...There is a student in every room who senses that he does not quite fit in the desk, the young man or woman who is always looking out the window, and dreams about the world beyond the horizon. The student who does not quite fit in the school-world we have designed for him. At interviews we say to parents, “She needs an outlet for his passions”, or “He needs to be inspired”. Parents look at us quizzically and ask, “What should we do with him?”

We want to share an answer. Sail around the world and earn Canadian high school and University credits! Visit more than 20 countries, swim with sea turtles, walk the ruins of Carthage and learn about the world first-hand. Make sailing the world your textbook. Take a look here and see just how possible it is to go beyond the horizon....

The 188' tall ship, SV Concordia, sails 300 days at sea and 25,000 nautical miles each year with a most precious cargo, students from around the world.

The SV Concordia is the flagship vessel of Canada’s leading outdoor and experiential boarding school, West Island College International-Class Afloat. Each year, Class Afloat students sail around the world while they earn high school or university credits and learn to sail and work as a crew.

This year, the SV Concordia departed from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia on September 7th, on a voyage that will bring her to over 20 countries worldwide over a 10-month period. In each port, students have time to explore the country, as well as join school-organized land programs to further enrich the curriculum and apply their knowledge and skills.

The voyage will bring the students to some of the world’s most remarkable destinations. From historic Carthage in the midst of modern Tunisia, to the Mosques of Turkey, the culture of South Africa and Namibia, to the sea turtles and beaches of Brazil, these students will live the experience of a lifetime, all within a year.

In addition to their in-class work, Class Afloat students participate in their very own service learning project in Dakar, Senegal. Now a humanitarian service fixture for the school, every year the students dedicate energy and time to improving the quality of life for the inhabitants of a local African community. Through this project students expand their awareness and responsiveness to sensible, sensitive, and sustainable practices.

A sense of community rests at the heart of all Class Afloat programmes; Class Afloat high school students live and work as a team at the school’s land-based facility in Lunenburg before they join their University counterparts at sea. The school’s new home in Lunenburg has brought a dynamic presence to the town. Here, students from around the world practice personal leadership and demonstrate a refreshing accountability that is uncommon in today’s adolescent culture. Class Afloat students are encouraged to set and pursue a range of goals that become visible at home and abroad.

Each summer, the SV Concordia also departs on a Summer Camp for youth. From July 1st to July 29th, students aged 15 to 18 will board the SV Concordia and sail the east coast of North America. The focus of the camp is leadership and sail training where they learn and hone their seamanship and navigation skills.

There is no school like Class Afloat anywhere in the world. Start exploring at www.classafloat.com