The last week of school means Term Project Week at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley! Term Project Week is an opportunity for students in all grades to work with their peers on multidisciplinary projects and to engage in a fun, new activity or trip with various grade levels. Students are grouped with Term Project Teachers for each project.
These projects challenge our students to be cooperative learners and to function as a team. We offer a variety of options each year, and strive to add new projects each year based on both faculty and student interest.
Trips, both domestic and international, are offered every year and this year one of our trips was a Community Service Trip to Thailand!
Day 1: Students and staff arrived in Bangkok. They met with their tour leader and were able to get some rest from their long flights!
Day 2 - 3: Took a short flight north to Phitsanulok, the ancient heart of Thailand and home to the Sappraiwan Elephant Sanctuary, situated on 300 forested acres along the Nan river.
Students met with the staff and learned the goals of this unique conservation project. The Sappraiwan Elephant Sanctuary is focused primarily on the well being of their happy herd of elephants, instead of profit and work, and the sanctuary engages a number of novel approaches to elephant training and care that make it an idyllic setting for its herd.
Day 4: During an early morning ceremony they said goodbye to the elephant herd and mahouts and set out on a roadtrip to the North Eastern Isaan region where the Ricefields Base was located. The drive took approximately five hours and gave the students the chance to soak up the beautiful Thai countryside. Once they arrived, they met the Ricefields team, took a dip in the pool, and joined a soccer game before enjoying a Thai feast in the traditional Thai Sala before learning about their upcoming service projects.
Day 5 - 8: Our Bobcats repaired homes for the local elderly and disadvantaged families, participated in local garden and agriculture projects, and learned about Thai cooking before delivering meals to area residents. They also had a wonderful time hosting local Thai students for an English camp. They played various games and enjoyed lunch together, then spent the afternoon teaching Thai students how to float and swim.
Day 9: On their last day our students visited a market along the Mekong River and enjoyed a traditional Thai-Lao lunch. Students even learned how to make traditional Thai iced tea! They were able to explore the fascinating and strange sculpture garden Sala Keoku and marvel at the large concrete sculptures inspired by both Buddhist and Hindu legends and traditions.
It was an amazing trip filled with unforgettable memories!
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