Summit Achievement Expands Its Response to COVID-19
In late summer Summit Achievement began weekly COVID-19 testing for staff and new students to mitigate the risk of illness spreading in its therapeutic wilderness program. Summit Achievement did this by joining forces with the Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts to provide PCR COVID-19 testing. Each Tuesday all returning Field staff, and a sampling of day staff in each department are tested for COVID-19. Summit Achievement and Summit Traverse also require that all admitting and returning students have a negative PCR COVID-19 test result within 72 hours of enrollment or when returning from a visit.
In addition, any newly enrolled student, or a student returning from a visit is retested. Summit Achievement receives the test results on Thursday morning before students head out on weekly wilderness therapy expeditions. Summit Achievement started weekly testing due to increasing cases of COVID-19 in the United States.
Summit Achievement also limits enrollment for fall in order to be mindful of the potential need to quarantine on campus. Summit Achievement requires that all staff and students wear masks unless they are further than 10 feet apart in the wilderness or on campus. In addition, Summit Achievement recently added individual plexiglass barriers in the dining area. To learn more about what Summit Achievement is doing to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transition, please visit https://www.summitachievement.com/2897-2/ .
About Summit Achievement
Summit Achievement is, and always has been, guided by positive reinforcement and the power of choice. Our outcome-focused program employs effective therapeutic and educational principles. Through the process of engaging therapy, classroom academics and exciting wilderness expeditions, students experience the therapeutic benefits of outdoor adventure-based activities while learning to manage the demands of a more traditional environment. As an intentionally small, owner-operated wilderness therapy program, we serve adolescent boys and girls, ages 13-20, from around the world.