IMAGINE travelling to Ecuador, Thailand, Germany, India, the Galapagos Islands or the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan – all for school.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
That’s the amazing journey Wattamolla’s Cameron Leslie has undertaken over the past few years.
Cameron isn’t your average high school student.
He’s one of 15 teens set to graduate from THINK Global School.
THINK Global School (TGS) is the world’s first travelling high school, where teenage students gain their education by jetting around the world and attending classes in three different countries each year.
Unlike some study abroad programs which end after two weeks or a month, TGS is very much a proper school; every student and faculty member travels to the same countries at the same time, fostering the sense of community you would find at any other secondary school.
Cameron decided he wanted to try something different at high school. TGS was in Sydney that year and after a visit to the school quarters was determined to apply.
His started in 2011, a year that included terms in Ecuador, Thailand and Germany.
Since then he’s embarked on a journey most teens would only dream of – he’s crossed India by train, snorkelled in the Galapagos Islands, and trekked across the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan — a rare feat given the limited amount of tourists allowed into the country each year.
Along the way he’s also had the opportunity to interact with a variety of guest speakers, including Iran’s Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.
Recently he prepared for his high school graduation the same way as many other teenagers would towards the end of this year.
There was a year jumper and, of course, a senior formal where the students dressed up, had photos with friends and felt nostalgic about their high school years.
For Cameron, though, there was one huge difference – his graduation took place 8600 kilometres away in Hiroshima, Japan.
Following their graduation, rather than going to schoolies’ week, Cameron and his classmates will travel to Africa to celebrate their time at TGS and the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.
Accompanied by staff and a climb specialist, the 15 students will visit Tanzania and attempt to summit Mt Kilimanjaro.