Experiential Education at its Finest
“In my 17 years at CA, I have observed firsthand the positive impact of Interim. Students return from my mountain biking interims with an increased sense of self-confidence and self-awareness due to the specific challenges they have overcome and the new relationships they have formed with peers of different grade levels.”
Jean-Claude Pritchard, Middle School math teacher and interim leader

Middle and Upper School Interim Program
Each year, for one week in May, students in the Middle and Upper Schools and their teachers seize the opportunity to explore the world outside CA through the Interim program. An integral part of the curriculum, Interim is an exhilarating journey to self-discovery that enables students to learn and grow as individuals and to widen their perspectives of learning beyond the traditional classroom setting through local and regional experiential education offerings.

Students determine which Interim program to take based on their individual interests. In Middle School, students may choose to live and work on a farm, attend space camp, learn to cook, or examine the wonders of Colorado’s outdoors through a rafting, rock climbing, or mountain biking adventure. Upper School students may elect to go mountaineering or caving, back-country skiing or rock climbing, or even journey to a foreign country where they fine tune their French- or Spanish-speaking skills.

Interim’s small student-teacher ratio optimizes peer group interaction, promotes socialization, and instills camaraderie, trust, and cooperation among a broad mix of students and faculty. New friendships are made; students connect with and embrace others they might not otherwise know. Barriers and stereotypes evaporate as students and faculty arrive at a better understanding and appreciation of themselves and others. All return invigorated with an enhanced self-image and a new perspective of what awaits them in the world.