AndesCentralSchool is a small public school that thinks big. Capitalizing on the power of strong personal relationships, Andes provides a total school program in small, personal classroom settings. The Districts understands that learning extends beyond the four walls of a classroom. Students at Andes participate in a full slate of activities including athletics, performing band and chorus, clubs, drama, and so forth.

Travel experiences are a valued part of the Andes experience. Students in the past two years have taken trips to New York City, Boston, Toronto, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. This year’s major travel experience will find Andes students in the Dominican Republic.

The District continually seeks to engage students in unique learning opportunities. For example, a research strand including a Senior Project was added to the school’s program this fall. The Andes Media Club is producing a full- length documentary film about Shavertown, one of the villages lost to the construction of the Pepacton Reservoir. In addition, a Writing Committee assigns and monitors student progress completing school-wide writing tasks.

Why does smaller work better? A study conducted by Barney M. Berlin and Robert Cienkus concluded, “…people seem to learn, to change, to grow, in situations in which they feel they have some control, some personal influence, some efficacy.” That’s Andes.