Trending on Campus

February 2022

A group of 4 SYA France high school students stand in famous French bookstore, looking at items to purchase.

SYA France students visited the iconic Shakespeare and Company bookstore. Famous writers such as James Baldwin and Max Ernst were frequent visitors. On the way, students stopped by Notre Dame.

A small group of SYA Italy high school students stand outside in masks and jackets listening to a teacher during fieldwork.

SYA Italy took a day trip to Arezzo, starting with a visit to Sante Bucciarelli, a cantina and producer of Vin Santo.

A group of SYA Italy high school students stand outside in a courtyard during fieldwork.

SYA Italy took a day trip to Arezzo, starting with a visit to Sante Bucciarelli, a cantina and producer of Vin Santo.

SYA Spain high school students walk under an arch in the Spanish countryside during fieldwork.

SYA Spain went to Belchite for a one-day-fieldwork trip. Before visiting this nearby village, which was dramatically attacked and destroyed during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), our students researched this topic and more specifically about the Belchite battle, the emotions and art linked to the military conflict and the feelings and memories of this that still affect the community.

A group of smiling students sit facing the camera around a large brown wooden table.
SYA France visited the Carnavalet Museum, this is a student holding a piece of paper and looking up at artwork.

SYA France visited the Carnavalet Museum, which houses the history of Paris.

A group of students stand in the fountains of the Grande Mosquée de Paris with Pascal Montéville.

SYA France students are in Paris this week and toured the Grande Mosquée de Paris with Pascal Montéville.

SYA Spain high school students walk with their backs to the camera as they approach a village that was destroyed in a war.

SYA Spain went to Belchite for a one-day-fieldwork trip. Before visiting this nearby village, which was dramatically attacked and destroyed during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), our students researched this topic and more specifically about the Belchite battle, the emotions and art linked to the military conflict and the feelings and memories of this that still affect the community.

A group of students in SYA France stand in front of a brick building flying a French flag, it is Victor Hugo's house

SYA France is in Paris this week. On their way to the Carnavalet Museum, this group stopped by place des Vosges to see Victor Hugo's house.

SYA Spain's contemporary art class students reinterpreting Paul Gauguin in the studio of the local painter Paco Simon.

SYA Spain's contemporary art class students reinterpreting Paul Gauguin in the studio of the local painter Paco Simon.

SYA Spain's contemporary art class students reinterpreting Paul Gauguin in the studio of the local painter Paco Simon.

SYA Spain's contemporary art class students reinterpreting Paul Gauguin in the studio of the local painter Paco Simon.

SYA Italy high school students sit inside and listen to a presentation from a lawyer about crime.

SYA Italy students participate in a "True Crime" with lawyer and host parent. One special guest speaker included former host dad, soccer coach and policeman/immigration officer Gianni Cremarossa.

A large group of SYA Italy high school students stand outside of a house in Italy learning about the history of WW2.

SYA Italy: 
After several classes preparing for the fieldwork assignment in honor of The International Day of Remembrance, Luca Bruzziches, a local friend of SYA Italy, joined students and faculty today. Bruzziches has made it his life's passion to study a Viterbese family, most of whom were deported and exterminated in concentration camps. Sudents visited the house from which the family was abducted, now memorialized by brass plaques in place of the cobblestones at the front door.

SYA Italy high school students stand outside of a house in Italy learning about the history of WW2.

SYA Italy: 
After several classes preparing the fieldwork assignment in honor of The International Day of Remembrance, Luca Bruzziches, a local friend of SYA Italy, joined students and faculty today. Bruzziches has made it his life's passion to study a Viterbese family, most of whom were deported and exterminated in concentration camps. Sudents visited the house from which the family was abducted, now memorialized by brass plaques in place of the cobblestones at the front door.

November 2021

Fieldwork in SYA Italy

"Escursione a Sorpresa" fieldwork at SYA Italy found students divided into groups and assigned a town in the province of Viterbo to reach and explore on their own. This group chose to capture their arrival at the mitreo di Sutri. 

Art history came to life for SYA Spain students and faculty to Madrid as they explored the Museo Reina Sofía.

Art history came to life for SYA Spain students and faculty to Madrid as they explored the Museo Reina Sofía.

SYA France students visited Camp des Milles, a former internment camp that is now a museum with a strong focus on education and culture.

Over a recent weekend, SYA France student Caro traveled to Zaragoza with her grandfather, where she got to meet up with fellow SYAers at SYA Spain.

You may recognize the landscape surrounding Montmajour Abbey, a spot frequented by Van Gogh and featured in some of his work. 

Rome? Pompeii? Cartago? No! Nîmes, a city in the Occitanie region of southern France, was an important outpost of the Roman Empire. SYA France students explored well-preserved Roman monuments here.

We'd be disappointed if we didn't get one "S-Y-A" photo. Here SYA France students snapped this shot under the Old Port of Marseille giant science-fiction-style mirror.

SYA France exploring the South of France.

The queen made a visit to SYA Italy for Halloween.

A trip to Venice was a surprise for student by her Italian family. 

See how we snuck a photo of food in here? Students continue to master their Italian cooking skills. When in Rome ...

These pottery pieces were created by SYA Italy students under the instruction of former host mom and local pottery shop owner Daniela Lai.

Say formaggio! In Italy, Morgan and Mythri are enrolled in a photography course studying shadows.

SYA Italy students Saba and Sahara volunteer at the Mensa Caritasa local soup kitchen on Saturday mornings.

SYA Italy students examine foraged mushrooms during an agroecology class. 

Agroecology faculty Linda Scanlon leads a foraging expedition for mushrooms in Viterbo.

An SYA Italy student harvesting olives with her Italian family.

SYA France exploring in Sète.

Soccer is a popular sport at each campus, including Zaragoza.

Extracurricular activities and hobbies include rock climbing in Spain. 

Snow? Already? SYA Spain students exploring the outdoors.

SYA France art history students shared information about Montmajour Abbey with classmates. 

Highlights from the grape harvest at SYA Italy

Highlights from the SYA France trip to the South of France

SYA Serendipity

SYA serendipity at Le pont du Gard when SYA France faculty and students ran into Jane Schulte Baar FR'76 and her husband. 

October 2021

With only five weeks of school on the books, SYA France students Annika and Donovan performed at the new Conservatoire de Rennes. 

Art History classes at SYA Spain visited the Roman theater of Zaragoza this week!

With only five weeks of school on the books, SYA France students Annika and Donovan performed at the new Conservatoire de Rennes. 

Once a year, the village of La Gacilly transforms into a "village of images" with more than 1,000 images on display on all buildings and corners of the village. SYA France students enjoyed the immersive and ambulatory experience through open-air galleries in small and large formats, presenting the best of contemporary photography. The theme each year is the relationship between humankind and nature.

Elizabeth Webster, the newly-appointed American Consul in Rennes, was a guest speaker at SYA France where she spoke about her career in foreign affairs and her role as the Consulate. There were many questions from students. She left school saying that she had talked to many high schoolers but never this attentive and engaged.

After school, SYA France students Polly, Elizabeth, Donovan and Grace attended faculty member Benjamin Sabatier's History of Architecture class at the University of Rennes. So great to see how inspired they are to learn!

The annual Fiestas del Pilar is taking place in Zaragoza, honoring the patron saint of the city, the Virgen del Pilar. Students participate in this celebration with their host families, often in traditional costumes. October 12 is the most important day, when a floral offering is made to the Virgin.

Exploring Viterbo with Italian sister. 

Cooking class with Mme Palicot, who has been teaching culinary class at SYA for years! On the menu was tarte sucrée et salée.

Elizabeth Webster, the newly-appointed American Consul in Rennes, was a guest speaker at SYA France where she spoke about her career in foreign affairs and her role as the Consulate. There were many questions from students. She left school saying that she had talked to many high schoolers but never this attentive and engaged.

Family game night playing Monopoly in Viterbo.

At home study time with Italian sister in Viterbo.

Fieldwork at SYA France included attending Court-Métrange, the international festival of short movies in Rennes. Before the festival, students learned about the techniques used, as well as the influences related to this year's theme. They watched the collection of short movies and voted for their favorite.

SYA Spain students experienced the Figuras de Goya Tour featuring various interpretations of the artist by local contemporary artists.  

Did you know?
Though Goya was born in a nearby city, his family was from Zaragoza and he spent much of his childhood there. 

Once a year, the village of La Gacilly transforms into a "village of images" with more than 1,000 images on display on all buildings and corners of the village. SYA France students enjoyed the immersive and ambulatory experience through open-air galleries in small and large formats, presenting the best of contemporary photography. The theme each year is the relationship between humankind and nature.

SYA Spain students experienced the Figuras de Goya Tour featuring various interpretations of the artist by local contemporary artists.  

Did you know?
Though Goya was born in a nearby city, his family was from Zaragoza and he spent much of his childhood there. 

Once a year, the village of La Gacilly transforms into a "village of images" with more than 1,000 images on display on all buildings and corners of the village. SYA France students enjoyed the immersive and ambulatory experience through open-air galleries in small and large formats, presenting the best of contemporary photography. The theme each year is the relationship between humankind and nature.