Pine Knot Scholars Program

The Pine Knot Scholars Program at Ransom Everglades is the centerpiece of our summer programs. This four-week, full-day summer learning academy is designed to provide rising fifth through eighth graders an immersion in bay studies and the natural world along with more traditional instruction in math, English and world languages and co-curricular opportunities. This program will hark back to the outdoor-focused Pine Knot Camp that preceded the school’s founding, merging interdisciplinary and experiential learning and taking full advantage of the school’s location on the bay. It includes:

1. traditional instruction from master teachers in two courses of their choice
2. participation in our interdisciplinary, environmental studies class
3. an additional elective

Schedule: June 26 - July 21; Monday - Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
(No summer program on Tuesday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day)
Grade Level: rising 5-8
Tuition: $6,200
Financial aid is available. All aspects of the Pine Knot Scholars program are for enrichment and do not result in academic credit at Ransom Everglades or any other school.
Early Drop-off: 8 a.m.
Pick Up: by 4 p.m.

Morning Majors:
Students may select to enroll in two courses in any of the following: Math, Spanish, English Language Arts, and Project Based Learning. These classes will be small in size, taught by master teachers, and be assisted by our teaching interns. Teaching interns will be high-performing college students, vetted through a rigorous application process who have interest in education as a profession. The classes will provide reinforcement of foundational concepts, and an introduction to material that will be presented in the upcoming academic year. Students will improve the subject area mastery, develop important study skills, and be introduced to the educational technology used during the school year at RE. At the conclusion of the program students will receive a report card where teachers will provide detailed feedback on each students’ progression.

Third Class, a Seminar in Environmental Studies:
In the spirit of Paul Ransom, the “Third Class” course will guide students in becoming problem-solvers within their own communities. Students will learn how change happens in communities, will be guided through the process of studying local problems, and assisted in developing solutions and action plans. With a skills-based curriculum, students will utilize math, science, reading comprehension, research, and communication skills each week to conduct inquiries and create solutions to their issues. In addition, an experiential and project-based curriculum will allow students to experience and immerse themselves in the issues through first-hand measurements, data collection, and observations. One day they may find themselves measuring the water quality of the Miami River, counting the fish population of Biscayne Bay, or measuring current sea levels and comparing them to historical data! The projects will be scaffolded to be age-appropriate and successfully challenge students based on their prior knowledge. Students will present their findings at the end of each week in a variety of ways, including but not limited to, oral presentations, video production, and artistic presentations.