LEAPYEAR 2016YES! Group: Packet I Acceptance and Registration Packetpage 1

LEAPYEAR 2016YES! Group: Packet I—Acceptance and Registration PacketPage 1

LEAPYEAR 2015-16 Program

YES! Group:January 2016 – August 2016

Packet I--Acceptance & Registration

(8/12/2015 revision)

LEAPYEAR 2016YES! Group: Packet I—Acceptance and Registration PacketPage 1

LEAPNOW is happy to invite you toparticipate in the YES! Group - our 25th LEAPYEAR group! This packet will give you program information, and let you know what you need to do to register and prepare for your journey.

As you consider whether to do LEAPYEAR, keep in mind that LEAPYEAR is the only full year program we know of that is designed to meet the developmental needs of young adults navigating the transition from high school to college, from home to independence, and from late adolescence into adulthood. We don’t know any other program that brings together group travel, solo internships, inner-directed retreats, rites of passage, conscious community, financial aid, and fully integrated college credit.

LEAPYEAR is meant to challenge you – culturally, physically, emotionally, mentally, socially and spiritually. These challenges are for young men and women who wish to live as deeply and richly as possible. We expect you to lean forward into the myriad experiences that are offered, rather than running from them. When things get tough, we work through them, which intensifies the learning. If you are not willing to challenge your boundaries & limitations, relate positively with a group, work hard, learn another language, meet other cultures & participate fully, please do not register for this program!

Each year people start LEAPNOW programs without having read critical information. Before you decide that you will definitely do the program, please read through this entire packet so that you know what you are committing yourself to.

Our staff is available to address any question, need, or special concern that you may have between now and the start date. LEAPYEAR is a major undertaking, and though we endeavor to make our information packets as clear and comprehensive as possible, questions inevitably arise, so please don’t hesitate to contact us when you need assistance or advice. If you decide NOT to do the program, please let us know.

Our small group size and great student to staff ratio (5:1 while traveling and 3:1 on retreats) allows us to provide a high degree of individual attention. Over the years, we have resisted the inevitable urge to increase the size of our program – capping overall group size for this YesGroup at 22 students (working with 8 full-time staff and 4 interns) to ensure a very personalized LEAPNOW journey.

We believe that the growing edge of our own consciousness is the best place to live - that’s where we plan to be during this coming year. Someone said, “Go out on a limb, that’s where the fruit is.” We invite you to join us “out here” on the growing edge!

Enthusiastically yours,

Rebecca Carrillo, Director of Admissions

Sam Bull, LEAPNOW Co-Founder & Executive Director

LEAPYEAR SPECIFICS

Program Registration:

Please do the following to guarantee your space in the program. If you are confused about any aspect of the program, don't stay that way - call us!

1.MOST IMPORTANT: Before you do anything else, sit down and read this entire packet! Then decide if you TRULY want to do the program. It is critical that you know what you are getting into BEFORE you sign or pay anything.

2.Pay the confirmation fee. The fee is payable according to the schedule set forth in the Tuition Agreement. Make checks payable to “LEAPNOW, Inc.” or call the office to pay by VISA or MasterCard. If you decide not to do the program, please let us know as soon as possible. Send your payment to LEAPNOW along with a signed copy of the “LEAPYEAR 2016: Student Registration and Tuition Agreement.” Please make a copy of the agreement for your records.

3.The packet in your hands is Packet I—Acceptance and Registration Packet. Once the confirmation fee is paid and paperwork received, we can guarantee your space in the program, and we will send you three further packets to prepare you for the program:

• Packet II—Logistical Preparationhas information about communication, safety, travel details, financial aid, health insurance, immunizations, visas, gear & equipment packing lists.
• Packet III—Academic and Mental Readinessis devoted to academic preparation, college credit, guidance on choosing an internship, and things that students can do to mentally prepare to embark on their LEAPYEAR journey. This will include simple and relevant assignments you must complete before your year begins.
• LEAPYEAR Parent Packetis a packet for parents and prepares them for the transitions that lie ahead with their son/daughter as well as for the Rite of Passage ceremony in May.

2016 Program Dates:

January 6 – 12Program Start & First Retreat

January 13 – March 18Group Travel – Nepal & India

March 18 – 24Second Retreat

March 25 – April 23 Mid-Program Break - Curriculum Continues

April 24 – May 12Third Retreat

May 7 – 8 Rite of Passage Weekend with Parents

May 13 – August 1Individual Internship

August 2 – 9Fourth and Final Retreat

Program Fee:

The cost for the 2016 LEAPYEAR YES!program is $34,900. This includes a fully integrated year of undergraduate tuition at Naropa University. (If you were to pay for this credit separately, the tuition alone would cost over $25,000.) The LEAPYEAR program fee also includes all food and lodging during the 8 months of the program, all scheduled program activities, one additional internship placement for study and work abroad in the year following program completion, and the annual reunion retreats. The payment schedule is detailed in the Student Registration and Tuition Agreement. For support in paying for LEAPYEAR, please visit the FAQ page on our website:

Individual Internship:

Your LEAPYEAR tuition includes a budget of $2,500 per person for the 12 weeks of the Second Semester Individual Internship. Most past LEAPYEAR participants have been able to stay within this budget. This is a reasonable ($200/week) cost for volunteer placements in most parts of the world. Internship airfare is variable, averaging about $1300, but can range from $200 to $2400 depending on internship location. If you decide to do something more expensive during the internship period such as a guitar-building workshop, art classes or intensive language study, any cost beyond these budgeted amounts will be an additional out-of-pocket expense for you.

Not included in the LEAPYEAR program fee are the following:

• Medical expenses: These include required immunizations, personal health insurance, optional travel insurance, and any medical or emergency expenses incurred during the program.
• Personal Spending Money: We recommend that participants budget a total of $1,300 of personal spending money during LEAPYEAR. $600 for spending money during the first Group Semester to cover the cost of using cybercafés, doing laundry, buying gifts, extra food/drinks, optional activities, etc. $600 for the Individual Internship Semester, and $100 for the retreat weeks. We recommend that you only bring $700 for the First Semester and retreat weeks, then another $600 for the Second Semester.

Before traveling, we ask the students to set aside $200 of their personal spending money for emergencies. This rarely gets used, but we want to ensure they have access to it in case they need it.

• All airfares and Visas: Airfare to and from home and the LEAPYEAR campus if needed; and both international airfares. LEAPNOW arranges all international flights through one travel consultant so that our groups can travel together, and to take advantage of the lowest group airfares. First semester airfare typically runs between $1300-$1800. Internship airfare varies with your choice of destination. Visa costs also vary depending on destination.

Passport:

Please scan the photo page of your passport and email it to along with your registration paperwork. We will need a copy of your passport to register you for the program and as the first step in securing your international flight. A delay in this step may increase ticketing prices. Please do not delay!

Academics:

LEAPYEAR students are enrolled as full-time B.A. undergraduate students at Naropa University ( Naropa University is accredited through the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges (NCA). Naropa University was founded in 1974 and emphasizes wholeness-based education, contemplative practice, environmental stewardship, and community—values shared by LEAPNOW.

Naropa offers majors in: Contemplative Psychology, Education, Environmental Studies, Music & Art, Religious Studies, Interdisciplinary and Peace Studies. These majors complement the LEAPYEAR curriculum for students who choose to continue their education at Naropa. (Note: A small number of past students have used LEAPYEAR to complete high school. Please call and talk to our staff if this is your situation. LEAPYEAR can also be done on a not-for-credit basis.)

High School & College Transcripts

Please have your high school and any college transcripts mailed to BOTH Naropa University and the LEAPNOW office. This means you will have to order 2 copies of each transcript.

Do not fax this information and be sure that the transcripts are sent directly from the school. Do this within one week of registering for LEAPYEAR – then send an email confirming that you have done this to: .

Please ask for transcripts to be sent to Naropa after high school graduation. If your transcript does not show proof of graduation, Naropa will need another OFFICIAL COPY of your transcript with PROOF of graduation before the start of your LEAPYEAR.

Send eachtranscript to the following addresses:

NAROPA address: Naropa University Office of Admissions
2130 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, CO 80302

LEAPNOW address: LEAPNOW

11640 Highway 128, Calistoga, CA 94515

Financial Aid:

As full-time college students enrolled at Naropa University, all LEAPYEAR participants are eligible for Federal Financial Aid. Financial aid is accessed through the normal FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) process. Once you are accepted into LEAPYEAR, you can start the financial aid process by filling out the FAFSA form online at

Contact information for Naropa University financial aid:

Naropa University Financial Aid Office: 303-546-3509 or
Web page:

Naropa School Code = 014652 (Needed to route your FAFSA information to Naropa)

Financial aid cannot be processed without receipt of a high school transcript or GED. It is your responsibility to make sure that Naropa is sent all of the documents necessary to process your financial aid application. Please submit your documents in a timely manner.

IMPORTANT: Any and all Financial Aid forms should be sent directly to the
Naropa University Financial Aid Office – NOT to LEAPNOW.

Please be sure to notify LEAPNOW if you apply for financial aid.

2016 LEAPYEAR YES! Group Coursework:

LEAPYEAR is organized into two semesters. Fall semester courses relate to the group travel abroad, and the spring semester is organized around the final two retreats and the individual internship. Each student can earn two semesters (30 hours) of academic credit. Naropa courses are graded. Detailed course descriptions are available at .

First Semester - INDIA Group:

1.Cultural Immersion: India: 10 weeks of direct immersion in the culture of India through volunteer work, spiritual seminars, Hindi or Tibetan language study, home stays, environmental work, and individual internships. (6 Credits)

1. Wisdom Traditions of India: Study of the spiritual practices of Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism including intensive practice of Hatha Yoga, Meditation & Karma Yoga. (6 Credits)
2. Practice and Community: The study of the process of creating conscious community as well as the practices that support living in community with self and others. Students learn to define and live within clear agreements, learn clear communication and conflict resolution, and do daily contemplative practices while traveling together in unfamiliar countries through unfamiliar inner and outer territory. (3 Credits)

First Semester – LATIN AMERICA Group:

1.Spanish Language Immersion: Four weeks of formal Spanish study and 9 weeks of practical Spanish immersion through homestays and volunteer work. (6 Credits)

1. Cultural Immersion: Latin America: Direct study of the people and cultures of indigenous and modern Latin American in Central & South America. (6 Credits)
2. Practice & Community:See description above. (3 Credits)

Second Semester Courses (all students):

1. The Whole Human Being: An embodied exploration of the journey back to wholeness and into adulthood. Students study what it means to live a life of health and wholeness while directly exploring the body/mind continuum. This exploration integrates contemplative practices with study of the development and evolution of the human being and includes intensive workshops on integrity, conscious communication, health, nutrition, emotional literacy and the practice of creativity in an embodied life. (4 credits)

2.The World as Classroom: A 12-week internship focused on service work in a part of the world that is of particular significance to the student and their developing interests. This independent experience exposes the student to diverse cultures, broadens their horizons and deepens their understanding of their own worldview, opening them to myriad aspects of the world while exploring their own cultural assumptions. (6 credits)

3.Being the Change:Students learn skills needed to “be the change we wish to see in the world.” (Gandhi) Students take a vision and see it through to a practical outcome as well as study the power of reframing, setting intentions and life path visioning. (2 credits)

4.Diversity and Multiculturalism Seminar:This course emphasizes the development of knowledge, critical thinking, analytical skills, and interpersonal and intergroup interactions necessary for living and working in an international setting characterized by diversity. Students engage in inquiry and analysis of the complexities of multiple and competing theories of race, class, gender, ethnicity, disability, age, sexuality, nationality, and religion, and how they shape and are shaped by social and cultural life in the world around them. (3 credits)

Program Overview(YES! Group):

During the Spring 2016 LEAPYEAR program nine weeks of the first semester are spent traveling as a group to North & South India or Central America. All retreats are held at our Northern California campus.

North & South India Sample Itinerary:

• Orientation in India’s capital of New Delhi.
• Explore the Hindi language, Islam and Sikhism at the hill-station of Mussoorie.
• Two weeks of classes and traditional arts on the Ganges in Varanasi, while living with host families.
• Travel to Kerala, South India to learn yoga and meditation in a traditional & peaceful ashram setting.
• Social service in Tamil Nadu through house-building with local families.
• Trek in the Western Ghats, a breathtaking mountain range of Southern India.

Central America Sample Itinerary:

• Land in Guatemala and do orientation in Comalapa. Build a school from tires & other trash.
• Two weeks of Spanish language immersion and homestays in the town of Quetzaltenango, a Mayan cultural center. Afternoons are spent volunteering with local non-profits.
• 3-4 day overland trek to Lake Atitlan through volcanic terrain & indigenous villages.
• 8-9 days of spiritual study and contemplation on Lake Atitlan at the foot of a volcano
• Fly to the Bay Islands of Honduras for 4-5 day SCUBA training and diving on the island of Roatan.
• Travel to Matagalpa, Nicaragua for another two weeks of Spanish language training and volunteer work in the coffee capital of Matagalpa.
• Two weeks of permaculture and sustainable community on the island of Ometepe, in Lake Managua.

LEAPYEAR 2016YES! Group: Packet I—Acceptance and Registration PacketPage 1

Second Semester Individual Internship:

For 12 weeks in the spring semester, each participant travels on their own to do an internship of their choice, chosen from thousands available in 126 countries. The internship follows naturally after the first group semester, and the Rite of Passage – allowing the participant to deeply explore a region or type of work that engages them fully, while relating to the world as an individual and an adult. Students choose the internship during the first half of the program, and make the placement with the assistance of LEAPYEAR staff. The internship is intended to be a chance to explore an interest, career or region in depth and in a structured way. It’s a chance to serve others while deepening one’s engagement in the world. It is NOT intended for wandering, pursuit of distraction, or simply traveling around. It is a chance to give to learn, rather than “consuming” experiences.

Past LEAPYEAR students have: worked at orphanages spiritual centers in India, studied Chinese and kung fu, apprenticed with blacksmiths, studied art in Indonesia and central Mexico, taught school in Patagonia, worked with baboons in South Africa, taught autistic children in Vietnam, worked with a midwife in Bali or street children in Guatemalaworked on farms in New Zealand.

Internship Preparation:

Once you have confirmed your LEAPYEAR enrollment you will receive specific instructions and sample programs in Packet III to begin the process of choosing your spring internship. During the first retreat, students meet as a group, then individually with internship staff to learn about the many options available. During the first semester group travel, students dialogue on-line with our internship placement specialist, then settle on a specific internship during the second retreat. To support the internship placement, each student prepares a resume and cover letter – to learn how to present themselves to the world in a professional way.

On Campus Retreats

Schedule:

Four intensive LEAPYEAR retreats totaling ~7 weeks form the backbone of the LEAPYEAR program and distinguish LEAPYEAR from all other gap year and college programs. Each retreat is all held at the LEAPNOW campus in Sonoma County – just north of San Francisco - and are inner-directed intensives that are focused on setting the context of the program, and exploring the context of your life.