Local WWW experiences
Experience 1: A Sustainable Natural Environment in Lebanon
Location: Lebanon – Qsaibe, Tannourine, Qob Elias, Bikfaya, Beirut
Grades: 6-8; 9-11 – there will be parallel programs run for the two different age groups that are customized based on the grade
Dates: April 11 – 17, weekdays only
Description: How can humans interact respectfully and sustainably with their natural environment?
Students will discover what is happening in Lebanon to contribute to creating a more sustainable nation by visiting a pedagogical farm, a large-scale organic and composting farm and a recycling facility. Students will connect to the environment in Lebanon by attending a day of climbing and yoga in Tannourine, then conclude the program at Wellspring by creating sustainable systems and improving our environmental impact.
Strand: Wellspring Curriculum, Service
More detailed information: Students go to a different location each day to explore and help in different sustainable projects in Lebanon and spend the fifth day working on a project for the Wellspring community. Site visits include:
- Little Reed Pedagogical Farm – Qsaibe
- Field to Fork – Qob Elias
- BiClean – Bikfaya
- Tannourine el Tahta
Program partner – Eedama
Program Cost: $195. Includes program, transportation and food for the four days outside of Wellspring.
Student Profile: Students interested in learning about the environment and sustainability in Lebanon.
View pictures here
Experience 2: Internship Week
Location: Lebanon
Grades: 10-11
Dates: April 11 – 17, weekdays only
Description: Students will have an internship placement where they will report daily to a local business for a day of work. All internship placements must be approved by the university counselor. All students that sign-up for Internship Week as their Week Without Walls experience must submit a short paragraph identifying the professional field they hope to intern in and 1-2 possible placement sites they plan on contacting.
Strand: Wellspring Curriculum
More detailed information: This should be a continuation of the student’s placement during Internship Day in February. Students will work with the University Counselor to identify an appropriate placement. Students will learn about a possible career path, professionalism, responsibility and the working world. Important information regarding internship placements:
- Students are not permitted to intern at a family business
- Internship placements should provide exposure and experience in a field related to what the student intends to study at university
- Students are responsible for identifying a location for their placement, after this, the university counselor will support the student in reaching out to and securing the internship
- Students are responsible for the daily transportation to and from their internship site
During the week, a representative from Wellspring will do random drop-ins at student placement sites and communicate daily with the internship supervisor to track student attendance.
Program Cost: $0, students will provide their own transportation based on their internship placement
Student Profile: Students interested in learning more about their career options who are ready to commit to a week-long professional internship.
View pictures here
Experience 3: Investigative Advocacy
Location: Beirut, Lebanon
Grades: 9-11
Dates: April 11 – 16, excluding Saturday April 13
Description: Creating a multidimensional campaign for a social justice issue. This experience will allow students to understand how an advocacy campaign works, starting from investigating an issue and ending with executing an awareness campaign. Students will learn with the Migrant Community Center (MCC) in Beirut about migrant workers in Lebanon and how to run a successful campaign. Then, students will investigate this underreported issue and develop ideas for an advocacy campaign. With feedback and support from MCC, they will create and launch a multimedia advocacy campaign for the Wellspring community.
Strand: Service, Intercultural understanding
More detailed information: Students will spend three days at MCC learning about issues facing migrant workers, the kefala system and how to run an advocacy campaign. They will meet and collaborate with migrant workers and staff from MCC to learn about different cultures, conduct interviews and gather information that will support their campaign. Students will also join a community event at the center on Sunday. Two days will be spent at Wellspring doing investigation and preparation for the campaign in order to share it with MCC for feedback.
Partner – Migrant Community Center
Program Cost: $0 – This includes transportation, but based on student’s ability to provide their own transportation, this could be removed. Price does not include lunch, students can buy or bring their own.
Student Profile: Students interested in social justice, law, human rights, advocacy and migration.
View pictures here
Experience 4: Turning Disability into Ability
Location: Sarafand & Beirut, Lebanon
Grades: 6-7 *updated to include Grade 7
Dates: April 11 – 17, weekdays only
Description: Students will participate in a civic engagement program with the Lebanese Welfare Association for the Handicapped. Students will visit and learn about the work of LWAH at their rehabilitation center, meet with peers and adults who are at the center and work on a project with students from the LWAH School of Excellence. Activities will include sign language lessons, art activities with peers, hands-on activities in the rehabilitation center, viewing the LWAH wheelchair basketball team play and listening to motivational speakers. Students will learn how LWAH helps turn disability into ability!
Strand: Service
More detailed information: Students will spend four days learning and engaging in activities at LWAH and the final day at Wellspring for concluding activities and watching the wheelchair basketball team play.
Partner – Lebanese Welfare Association for the Handicapped
Program Cost: $0 – Includes all program costs and daily transportation. Lunches are not included – students can bring lunch or purchase in cafeteria.
Student Profile: All students welcome.
View pictures here
Experience 5: Natural & Cultural History of Lebanon
Location: Sidon, Byblos, Sarafand, Beirut, Alita; Lebanon
Grades: 6-8
Dates: April 11 – 17, weekdays only
Description: Students will visit various cultural and artistic sites across Lebanon, both natural and historical. Students will have the opportunity to learn about a variety of cultural traditions and engage in artistic explorations themselves.
Strand: Wellspring Curriculum
More detailed information: Students will go to different and multiple sites daily. Visits may include:
- AUB Archaeology Museum
- Dar el Nimer
- Sarafand glass factory
- Saida soap museum
- Byblos fossil museum/quarry
- Modern and Contemporary Art Museum (MACAM) clay workshop
- MIM Mineral Museum
- Sursock Museum
Program Cost: $0 – Cost includes program costs, museum entrances and transportation. Students can bring or purchase lunch.
Student Profile: Students interested in art, history and cultural preservation.
View pictures here
Experience 6: Robotics in Today’s World
Location: Beirut
Grades: 6-8
Dates: April 11-17, weekdays only
Description: Step in the world of robotics, join our 5 days in depth trip to the field of robotics where students will be learning today’s new technologies with morning workshops with The Little Engineer and afternoon visits to meet with people working with robotics in today’s world at Beirut Digital District and Rymco Chiyah.
Strand: Wellspring Curriculum
More detailed information:
Day 1: Beirut Digital District:
Automated car: Students will use sensors, motors and controller to get closer to the real application of engineering
Renewable Energy: Students will have to perform a solar car race in order to see the most efficient way of exposing the car to the sun.
Day 2: Wind Energy Workshop at Sodeco Square
Day 3: Workshop at Sodeco Square
3D Printing: The Little Engineer will proudly show its learners the transitions between the digital and the physical world while using the 3D printing process where learners will have to design, build and 3D print their model.
Robotic activity: they will construct a robot then program it in order to finish a certain mission by avoiding obstacles.
Day 4: Workshop at Sodeco Square
Edpy: Students will be able to code and control a robot in a way that is very interesting, they will go through the basics of the programming of multiple functions of the robot to reach a sumo-bot competition. Using Python.
Zip Flyer: Using this exciting activity, students will be able to build a zip-flyer, which will have to be operated by the students to fly the wheel as high as it can.
Day 5: Rymco Workshop at Rymco Chiyah
Learners will have the opportunity to participate in a 90-min workshop where they can explore the automotive industry and become informed about the principal systems which constitute a car.
Students will be introduced to the notion of preventive maintenance that also address safety precautions. Will be familiarized with the concepts of Manufacturing, Automation, Robotics and Programming. The other 90-min workshop would include an exciting visit to Rymco’s departments where learners will gain knowledge on the multi-faceted aspects pertaining to cars which include: Logistics, Sales, Marketing, Customer Relations and more.
Partners – The Little Engineer and professionals at Beirut Digital District
Program Cost: $130. Cost includes all program costs, transportation. Lunch is not included, students can bring or buy their lunch.
Student Profile: Students interested in technology.
View pictures here
Experience 7: Short Film
Location: Beirut
Grades: 8-11
Dates: April 11-17, except Sunday. If the group does not need the extra rehearsal or filming time, the program will not run on Saturday but instead only on the weekdays.
Description: Students will be divided into 2 groups, some working as film crew, and others as actors to create a short film from a pre-written script. They will go through the whole process of rehearsing and filming a short film. Students will experience the stages of filming using professional equipment and techniques, and the film will be submitted to film festivals across Lebanon.
Strand: Wellspring curriculum
More detailed information: Students will be supported by and learn from a university film crew. Filming will take place at different locations in Beirut based on the script.
Program Cost: $0 – Includes transportation and program costs. Lunch is not included, students can bring or buy lunch.
Student Profile: Interested in media and/or theater. Every student is responsible for a certain task throughout the film.
View pictures here
Experience 8: Surf & Serve
Location: Jiyeh, Lebanon
Grades: 8-10
Dates: April 11-17, 5 days depending on the weather so students should be open to attending on a Saturday and/or Sunday
Description: Surf & Serve will give students the opportunity to learn about water sports in Lebanon and serve their local community. Partnering with Surf Lebanon, students will learn how to surf and stand up paddle board, clean the beach where they are surfing, snorkel, and share their love of the water and learning basics of junior lifeguarding with peers from marginalized communities. They will also learn how to make a surfboard.
Strand: Service, Wellspring curriculum
More detailed information: *Note – we do not have a final confirmation from the Lebanese surfboard maker that partnering with him to make a surfboard is feasible. If confirmed, students will plan with P A Surfboards whether to help make a regular board or a board from recyclable materials. If it does not work, Surf Lebanon can offer a 5-day program.
Partner – Surf Lebanon
Program Cost: $310 – estimated cost includes transportation, breakfast, all costs related to surfing (lessons, wetsuit rental, board rental, instructors). Lunch is not included, students can buy or bring lunch.
Student Profile: Interested in learning about water sports.
View pictures here
Experience 9: Technology in Today’s World
Location: Beirut
Grades: 9-11
Dates: April 11-17, weekdays only
Description: Step in the world of technology; join our 5-day in-depth trip to the field of technology where students will be meeting industry experts at Beirut Digital District in the afternoon and learning today’s new technologies with Geek Express at their space at Antwork in the morning.
Strand: Wellspring curriculum
More detailed information:
Day 1: Data Science workshop, students will upload a real data set related to e-commerce or gaming into a coding environment and prepare it for analysis. Then, they will analyze the data using statistical values, graphs and plots. Finally, students will interpret the results, communicate them accurately and draw decisions and conclusions.
Day 2: Artificial Intelligence and machine learning workshop students will teach the computer how to recognize images as an example of supervised learning. They will create training examples and train the computer, then use the trained computer to create a game by which players can compete against computers to recognize words and images.
Day 3: White Hat Hacking workshop, students will learn how to hack and participate in a series of challenges to cement the knowledge they’ve gained from the presentation. The challenges include: a password cracking challenge, a social engineering challenge and a network cyber battle.
Day 4: Virtual Reality workshop, students will design their first VR compatible infographic and experience it through a VR headset.
Day 5: Entrepreneurship and Technology workshop, students will brainstorm to find key gaps in today’s markets and develop a preliminary business model of a tech startup that fills this gap or solve a problem existing in their country or in the world.
After each workshop, students will visit Beirut Digital District to meet with experts and see these different facets of technology in action.
Partners – Geek Express and professionals at Beirut Digital District
Program Cost: $140. Cost includes all program costs and transportation. Lunch is not included, students can bring or buy their lunch.
Student Profile: Students interested in technology.
View pictures here