022, we are reflecting on all of the individuals and moments that contributed to making the SYA experience so incredible this year!
Make a gift to the SYA Fund and join us in celebrating...
🎉 Our students, who comprised the first class back to campus after 2020. Their creativity, adaptability and love for experiential learning give us hope for the future.
Photos
Students headed to SYA Italy departed from Logan Airport in Boston, MA.
Students headed to SYA Spain departed from Logan Airport in Boston, MA.
Students headed to SYA France departed from Logan Airport in Boston, MA.
Students embarked on their first fieldwork at SYA France.
Students embarked on their first fieldwork at SYA Italy.
Students embarked on their first fieldwork at SYA Spain.
SYA France hit the road for their immersion trip! The first stop was at the Abbaye de Beauport. They were given a travel notebook to write/draw their impressions and notes on what they were seeing/observing around them.
SYA France on day two of their immersion trip.
SYA France on day three of their immersion trip. Students visited the museum of Pont-Aven and the Château de Josselin.
SYA Spain hit the road for their immersion trip! They headed to Alquézar, where they hiked, enjoyed a picnic outdoors and visited La Colegiata de Alquézar.
SYA Spain hiked on their immersion trip in Alquézar.
SYA Spain visited many interpretations of Goya by contemporary artists from Zaragoza on their Figuras de Goya Tour.
SYA France students participated in fieldwork dedicated to the International Festival of Short Movies in Rennes. Students studied the techniques used and the influences and references related to the theme. They went to the movie theater to see a collection of short movies competing for the festival.
SYA France students enjoyed a private cooking class with Mme Palicot.
SYA Spain art history classes visited the Museo del Teatro Romano de Caesaraugusta.
SYA Spain students celebrated Fiestas del Pilar.
SYA France students visited Mont-Saint-Michel for fieldwork.
SYA Italy students participated in cooking lessons with Marco Lanzi.
In this fieldwork, SYA Italy students snapped photos as "proof of life" to send back to faculty from various locations near Viterbo.
SYA Spain students visited Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid.
SYA France students visited Marseille and went to the Notre-Dame de la Garde basilica, which is the city's best-known symbol. It was built at the highest natural point in Marseille.
SYA France students visited Cassis and hiked to the Port Miou.
SYA France students visited Arles and posed in front of this Roman amphitheater, which was built in 90 AD.
SYA Italy agroecology students enjoyed mushroom hunting in Viterbo’s hills.
In San Sebastian, SYA Spain students embarked on a bike ride and then explored the city on their own and participated in a scavenger hunt.
SYA Spain students enjoyed spending the day in Bilbao.
SYA Italy students participated in the olive harvest.
SYA France students spent the day at nearby Lycée Jean Macé. They were paired with a French student who they shadowed all day and were tasked with identifying cultural differences between their home school and this local high school.
SYA Italy students completed their "Scarpette Rosse" (Red Shoes) as an extra ceramics class for an exhibition relating to violence against women, run by the local council in Viterbo. The shoes were handmade and then painted red.
SYA Spain students visited Andalucia.
SYA Spain students visited Barcelona.
SYA Italy agroecology students worked on a fermentation experiment, making either hard cider or mead.
SYA Italy students made theatrical masks with local expert Daniela Lai.
SYA Italy agroecology students learned the science behind tempering chocolate and then applied it by tempering their own white, milk, and dark varieties.
SYA France students participated in fieldwork through subjective writing in situ at the Musée des Beaux-Arts.
SYA Italy agroecology students made cheese.
SYA Italy students studied the affreschi of the Sala Regia in Viterbo.
In the studio of local painter Paco Simon, SYA Spain students participated in contemporary art class reinterpreting Paul Gauguin.
SYA Spain students researched the Battle of Belchite during the Spanish Civil War and then visited Belchite.
During a trip to Paris, SYA France students toured la Grande Mosquée de Paris and viewed the mosque, garden, library and tea house.
During a trip to Paris, SYA France students visited Musée d’Orsay, which holds the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces in the world.
To celebrate Valentine's Day, the student council at SYA Spain sold valentines for one euro and donated the proceeds to a local charity. All valentines were handmade by one SYA Spain student.
SYA Italy students met the president of the Comitato 10 Febbraio, a national association that works on the Foibe massacre.
SYA Italy students walked the first leg of the Via Francigena, an ancient road and pilgrimage route.
SYA France students visited the Rennes 1922 expo.
SYA Italy students foraged for wild asparagus in agroecology.
SYA Italy students visited Syracuse.
SYA Italy students performed Greek tragedies in Segesta, Sicily.
Members of SYA France's Politics Club presented the process and organization of the French presidential election to their classmates. All students participated in fieldwork where they interviewed locals about the election.
SYA Spain students visited Barcelona and enjoyed seeing the art they had been studying all year.
SYA Italy students interviewed Afghan refugees and were moved hearing their stories.
SYA France celebrated Spirit Week.
SYA Spain students planted olive trees and learned about the importance of repopulating the “España vaciada.”
In Sète, SYA France students visited the Musée Paul Valéry.
SYA France visited the medieval city of Aigues-Mortes and some walked the ramparts throughout the city.
At a beekeeping farm in Ejea de los Caballeros, SYA Spain students learned about bee ecology and honey/pollen extraction. They also tasted several kinds of honey.
SYA Italy students made a wish and tossed a coin into the Trevi Fountain.
In Normandy, SYA France students visited the American Cemetery and walked on Omaha Beach.
SYA Italy students participated in Open Mic Night at Teatro San Leonardo in front of host families and friends of SYA.
Three SYA Spain students took flamenco classes this year. Spain RD Meghan Lewis Roof watched them dance at their final class.
Blogs
Campus reporter Merredith M. writes a note to the next SYA Spain class.
Ceci reflects on absorbing everything now familiar in Zaragoza and looks forward to attending college in the fall.
Campus reporter Phebe O. writes about her father visiting her during spring break.
Gretchen writes about struggling to say her goodbyes to her friends, teachers and to Rennes.
Julia and her classmates give their advice about traveling independently.
Isabelle demonstrates her resourcefulness during a traveling mishap in her latest blog.
Campus reporter Annika J. writes about living with a single host mom.
Campus reporter Tara P. writes a letter to her host family both in Italian and in English
Ceci compares the culture of making friends in Spain versus to the US.
Camila writes about learning the Italian language and gives advice to future students.
Quinn writes about SYA Italy's Agroecology class and the various Italian dishes they recreate using science.
Annika writes about her plans for the next two months and taking advantage of her time left in France.
Isabelle writes about relishing the moment now that spring has arrived in Rennes.
Campus blogger Julia A. gives advice to the SYA France class of 2023.
Melinda writes about her trip to Valencia to experience Las Fallas and how it relates to her own study abroad experience.
Meredith describes the birthday traditions at SYA Spain and reflects on what celebrating her own birthday was like.
Melinda describes her recent class trip to the southern region of Andalusia.
Tara talks about learning to embrace change and uncomfortable situations in her latest blog.
Camila describes attending Carnival and looking forward to the next three months at SYA as a senior.
Ceci writes about the creative way the students at SYA Spain have enforced speaking more Spanish.
Phebe writes about finding her love of nature again in her SYA Italy capstone project.
Julia writes about her independent travel trip to Chamonix with her friends at SYA France.
Gretchen writes about the importance of gut feelings and how those feelings led her to SYA.
Campus reporter Isabelle M. advises future SYA students in her latest blog.
Annika answers commonly asked questions with the help of her SYA France classmates.
Ceci writes about returning to Spain for New Year's and realizing what she had missed.
Julia describes making dinner for her family and how it relates to studying the French language.
Gretchen reflects on the growth she has experienced since arriving in France.
Annika describes the new levels of independence she's gained since attending SYA France.
Isabelle writes about saying goodbye to the fall semester students and welcoming the spring semester students.
Campus Reporter Tara P. reflects on the life lessons she has learned since coming to Italy.
Campus reporter Melinda writes about her weekly ceramics class she takes with friends at SYA Spain.
Meredith writes about the conflicting feeling she had when reunited with her American family.
Phebe describes the misadventures she has had while in Rome with SYA Italy.
Quinn reflects on the time she has spent so far in Italy and her goals for the remainder of the year.
Camila writes about being accustomed to the wonders of Rome in her latest blog.
Tara P. interviews her friend and fellow SYA Italy student Mac about his experience abroad.
Melinda describes the new habits she is forming since being in Spain.
Campus reporter Ceci writes about being the head chef for her host family's Thanksgiving feast.
Meredith recounts the lessons she has learned so far since being in Zaragoza the past three months.
Camila describes her first independent travel trip to Naples.
With 2021 coming to an end, Quinn reflects on her time spent with Italy and how much she's grown.
In this blog, Phebe retells getting her permit and gaining more independence.
Campus reporter Julia A. explains why she thinks going to SYA as a senior was the best choice for her.
In this blog, Gretchen reflects on the differences between her commute in France versus the US.
Annika writes about spending the holidays in France and the homesickness she experienced.
Isabelle reflects on her three months spent in Rennes so far.
Campus videographer Ari L. bring you along in a day of her life at SYA France.
Melinda discovers a new region with new friends in her latest blog.
Stella writes about the variety of cocurricular activities that are offered at SYA Spain.
Campus reporter Meredith M. writes about her morning routine and commuting to school.
Ceci writes about joining a local soccer team to immerse herself with Spanish teens.
Campus reporter Quinn H. writes about her first impressions of her new home in Viterbo.
In this blog, Phebe describes her relationship with her Italian host family.
Tara P. writes about the cultural differences she is noticing between America and Italy.
Campus reporter Camila F. writes about what it was like celebrating her 18th birthday in Italy.
Julia writes about overcoming her awkwardness by using dancing to communicate.
Isabelle writes about experiencing her first bout of homesickness when she missed Halloween.
Gretchen finds comfort in bringing a traditon from home into her new life in her second blog.
Annika J. shares what a typical day studying abroad at SYA France looks like.
Jane shows viewers a typical day in her life at SYA Italy in her first video.
In her first blog, Melinda writes about conquering a fear and how that relates to studying abroad.
Meredith writes about taking risks and stepping outside her comfort zone in her first blog.
In her first blog post, Camila describes the concept of home and what it means to her.
In her first blog, Quinn writes about about visiting Siena with other students and host siblings.
Phebe writes about experiencing Venice for the first time with her Italian host family.
Annika writes about joining a choral ensemble and jumping into her new life in Rennes.
In her first blog, Isabelle describes the amount of freedom she has while living in France.
Campus blogger Gretchen M. writes about the SYA France immersion trip in her first blog.
In her first blog, Julia describes her first month in Rennes and her decision to go to SYA France.
Stella writes about attending Las Fiestas Del Pilar with her friends and host family.
🎉 Our faculty, who have worked tirelessly to enhance the knowledge and curiosity of the Class of 2022 while providing an education filled with joy. Their dedication to our school brings our campuses to life.
Photos
SYA Spain Resident Director Meghan Lewis Roof instructed students during the Immersion Unit in September.
Pascal Montéville met up with an SYA France student at a thrift shop in western Brittany.
SYA France faculty posed for a photo during a school trip.
Queen Elizabeth II and her bodyguards, including Resident Director Pat Scanlon, visited SYA Italy for Halloween.
SYA Spain faculty and students visited San Sebastián.
SYA Italy participated in an event in Viterbo focused on combatting violence against women. Students had their work featured and SYA Italy Resident Director Pat Scanlon spoke at the event.
Benjamin Sabatier brought SYA France students from the classroom to the city for a lesson.
Santo Sammartino immersed in a lesson during Ancient History Through Art class at SYA Italy.
SYA France faculty and students displayed their festive spirit for the holidays.
SYA France seniors enjoyed lunch with Lynée Connelly and Resident Director Mina Qadir.
SYA Spain's Amir Golnabi taught calculus students about applications of derivatives through hands-on activities in class.
SYA Spain enjoyed the end of ski season with a trip to the mountains. Can you spot Marta Escartín?
Lynée Connelly led SYA France students on a tour of Paris, which included stops at Notre-Dame and the Shakespeare and Company bookstore.
SYA France faculty and students visited Nîmes on the first day of their Sète trip.
SYA France's Pascal Montéville led a class for the SYA community focused on the French presidential election.
SYA France Resident Director Mina Qadir and students participated in casual day during spirit week.
Dominique Borotra and SYA France Resident Director Mina Qadir celebrated decade day during SYA France spirit week.
SYA Spain traveled to Calahorra in La Rioja to visit a center for birds of prey. Here, Marta Escartín holds one of the birds.
SYA Italy students and Daniele Gatti stopped for a selfie during a trip to Palermo.
SYA Italy faculty gathered and celebrated SYA Italy's 20th Anniversary in Viterbo.
SYA Spain Resident Director Meghan Lewis Roof and SYA Italy Resident Director Pat Scanlon celebrated SYA Italy's 20th Anniversary in Viterbo.
SYA Spain students celebrated after their end-of-year performance. They performed Circa Ignis, written by Antonio López Piña and were directed by Oriol Bastardes.
SYA France
SYA Italy
SYA Spain
🎉 Our alumni, who continue to be lifelong learners dedicated to global citizenship. Their engagement with the SYA community and the greater world reinforces the intrepid SYA spirit.
Photos
Classmates Maya Agarwal ES'20 and Mary Caperton Drimer ES'20 visited SYA Spain.
SYA Assistant Director of Admissions Brice Koval met up with Mia Heinold IT'22, Angela Lagonigro IT'22 and Victoria Carlson CN'20 during a Newark Academy visit.
Amelie Bobadilla ES'20 visited SYA Spain.
Goggie Amin ES'07 visited SYA Spain with her host dad.
Noelle Cardi ES'19 visited SYA Spain.
Philip Doig ES'80 met up with the SYA Admissions Team at the November 2021 TABS Conference in Boston, MA.
Janae-Rose Fageyinbo ES'20 joined SYA Associate Director of Admissions Donna Fitzgerald CN'12P at Charlotte Country Day School for an SYA presentation to students.
Sasha Vasu FR'20 spoke about his SYA experience at Belmont Hill School.
Harry Heering FR'20 crossed paths with SYA France's Pascal Monteville in Marseille during a school trip.
Classmates Brittany Nguyen FR'15 and Gigi de Fort-Menares Lee FR'15 stopped by SYA France and posed for a photo with Pascal Monteville.
Katy Langhorst ES'93 and Brad Langhorst ES'93 met up with SYA during Phillips Academy parents weekend.
Sam Glickman ES'20 visited SYA Spain.
SYA France 1971 classmates gathered to celebrate their belated 50th Reunion in Rennes.
Board Chair Holland Lynch FR'86 posed for a photo with SYA Italy Resident Director Pat Scanlon during SYA Italy's 20th Anniversary Celebration.
Julian Fu CN'06, SYA Director of Advancement Erin Ericson and Darcy Meals ES'01 enjoyed an excursion during SYA Italy's 20th Anniversary Celebration. Julian and Darcy serve on the Board of Trustees.
SYA Italy 2015 classmates celebrated SYA Italy's 20th Anniversary Celebration in Viterbo.
Trisha Kapur ES'18 visited SYA Spain.
Classmates Vanessa Hjort ES'19 and Sebastian Harvey ES'19 visited SYA Spain.
Classmates Maia Knox FR'19 and Marina Padilla FR'19 visited SYA France.
SYA France 1972 classmates gathered for their 50th Reunion Celebration in NYC. In keeping with SYA spirit, they hosted their dinner at Michael's New York, a restaurant owned by fellow alum Michael McCarty FR'70.
Classmates Katie Kurtz IT'19 and Rosemary Termini IT'19 visited SYA Italy and sampled the wine they made during their year abroad.
Gardner Krag FR'19 visited his sister Kay Krag FR'22 at SYA France.
Zach Mariani FR'17 visited SYA France.
Sara Namoos ES'20 joined SYA Assistant Director of Admissions Laurence Webber FR'16 for a presentation at The Hewitt School.
Jessa Neil ES'20 visited SYA Spain.
Jane Schulte Baars FR'76 ran into faculty and students from SYA France during their excursion to at Le Pont du Gard.
Saba Naini IT'22 reunited with her sister Desi Naini Ukmar IT'20 at SYA Italy.
Liam Ram CN'19 visited sister Eliyah Ram FR'22 at SYA France.
Anna Perez ES'20 visited SYA Spain.
Elisabeth Wachtel FR'19 posed for a photo at her internship with Senator Hassan.
Sarinda Wilson FR'83 FR'13P, SYA Assistant Director of Admissions Laurence Webber FR'16 and Letty Roberts FR'02F met up at The Hotchkiss School.
Kate Roche FR'20 visited SYA France.
Yifu Mu IT'18 was the commencement speaker at Cardigan Mountain School in New Hampshire.
While we have alumni photos that span decades, these photos only represent the 2021-2022 year.
Do you have a photo to include in this gallery? Send it to us with a caption!
Alumni-Led Webinars
SHOWRUNNING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC
October 20, 2021
Jeff Locker FR'88 and Tia Napolitano FR'01
VENTURE CAPITAL AND IMPACT INVESTING
December 8, 2021
Jamie Broderick FR'71 and Ansley Carlisle CN'13
KEEPING LANGUAGE ALIVE
April 13, 2022
Megan Jeffrey CN'04 and Daniel Bögre Udell ES'08
Interested in viewing all of our webinars? Check out our YouTube page!
🎉 Our parents and host families, who care for our students and encourage them to pursue a life-changing experience during high school. Their commitment to global education is inspiring.
Photos
Families gathered and hugged goodbye before students departed on group flights abroad.
Host family snapshot from SYA France.
Host family snapshot from SYA Spain.
Host family snapshot from SYA Italy.
Host family snapshot from SYA Spain.
Host family snapshot from SYA France.
Host family snapshot from SYA Italy.
Host family snapshot from SYA France.
Host family snapshot from SYA Spain.
Host family snapshot from SYA Italy.
Host family snapshot from SYA Spain.
Host family snapshot from SYA Italy.
Host family snapshot from SYA Spain.
Host family snapshot from SYA Italy.
Host family snapshot from SYA Spain.
Host family snapshot from SYA Spain.
SYA France Resident Director Mina Qadir ran into Eva Stegic FR'22 and her host family in St. Malo.
SYA France students and their host families enjoyed one of Rennes' biggest street sales, which happens a few times a year.
SYA Italy students celebrated Thanksgiving with their host families.
SYA Italy students celebrated Thanksgiving with their host families.
American families joined host families in Italy during the holidays.
American families joined host families in Italy during the holidays.
Susan Ram FR'22P visited her daughter Eliyah Ram FR'22 in Rennes.
SYA France Resident Director Mina Qadir and SYA trustee Annabelle Brown Fowlkes FR'90 FR'22P posed for a photo during Annabelle's visit to Rennes.
SYA Director of Enrollment Management and Marketing Rachel Keegan Kelley IT'22P spent time with SYA Italy faculty during a visit to Viterbo.
SYA Assistant Director of Admissions Maggie Bland enjoyed dinner with an SYA Spain student and host family.
The Wormser family poses for a photo at Logan Airport as they awaited the arrival of Finn Wormser FR'22 after the group flight home.
Tamzen Lim FR'22 and Deborah Lim FR'22P shared a hug at the airport after Tamzen returned home from France.
SYA France students and families gathered at Logan Airport after returning home from SYA.
While we have family photos that span decades, these photos only represent the 2021-2022 year.
Do you have a photo to include in this gallery? Send it to us with a caption!
🎉 Make a one-time gift of any size or a monthly recurring contribution to the SYA Fund by June 30, 2022. Your generosity has a direct impact on so many aspects of an SYA education and experience.
🎉 When you make your gift, tell us why you’re celebrating SYA! Are you giving to celebrate in honor of a classmate or teacher? Are you giving to celebrate your child’s life-changing experience at SYA?
🎉 Tell your friends! Share this campaign with your classmates or the community and let them know what you’re celebrating, encouraging them to do the same.
🎉 Post about it! Find us on social media, post a photo and mention why you’re celebrating SYA!
Please remember, in order for your gift to be counted for the 2021-2022 fiscal year:
🎉 Checks must be postmarked by June 30, 2022.
🎉 Online gifts must be charged before midnight (EDT) on June 30, 2022.
🎉 Securities and wire transfers must be received to SYA’s account by the close of business on June 30, 2022.
Additional instructions and ways to give to SYA can be found here.