Academic/Enrichment
Academic Opportunities - supplemental courses
Dartmouth College Classes - Open to juniors (winter/spring) and seniors (fall/winter/spring) - stop in Guidance for more information. Click here to access details. An online Program Registration Form must be filled out together with your school counselor (Ms. Hall). A Permission to Participate Agreement Form will automatically be emailed to the parent/guardian listed on the Program Registration Form. A copy of the schedule can be accessed here. To search for available courses on the Dartmouth College Web site, click here.
VLACS - Virtual Learning Academy Charter School (free for NH residents) - online course offerings.
E*Start - Through a partnership with VLACS (for NH residents), high school students can take an online class and receive dual credit for high school and college. The cost is $150.00 plus any required textbooks.
Running Start - Through a partnership with River Valley Community College, students can earn college credit for a cost of $150.00 for their coursework in Physics taught at Rivendell Academy. Click here for a video providing an overview.
Dual Enrollment - Vermont residents - Click here to learn more. Two free vouchers (click here) are available to Vermont students in the junior and/or senior year to receive college credit for a course taken on a college campus or online through one of the following Vermont Colleges: Bennington College, Burlington College, Castleton State College, Champlain College, College of St. Joseph, Community College of Vermont, Green Mountain College, Johnson State College, Lyndon State College, Marlboro College, New England Culinary Institute, Norwich University, SIT Graduate Institute, Southern Vermont College, Sterling College, Universit of Vermont, Vermont Technical College. Create a voucher account using the link above and then request a voucher for the specific course you want to take.
CCV (Community College of Vermont - Upper Valley/Wilder)
For a listing of CCV courses click here.
To access CCV online application click here.
Call (802) 295-8822 for an initial meeting. You may also need to take the Accuplacer test. If you took the ACT and your Reading and Math scores were 22 or higher and your English score was 18 or higher you will be exempt from taking the Accuplacer. Likewise, if you took the SAT and scored a 480 or higher in Reading and Writing, and a 530 or higher in Math you will not need to take the Accuplacer.
University of Vermont-For more information click here. For a listing of summer programs click here.
Dual Enrollment - New Hampshire Residents - NH Governor's STEM Scholarship allows sophomore, junior, or senior New Hampshire students to take up to two dual enrollment STEM (science, technology, engineering, or math) courses for free per academic year. Click here for more information.
EARLY COLLEGE - High school seniors can enroll full-time in an Early College Program offered at a number of institutions and receive high school credit and college credit allowing them to complete their senior year of high school and freshman year of college simultaneously. For out-of-state programs, there is a cost. Vermont residents can enroll at institutions in Vermont tuition-free. Visit www.vsc.edu for more information.
Early College at CCV (Community College of Vermont, located in Wilder, VT). Classes are tuition-free for Vermont residents and New Hampshire residents will only have to pay in-state tuition rates. For more information click here.
Goddard College Early College program can be accessed by visiting: http://www.goddard.edu/academics/early-college-program/
Vermont Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) is a competitive program offered at Vermont Technical College (VTC) that gives high school seniors the opportunity to spend their senior year living on the VTC campus as a college student and earning credit to satisfy the senior year of high school requirements for the freshman year of college. Tuition is free. The priority deadline to apply is May 1st. Click here to access. There are four programs that have a recommended earlier deadline of December 1st: Practical Nursing, Veterinary Technology, and Dental Hygiene.
Enrichment Opportunities (that have been available pre-COVID)
SPLASH at MIT - open to 9-12 grade. Spend the weekend before Thanksgiving on the MIT campus exploring a variety of classes/workshops with many hands-on activities being offered. The cost is $40 for the weekend (food and lodging are not included). To learn more, visit: https://esp.mit.edu/learn/Splash/index.html
Health Careers Exploration: MedQuest for freshmen or sophomores living in Orange County Vermont. This is a 6-day program that runs in July. The cost is $750 for the entire program. There are scholarships available. For more information and to download an application visit https://nvtahec.org/high-school-students/medquest/.
CRREL Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) - The US Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) offers juniors the opportunity for a paid summer apprenticeship with a practicing scientist or engineer. Application deadline is in February. Stop in Guidance for more information.
Security, Technology & Society High School Summer Program at Dartmouth College -
This program, for high school students, will focus on issues of security such as: cryptography, digital forensics, privacy, and security awareness. Lessons will mix in lectures with hands-on and interactive activities, augmented with field trips and guest speakers. There is no charge for this program. Applications, including a teacher recommendation, are due March 30th. For more information visit http://www.ists.dartmouth.edu/events/summercamp.html
Law & Order Cadet Training Program - sponsored by The American Legion Department. Cadet Training is held for a week at the end of June for a junior or senior, boy or girl, who is sixteen (16) years of age or older. Stop in the Guidance Office for more information. Deadline to apply is in May.
NH Cadet Academy is held for a week at the end of June at NHTI (New Hampshire Technical Institute) and the Police Academy in Concord, NH. The program is open to students ages 14 - 20. To register, visit https://www.nhpcta.org/new. Scholarships available to cover the full cost.
Advanced Studies Program (ASP) at St. Paul's School for the summer after junior year. Open to VT or NH residents. This is a rigorous academic summer program that includes college advising and co-curricular activities. For more information visit https://www.sps.edu/summer-studies/asp-overview .
The Mountain School - a semester program for juniors. The Mountain School is run by Milton Academy and is located in Vershire, VT. Students follow a rigorous academic program amidst their participation on a working farm. For more information and an application visit www.mountainschool.org. Deadline to apply is in February.
Governor's Institutes of Vermont - open to VT and NH students grades 9-12. Programs run in the summer with two weekend programs in the Winter (typically in February). Winter Weekend is a 48-hour immersion Institute packed with extreme learning and fun for all motivated 9-12th grade students. Students attending Winter Weekend will try out the intellectual exhilaration of a GIV summer Institute in which they explore, laugh, perform, build, improvise, and more. In just one weekend, students take away more skills and inspiration than they could have ever imagined possible! More info here - Winter Weekend.
New England Youth Leadership Conferences - sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) and the Military Order of World Wars (MOWW). Held on the campus of Norwich University students are grouped in teams and involved in both classes and physical challenges, including: leadership, climbing wall, leadership reaction course, our Constitution, free enterprise, effective communication, personal finance, situational leadership, cyber security, the Bill of Rights, honor & loyalty. Weekends are offered four times a year. For more information visit https://www.norwich.edu/ylc.
Green Mountain Boys State is held at Lyndon State College for a week at the end of June for junior boys living in Vermont. Students participate in a working model of town and state government including electing a state government and a Boys' State Governor with a cabinet who is sworn in. Students go to Montpelier to debate issues identified by delegates. Deadline is May 1st.
NH Boys State is held on the campus of Rivier University for a week at the end of June for junior boys living in New Hampshire. Students learn practical application of duties, responsibilities and privileges of American Citizenship through a six-day training in self-government. Deadline is June 1st
Vermont Girls State is open to junior girls interested in citizenship and Vermont's local and state government. Girls spend five days on the Vermont Technical College campus for a week in mid-June. Applications can be be found at www.vtalauxiliary.org. Deadline to apply is in March.
Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership - for sophomores. Visit www.hoby.org for more information.
GAP Year and Summer Programs - Stop in Guidance to learn more about these opportunities.
Study Abroad - scholarships sponsored through the Department of the State for U.S. high school students. These merit-based scholarships include international airfare, tuition, and program costs, as well as meals and living accommodations (often with a host family). The programs have no language prerequisites and gap year students are encouraged to apply as long as they meet the age requirements. Application deadlines vary from late October through early January. Visit https://exchanges.state.gov/ for more information and application deadlines.
Tutoring Services
Academic Support and Resource Tutoring Guide
Tutoring upper elementary school, middle school, and high school (also SAT or ACT prep available). Contact Story Smith at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (802) 558-2007.
Tutor.com - All middle school and high school students at Rivendell Academy have access to tutoring through Tutor.com, free of charge, 24 hours a day/7 days a week, compliments of VSAC (Vermont Student Assistance Corporation). For username and password, students should contact their advisor or their school counselor (Emily Cousens for middle school; Nancy Hall for high school).