Elite Academic, Sport or Language Summer Program for Teenagers in Leysin

Afternoon Clubs and Activities

What would summer be without a healthy dose of activities and adventure?

Clubs After their morning program and lunch, students enjoy a fun-filled afternoon with clubs followed by activities. Each session, students choose from five different clubs: Sports, Cooking & Baking, Gardening (Agriculture Management), Art (Visual), or Art (Music). They attend the same club throughout the program. 

Afternoon Activities Each day, students choose a different afternoon activity. We offer so many activities that students could choose something different every day and never do the same thing twice! From horseback riding to ice skating, this is a great time for students to try something new!

"Family," Evening, and Social Events

SUMMER "Families" Our signature Family Program is the hallmark of the summer experience. Each student is placed in a “Family” for the duration of the program. Led by two or three counselors, each family is made up of a group of students of the same age from across the world. Every session, our Families gather for a number of evening activities and special events—from sharing a meal together to participating in friendly competitions, the Family Program offers another opportunity for students to strengthen existing friendships and develop new ones!

EVENING and Social ACTIVITIES Each night at the school in Switzerland has a theme—from sports nights and Family nights to special events and excursions, the fun continues through the evening! And of course, the weekends offer an excellent opportunity for students to enjoy special trips and adventures off of the mountain.

During each session the students will go on one excursion. This is a full-day excursion where we travel to a city within a 3-hour drive of campus. Destinations include cities such as Lausanne, Interlaken, Bern, or Geneva. Each trip will have a choice of itineraries that will appeal to various tastes and interests.

Arrival by Air

LAS Summer in Switzerland provides a free airport transfer service from Geneva Airport to the school on official arrival days. Students must report to the LAS Summer in Switzerland welcome booth which is located in the Visitors’ Center in the Arrival Hall. Staff will be waiting at the Visitors’ Center, wearing clearly identifiable blue shirts with the LAS Summer in Switzerland logo. Staff will be waiting to pick up students all day on the assigned arrival day. If a student cannot find a staff member they should wait by the LAS Summer in Switzerland welcome booth or call the LAS Administrator on Call at +41 79 386 9305.

Slight delays in the LAS Summer in Switzerland bus departure times are common due to airline schedules and flight delays. On arrival days, we provide transportation services departing from the airport at regular intervals, ensuring that students do not wait at the airport for long periods of time. Students who have not provided the school with specific arrival details in advance cannot be guaranteed transportation to campus. Please ensure that the travel form (included with the acceptance email) is completed and returned to the LAS Summer in Switzerland Office by email ([email protected]) or fax (+41 24 493 4889).

Students arriving on days other than the official arrival days may request a school transfer through the LAS Summer in Switzerland Office at a cost of 300 CHF per person (from Geneva Airport).

Arrival by Train

Leysin is easily accessible via European and Swiss rail. If you wish to travel by train, you can either travel to Geneva Airport on travel days and take advantage of the school in Switzerland bus service, or you may travel directly to Leysin.

To travel directly to Leysin, purchase train tickets to the Leysin-Grand-Hôtel Station. In Aigle, exit the train and take the hourly Aigle-Leysin (A-L) cogwheel train to Leysin. Exit the cog at the Leysin-Grand-Hôtel Station. From there, enter the Belle Époque building of the shcool. Signs will direct you to the registration location. For information on Swiss train schedules and tickets go to www.sbb.ch/en/.

Arrival by Train from Geneva Airport (GVA)

Upon exit from the Geneva Airport baggage and customs area, follow the signs to the train station. Purchase a ticket to Leysin (the approximate cost from Geneva Airport one way is 50 CHF per person over the age of 16) and board the train to Aigle via Lausanne. At Aigle change to the A-L cogwheel train for Leysin (the departure area is in front of the main station of Aigle)

and get off at the Leysin-Grand-Hôtel Station. For information on Swiss train schedules and tickets, go to www.sbb.ch/en/.

Arrival by Road

Coming from Geneva, drive to Aigle via Lausanne and Montreux on the “autoroute” (green signs) and connect to the mountain road to Leysin. Please use https://calendly.com/bestparents/30min?month=2023-09 for assistance. The summer in Switzerland Office will also be glad to provide detailed instructions, or you can use an online service such as www.viamichelin.com using the Belle Époque building, where the Elite Summer in Switzerland Office is located, as your final destination.

Once in Leysin, the registration on opening day is located in the Grande Salle in the Belle Époque building (Chemin de la Source 3, 1854 Leysin).

Morning Programs(Four Options)

The Language Track:

The Language Track is an intensive course which immerses students in their chosen language (English or French) in order to increase skills, confidence, and ability. Students are divided by age and ability within each group. This program will also require students to do an afternoon club focusing on building their language skills.

ENGLISH STREAM

• English Elementary
• English Intermediate
• English Advanced FRENCH STREAM
• French Elementary
• French Intermediate
• French Advanced

Ledership Track:

Students who select our Leadership Track can choose from: Alpine Leadership or Innovation, Creativity, & Entrepreneurship.

• ALPINE LEADERSHIP:

The Alpine Leadership Program challenges students to push beyond their comfort zone in a safe and fun environment. Through activities such as rock climbing, camping, hiking, orienteering, first aid, and survival skills, students obtain knowledge and experience of outdoor leadership practices and competencies. These skills are then put to the test while outdoor rock climbing, overnight camping, and cooking on a glacier. Students will spend time researching and reflecting on environmental issues facing our mountains today. They will even have the opportunity to raise money for a company of their choice addressing an issue(s) they have identified. This program equips students to be future leaders in the outdoors and beyond. ** **

• Innovation, Creativity, & Entrepreneurship:

In the LAS Summer Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship (ICE) Program, students explore what it takes to be a successful social innovator, how to define problems, devise solutions for impact, envision the future, and turn ideas into action. Through collaboration with peers and industry leaders, the students explore big questions and work together to think critically and creatively about problem-solving. Combined with this group work, the students attend various excursions geared towards team building and the discovery of innovative industries and organizations throughout Switzerland. ** Additional activity fee of CHF 500.

Sports Track:

Students in our Athletic program will select tennis or football (soccer) and will spend their mornings taking their skills and their love of the game to the next level as they learn from our exceptional coaching staff in our state-of-the-art facilities.

• TENNIS PROGRAM:

LAS Summer in Switzerland works in collaboration with Peak Tennis International to offer a diverse and dynamic program for the ultimate tennis camp experience in the Swiss Alps. The multicultural coaching team (led by program director Regina Sertschnigg), consists of experienced and passionate professionals and specialists. Each session will provide 3 hours of coaching during the morning to improve tennis skills at all levels, from complete beginners to competition-level players. At the beginning of the session, each player will have a personal assessment in order to understand and set personal goals for maximum individual improvement.  Our tennis campers will have the opportunity to visit a professional ATP tournament in the beautiful village of Gstaad. This is a fantastic opportunity for our campers to see top ranked professional tennis players (and maybe even meet one of their favorite players on the tour!).  

• FOOTBALL PROGRAM (SOCCER):

The LAS Football Program (soccer, for those of you in the United States!) provides training for all ages and abilities. Students will work on their footwork and essential skills in a fun and supportive environment!

Enrichment Track:

Students who choose our Enrichment Track can select Creative Writing, Da Vinci Lab, or Nature & Math.

• CREATIVE WRITING

In this course, students will engage in a variety of projects that allow them to develop their intellectual curiosity while looking at how humankind has transformed and explored the world (and universe) around them through creative writing. Throughout the course, they will examine various writing styles and examples of the successes and strategies of other writers. In addition, they will learn to read and discuss texts as writers and practice writing in different genres. Finally, they will improve writing skills that transfer to the school year, such as touch typing, note taking, and citation, and they will have ample opportunities to hone their public speaking skills. 

• Da Vinci Lab

Students who like to build things, take things apart, use their hands, and use technology will enjoy having time to pursue their interests through individual and collaborative projects in an environment dedicated to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math). Students will learn to do 3D modeling using Tinkercad for 3D printing and how to upcycle materials to create unique art pieces or practical items. Past projects have included a trebuchet, a world map, earrings, and a pet carrier, to name a few! 

• NATURE & MATH PROGRAM

In this course, students reach beyond formulas and computations to explore the mathematics behind patterns, relationships, and real-world problems. Students develop creative and communicative skills by investigating mathematics as both an art and a tool. Most importantly, this course seeks to raise awareness of mathematics as a worthwhile human endeavor whose benefits can be used and appreciated. This interactive math class includes activities such as solving puzzles, finding evidence of math in the natural world, building 3-dimensional shapes, and playing games that explore mathematical concepts. Class discussions involve topics such as the fourth dimension and infinity. Creative projects that express mathematical ideas through visual art, music, short stories, construction, cooking, and more will be encouraged.

DAILY SCHEDULE

From the second they step onto our alpine campus, summer students enjoy some amazing experiences:

• 09:00 -12:00: Morning Program
• 12:15 - 13:30: Lunch
• 13:45 - 15:30: Afternoon Club
• 16:00 - 17:45: Afternoon Activities
• 18:00 - 19:00: Dinner
• 19:30 - 21:30: Evening Socials

-Students arriving on days other than the official arrival days may request a school transfer through our office at a cost of 300 CHF per person (from Geneva Airport).

-Application Fee 1500 CHF

-Pocket Money(Refundable) 500 CHF