Experiential Education
Experiential learning — learning by doing — happens in every aspect of a student’s Lakeside experience, from classrooms to clubs, arts to athletics. Lakeside educators — teachers, advisors, coaches, and leaders — work to create innovative and immersive educational opportunities for students to discover and deepen their intellectual interests, creative expression, and self-awareness.
In addition to on-campus experiential learning and junior year study away programs, Lakeside’s Experiential education program includes three pieces: Service Learning, Outdoor, and Global Service Learning. Alums often share that their experiences in these programs are some of the most powerful, defining moments of their schooling, creating memories that stay with them for years and sometimes change the path of their lives.
These programs are core parts of a Lakeside education and students’ participation is supported by financial aid.
Service Learning
Lakeside’s Service Learning Program is designed to help students build awareness of the communities they live in, find meaning and purpose in service to others, put time and energy into something larger than themselves, build meaningful relationships, and step outside of their comfort zones. Students work with established nonprofit partner organizations where they can have meaningful, direct participation in the organizations’ missions and learn more about systemic issues in our region. These are reciprocal partnerships designed to benefit both the organizations and our students. .
Middle School students participate in grade-level service activities throughout the year, while Upper School students engage in 80 service hours and complete a capstone project.
Learn more about Lakeside's Service Learning Program.
Outdoor Program
Lakeside’s Outdoor Program has been a signature piece of Lakeside’s educational program for more than 50 years. Beyond building lifelong skills in the outdoors, students learn deeply about themselves as individuals, as members of a team, and as citizens with a first-hand understanding of the beauty and importance of the natural world.
All students go on an outdoor trip during grades 5, 6, and 7, and Upper School students complete an Outdoor Program course of one week or longer as a graduation requirement.
Learn more about Lakeside School Outdoor Programs.
Global Service Learning
Lakeside’s nationally recognized Global Service Learning (GSL) program combines learning, service, and cultural immersion, developing students’ understanding of and respect for different countries and cultures, as well as the common issues that face us globally. Our goal is to inspire and empower students to be agents of change both in their local communities and internationally.
All 8th graders have a one-week GSL experience in one of six Pacific Northwest communities in the fall. Upper School students can apply to participate in a summer GSL experience that takes place over the summer, or participate in a yearlong class that includes a three-week GSL experience. Upper School locations change over time; recent locations include Costa Rica, Fiji, French Polynesia, Peru, Senegal, Tanzania, and Thailand.
Learn more about Global Service Learning.
Study away
Lakeside juniors have the option to study off-campus through the programs School Year Abroad (Spain, France, Italy) as well as in different areas of the United States, like rural Vermont, coastal Maine, and Washington D.C. Learn more about study-away options.