Optional boldness on the School Timetable
The many different optional subjects contribute to ensure that Samsø Continuation School (independent Danish boarding school for upper secondary students) fills schoolrooms and activity sites all around the island with adventurous pupils.
On the beach north of Ballen Marina, Emilie Lund has squeezed herself into a wet suit. The only thing left is the yellow diving tank on her back. Once on, she is ready to jump into the water together with the other pupils on this day’s first diving team.
“I’m just crazy about all things to do with water, and I have made use of the sea a lot at Sjællands Odde, Zealand, where I live. That’s the reason I have chosen Samsø Continuation School, which enables me to both dive and sail”, Emilie Lund explains. She is not the only water enthusiast among the 163 pupils at Samsø Efterskole. More than 100 pupils have signed up for the optional course, making it the most popular of 38 optional subjects offered by the school.
Risky Challenges
Before starting the school year, all pupils must choose a minimum of six optional subjects, and the range is quite different from simply learning Danish or mathematics. Subjects like adventure racing, hunting, windsurfing and flying allow kids lots of opportunities to release their inner daredevil. This exact possibility for testing his capacities as a pilot was one of the reasons Frederik Jønsson chose Samsø Efterskole. His training started in a flight simulator, but later on that year, he moved to real aeroplanes:
“It was fantastic!” Frederik exclaims with a smile that almost reaches both of his ears, leaving no doubt that sitting in the cockpit that very first time made quite the impression!
Creative Cakes and Something for Nerds
Indoor activities such as confectionery, creative needlecraft and music nerding also offer something acceptable for those pupils who don’t need a daily adrenaline kick, and subjects such as horse riding and golf offer fresh air without a galloping pulse rate.
A common feature of all these subjects is that they tend to keep pupils occupied on the island, even on occasion when weekdays turn into weekends, so parents should not expect to see too much of their child during the year. In return, pupils will return home with their hearts and minds full of adventure.
Last updated: 03/04/2017 10:07
