Intensive English training, a Camping trip, boat rides “On Golden Pond,” a baseball game, and a climb up the New Hampton School’s fifty-foot Alpine Tower; top all of that off with an all-American BBQ for a summer never to be forgotten. These are just some of the experiences an international high school student can have at the Accelerated English Language Program, a 2-6 week American culture and English language immersion program on the beautiful campus of New Hampton School, an independent college preparatory school in New Hampshire, USA.

The Accelerated English Language Program (AELP) provides a transformative experience for international high school students and an ideal academic setting and foundation for improved communication skills in English. Mornings are spent in the way of a typical American classroom, and afternoons and evenings provide a time to expand upon the mornings’ lessons with countless opportunities to experience American culture and use English in a variety of settings.

Program Director David Bumstead, who has taught ESL all around Europe, notes that the AELP is distinctive in its approach. “Many ESL programs around the World tend to focus exclusively on the language development aspect,” he explains. “New Hampton's AELP has been able to master the ESL component and has also been meticulous in developing the cultural aspect of the program.”

Hengyan Liu of Shanghai, China, spent six weeks last summer at New Hampton School’s AELP, “My English improved so much,” says Liu, who now attends NHS. “When I speak with native English speakers I can speak more confidently. Both my writing and speaking have improved.”

Certified and experienced instructors teach small classes (1-to-7 teacher-student ratio) of different levels in three areas of language learning. As students break down cultural barriers with a common language they are learning, special friendships are forged. “We’ve made really good friends,” says Liu. “I was sad when [we] left. It felt like a family.”

New Hampton School’s AELP students are constantly on the move, interacting with Americans on a daily basis and taking trips to cultural centers like Portsmouth, NH, and Boston. Students are able to take advantage of all that the Lakes Region has to offer as a summer playground. These learning opportunities allow  different venues to use language skills and offer a dose of what any teenager craves in the summer—FUN.

“My time at New Hampton School was wonderful,” says Natalia Cassinello, a native of Spain. “The time went by very fast. We didn’t stop and had so many fun activities that for me were mostly unknown.”

New Hampton School’s Director of Summer Programs, Leia Bridgham, Bumstead, and a qualified team of staff, are devoted to student development in the classroom and outside.

Bridgham explains, "We recognize the importance of English as a global language and are providing international students with the language acquisition and cultural fluency needed to be successful in their future study and as global citizens.”

For more information about the AELP and other New Hampton School Summer Programs, contact Leia Bridgham at 603-677-3572; lbridgham[at]newhampton.org.