Students Explore Off-Campus Opportunities on Three Continents

Millbrook School’s 800-acre spread offers everything students need to prepare for success in college—including the chance to take their studies far beyond the campus boundaries. To support curiosity, Millbrook encourages students to explore the world during their Vth form year through off-campus programs that offer incredible experiences across multiple continents.

On Wednesday, six study-abroad programs made their pitches to Millbrook IIIrd and IVth formers in the Chelsea Morrison Theater. The presenters offered a wide variety of options for students to consider.

School Year Abroad presented students with the opportunity live in Europe, with programs in France, Spain, and Italy. Students who participate stay with local host families, which helps them feel at home in a foreign country while immersing them in the language and culture.

Fifi Ferreira ’25 was on hand to discuss her time with SYA in Rennes, France. She described the experience as “incredible,” highlighting the opportunity to travel around the country and reminiscing about a trip through quicksand in Mont Saint-Michel.

The presentation also included The School for Ethics and Global Leadership (SEGL), which offered both overseas travel and political engagement with opportunities to work alongside leaders in Washington D.C., London, and Johannesburg. Another travel-abroad option is a semester at The Island School in The Bahamas, where participants study the environment and tourism economy while maintaining a rigorous exercise schedule.

Students who prefer not to leave the U.S. also have excellent choices. For instance, they can opt for two-week-long hikes through the Rockies at the High Mountain Institute in Colorado. Or students could stay on the East Coast, exploring nature at The Mountain School in Vermont or the Maine Coast Semester at Chewonki.

Taking a semester away from Millbrook doesn’t make students fall behind in their classes. Presenters assured students that they would stay on track academically by taking AP and honors-level classes while enjoying adventures that aren’t available on Millbrook’s Mid-Hudson Valley campus.

These exciting opportunities surely gave IIIrd and IVth formers who attended the presentation a lot to think about. Many Millbrook students have expanded their perspective of the world through these and other off-campus programs, and the community is excited to see who’s next.