Winterim

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The Heathwood Hall Approach

Winterim

This one-of-a-kind program lets Upper School students explore their interests through travel, internships, and service learning. 

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Learning Without Limits

Each year, Heathwood Hall offers its Upper School students a distinctive educational experience called Winterim—a mission-centered, week-long program designed to extend learning beyond the classroom. The Winterim curriculum emphasizes four key areas: Academic or Cultural Enrichment, Service Learning, Adventure, and Internships (more accurately described as job-shadowing experiences).

Designed for Discovery

The Winterim experience is built around four key pillars:

  • Academic & Cultural Enrichment
  • Service Learning
  • Wilderness Immersion
  • Internship & Career Exploration

While the Internship option often resembles job shadowing rather than a traditional internship with critical responsibilities, it provides students with meaningful opportunities to volunteer or work alongside professionals in fields they may be considering. This exposure helps students clarify their priorities, set goals, and thoughtfully evaluate potential career paths. In addition, participating in an internship-type experience fosters values essential beyond the school environment—integrity, responsibility, and persistence.

In collaboration with their sponsor, each student identifies specific goals to achieve or a project to pursue during the week. Winterim is designed to be a new and enriching experience, rather than a return to a previous summer job or volunteer role. The purpose is for students to gain fresh insight into the nature of a career, its demands, and the preparation required for success.

 

Where Learning Leads: Recent Winterim Highlights
International Adventures
  • Argentina: Tango lessons, cultural tours, and countryside excursions
  • Costa Rica: Waterfalls, volcanoes, beaches, and bilingual service work
  • Morocco: From ancient medinas to mountain villages and desert sands
  • Zambia: Service at a mission, a safari in Botswana, and awe-inspiring Victoria Falls
Domestic Discoveries
  • Hawaii: Environmental service on the Big Island
  • SCUBA Certification: Earning Open Water certification through real-world dives
  • Atlanta College & History Tour: Exploring schools and civil rights history
  • Death Valley: Hiking and camping in one of Earth’s most extreme environments
On-Campus Short Courses
  • Real Life 101: Practical life skills like cooking, budgeting, car care, and self-defense
  • Podcasting: Storytelling meets sound engineering in a student-run studio
  • CSI Heathwood: Crime scene analysis led by law enforcement professionals
  • Exercise Science: Exploring careers in physical therapy, fitness, and healthcare
  • Artist Residency: Creative exploration in nature at the Rensing Center

 

A Program of Distinction

For nearly 40 years, Heathwood’s Winterim has opened doors to new perspectives, new skills, and new horizons. More than a break from routine, it’s a transformational opportunity to learn by doing—preparing students not just for college, but for life.