Academics
Principia delivers a vigorous, experiential, hands-on education to students from preschool through college. Our integrated approach to academic and co-curricular activities challenges students to develop and apply new skills, make connections across disciplines, and prepare for success at the next level of learning and work.
To this end, we have crafted specific, interdisciplinary programs that develop globally aware and spiritually grounded thinkers and leaders, able to meet the challenges of the 21st century and flourish within our rapidly changing, international knowledge economy.
Experiential Learning and Educational Travel (School)
We believe that integrated, experiential learning trips promote exponential growth in students’ depth of understanding, confidence, and character development. That’s why Principia School incorporates tailored travel opportunities into its curriculum at every level of the School:
- From grades 5 through 11, every class participates in a weeklong curricular trip each spring—in the U.S. or overseas. (The senior class focuses on senior projects during that week, and the younger grades take overnight trips to destinations within the Midwest throughout the year.)
- Every fall, Upper School students head into nature on “expeditionary” learning adventures that offer opportunities to strengthen character, leadership, and teamwork.
- In addition, we offer optional curricular and service learning trips to Upper School students (at highly subsidized rates).
Your contribution to these experiential learning opportunities supports educational excellence and increases students' enthusiasm for lifelong learning.
Sustainability (College and School)
Your gift supports academic inquiry and practical projects that deepen students' understanding of the complex challenges facing the human family in the 21st century. At the College, the Principia Center for Sustainability coordinates a variety of initiatives, including an academic minor in sustainability, study abroad opportunities, career-related experiences, campus greening initiatives, and a Sustainability Speaker Series. At the School, students from various grades are involved in research, data analysis, and project-based learning—all of which increase their understanding of human-environmental interactions.
Solar Car Project (College)
Harnessing the power of teamwork, commitment, cross-disciplinary expertise—and sunlight, of course!—Principia College’s solar car program goes from strength to strength each year. Our teams of student designers, drivers, mechanics, and assistants participate in solar car races around the world, always keeping in view the goal of glorifying God by meeting logistical, performance, and safety challenges through the application of Christian Science.
Contributions to the Solar Car Project help support campus-based design innovations and provide funds for travel to races across the country—and around the world.
