World Class MTB Academy | Program

COVID-19 UPDATE

World Class Academy continues to closely monitor the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. As students, families, teachers, classrooms, and communities around the world continue to be affected, we stand by our commitment to provide engaging learning opportunities while mitigating the risks that are inherent with global travel.

We are running programs in person while adhering to our COVID-19 protocols. Our protocols are designed to minimize the risk of exposure and transmission among our group and the communities we visit. We are accepting master applications for the 2021-2022 school year and encourage students to apply. Prospective students and their families are encouraged to reach out with questions about our COVID-19 protocols or other details about our programs. 

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PROGRAM

PROGRAM

2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR

2021-2022 Destinations

USA

Fall 2021

August 29, 2021 - December 11, 2021

  • Flag of USA

    Q1 PNW USA

  • Flag of USA

    Q2 Southwest USA

Spring 2022

January 23, 2022 - May 14, 2022

  • Portugal flag

    Q3: Portugal

  • 255px-Flag_of_Italy.svg

    Q4: Italy

2021 - 2022 Schedule

Western USA/Europe

Fall Semester 2021

September 1, 2021 - December 11, 2021

  • September 1

    Students and staff meet in Bellingham, WA

  • September 1

    Semester orientation

  • September 1 - October 9

    Quarter 1: Bellingham, WA & Hood River, OR

  • September 1-26

    Bellingham, WA

  • September 26-October 9

    Hood River, OR

  • October 9

    Students and staff depart for fall break

  • October 10-23

    Fall break

  • October 24

    Students and staff arrive in Salt Lake City, Utah

  • October 25-December 11

    Quarter 2: Southwestern USA

  • October 25-November 7

    Moab, Utah

  • November 7-27

    Hurricane, Utah

  • November 27-December 10

    Sedona, AZ

  • December 11

    Students and staff depart for winter break - Las Vegas, NV

Spring Semester 2022

January 23, 2022 - May 14, 2022

  • January 23

    Students and staff arrive in Lisboa, Portugal 

  • January 24

    Semester orientation

  • January 24 - March 11

    Portugal: Sintra and Lousã

  • January 24-February 12

    Sintra, Portugal

  • February 12-27

    Lousã, Portugal

  • February 27-March 11

    Return to Sintra, Portugal

  • March 12

    Students and staff depart for spring break

  • March 13 - April 2

    Spring break

  • April 3

    Students and staff arrive in Genoa, Italy

  • April 4 - May 13

    Quarter 4- Finale Ligure, Italy 

  • May 14

    Graduation- Finale Ligure Italy

Food and Lodging

Food

World Class Academy eats a variety of foods, dependent primarily on the current destination.  While abroad, the program will either cook or eat food prepared by restaurants or hired chefs. We eat Lomo Saltado in Peru, Asado in Chile, Baklava in Greece — wherever we are, eating is an extension of the cultural experience. In some destinations, students and staff rotate between cooking responsibilities. Students and staff help with shopping trips, cooking, and clean-up duty when preparing meals for the group.

World Class Academy caters to individual dietary needs and promotes healthy food choices. We understand that athletes need to eat well-rounded, nutritious meals while training. Meal planning, cooking, and eating well while on the go are a few of the many life lessons that students take home from a semester with World Class Academy.

Lodging

While traveling, the program looks for comfortable accommodations close to the trails. During our time abroad, accommodations usually include cabins, lodges, and hostels. When in the U.S., the program will usually stay at large rental houses, hostels, or campgrounds. Lodging varies depending on the destination.

Mentor Groups

Mentor Groups

Each student enrolled in World Class Academy will be assigned to a teacher who will act as a mentor throughout the semester. With their mentors, students are encouraged to reflect on their growth as athletes, students, and human beings. With their mentor group, students collaborate to provide meals for their peers, maintain living areas, and provide general support for each other.

Mentoring and the development of life skills happen on many levels at WCA. Through these processes, students develop an understanding of themselves, their place in the community, and their capacity to continue growing and learning.

Throughout the semester, mentors send weekly updates to their mentees' parents. These updates lay the foundation for regular communication between parents, students, staff, and admin. Updates include specific details on progress in academics, athletics, and character building.

Supervision

World Class Academy often feels like a family, and students are with staff 24 hours a day. From morning until night, teachers guide students through daily activities and help them thrive while in the World Class environment. Students and parents should be aware that World Class has a zero-tolerance policy with respect to drug and alcohol use. Any student believed to be using or in possession of prohibited substances will be held to the stipulations of the Honor Contract, which each student signs before being admitted into the program.

Tuition

World Class Academy is committed to providing the highest level of excellence in the classroom, on the trail, and around the globe. We are a non-profit organization with high standards in academics, safety, service learning, athletics, and organization. While keeping our standards in these areas high, it is also our wish to provide affordable tuition. Families can choose to make a one-time payment or choose our payment plan option (contact the school for more details).

Single Semester Tuition: $19,900.00

Full-Year Tuition: $39,800.00

Tuition excludes airfare, gear shipment, personal equipment, and medical insurance.

Scholarships are available on a limited basis. Please contact WCA for more information about our scholarship program.

Airfare is not included in this price and will be an additional cost for each student. World Class Academy works with a travel agent who helps us coordinate the flights of our students and staff. Prices for flights depend on the date, departure city, and destination.

The cost of traveling domestically or internationally with luggage and athletic equipment is the responsibility of each student. This generally costs between $150-$200 depending on the destination and the airline. Please contact the airline you will be traveling with or reach out to the World Class Academy admin team with specific questions. 

Each student is expected to arrive with their own mountain bike gear + personal gear. A detailed gear list will be sent out upon acceptance.

Each student should consider bringing a small amount of personal spending money. We recommend that students bring between $100-$200 each quarter. This may be used for souvenirs or replacing any personal items. WCA recommends that each student brings a debit card that they may access throught the semester.

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