Rolling Hills Preparatory School
Los Angeles, California

Rolling Hills Prep Steps Off Campus!

Mike Mena
310 683-6327

October 5, 2006

Outdoor Education Program Promotes Disciplined Minds, Sound Character, and Healthy Bodies.

Rolling Hills Preparatory School emphasizes a “disciplined minds, sound character and healthy bodies” philosophy. As a major part of the educational program, the whole school spends one week each year in the outdoors, each grade exploring a different aspect of the California wilderness. This year’s Outdoor Education Program takes place the week of October 16-20th, and active participation each year is required for graduation. Prep’s faculty and staff accompany the students as active participants and chaperones.

“This is one of the many distinctions that sets Rolling Hills Prep apart from other top schools,” stated RHP’s Head of School Peter McCormack. The program is designed to encourage respect for nature, offer challenge by choice, present opportunities for experiential learning, explore different ecosystems in California and promote teamwork and class unity. “Even non-outdoor-types attain a new- found appreciation and respect for the outdoors,” continued McCormack. “This program is certainly one of the highlights of the year. We take the students outside of their comfort zones and they learn things about themselves they might never have learned in the classroom. Students and faculty alike return home inspired and invigorated.”

The school contracts with outdoor education organizations to lead each program. Programs are unique for each grade level.

Grade 6- Catalina Island Marine Institute (directed by Guided Discoveries)
Grade7- AstroCamp in Idyllwild, California (directed by Guided Discoveries)
Grade 8- Colorado River in Palo Verde, California (directed by Naturalists at Large)
Grade 9- Camp Cedar Lake in Big Bear, California (directed by Naturalists at Large)
Grade 10- Joshua Tree National Monument (directed by Naturalists at Large)
Grade 11- Yosemite National Park (directed by Naturalists at Large)
Grade 12- Catalina Island Marine Institute: Tall Ships Expedition (directed by Guided Discoveries)

For more information contact Ileana International:

Mike Mena
310 683-6327
mike@ileanainternational.com

About Rolling Hills Preparatory School
Rolling Hills Preparatory School is a 25-year old, independent community school serving grade 6-12 students from 21 South Bay cities ranging from El Segundo to Long Beach. RHP is appropriately called a “community school” as it serves the broader educational interests of the South Bay as a community-based institution serving a broad array of educational constituents. RHP is a traditional college preparatory school whose mission for its college bound students is to develop disciplined minds, sound character, healthy bodies, and creative spirits. RHP is home to the Road to Excellence program which provides a variety of support services to intellectually capable, college bound students with specific, language-based learning differences. Ninety-nine percent of RHP students matriculate to student-appropriate colleges that include the nation’s finest public and private universities, local community colleges, special-focus engineering and arts colleges, and an array of state universities.

While offering a rigorous college prep curriculum, the school employs the latest proven innovative teaching models and learning styles to maximize the performance of individual students. The school encourages collaboration with other programs and non-profits to motivate and provide experiential learning to students. Arts collaborations, robotics, community service projects, and the outdoor education component of the curriculum are examples of RHP’s focus on encouraging its students to be high performers.

RHP will relocate to the site of its new campus in San Pedro in October of 2006. The new campus will be one of the first privately-held, fully-sustainable, “green” campuses in the Western United States.

RHPS has its accreditation through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS). In addition RHPS is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).