Global Progams

Blake offers for-credit global immersion opportunities to students in the Upper School. These experiences, which range from one to three weeks, include pre- and post-travel classes, homestays and/or community service, and student-led cumulative research presentations and reflections. Director of Global Programs Dion Crushshon '88 and Blake faculty lead the courses.

2024-25 Blake Global Programs

East Asian Culture in Chinatown, Vancouver, Canada • Oct. 16-21

Explore the endurance of Canada’s largest Chinatown and the resilience of the Chinese Canadian community. Highlights include: conversations with Chinese students at the University of British Columbia; learning about traditional Chinese calligraphy and Shaolin martial arts; visiting the International Buddhist Temple modeled after Beijing’s Forbidden City; walking through the Butchart Garden and Japanese garden; joining the local Chinese Club for a walk in Stanley Park and; enjoying a Dim Sum and dumpling making workshop.

Music Greece Tour • March 15-22

Students must be enrolled in an Upper School music ensemble. From Athens, travel to the Peloponnese region to explore Nafplio, Mycenae, Epidaurus and Corinth, and cross the spectacular Rion Antirion Bridge over the Gulf of Corinth. Stay in the seaside town of Itea. Visit Delphi, once home to the mysterious Oracle of Delphi, considered in ancient times to be the center of the world. Return to Athens to visit the Acropolis, Parthenon and ancient Plaka neighborhood. Conclude with a cruise to the Saronic islands.

Arts, Politics & Culture in Cuba • June 15-July 5

Experience the lively wonder that is Cuba through community engagement. Students will explore Havana and travel the countryside. Highlights include: learning about the challenging and contentious historical relationship between the U.S. and Cuba, with a visit to the U.S. Embassy; interacting with artists and musicians for dance and drum lessons; volunteering alongside Cuban teens in a local community; enjoying the richness of a culture that blends Spanish, Afro-Caribbean and Indigenous influences through food, music and arts; discovering how climate change and rising temperatures are impacting the island’s communities and natural resources and; visiting museums, theaters, art galleries and schools.

Class Dates: June 9-13 and July 7-11
Travel dates: June 15-July 5

Climate Solutions and Sustainability in Iceland and Amsterdam • June 15-July 5

Students will study climate solutions, climate justice and sustainability in Iceland and learn about technological initiatives in Amsterdam, the world’s “greenest” city. Highlights include: visiting Thingvellir Park, a site of historical, cultural and geological significance, where two of earth’s tectonic plates meet and diverge; viewing awe-inspiring waterfalls and hiking a massive glacier; experiencing a city where biking and public transportation are prioritized; examining the Netherlands’ history of colonization and meeting immigrant communities to learn about their history; visiting the Rijksmuseum and the Anne Frank House and; traveling to Rotterdam to learn about the shipping industry, water management and green innovations.

Class Dates: June 9-13 and July 7-11
Travel dates: June 15-July 5

I created relationships with the others on the trip that I wouldn’t have made otherwise. Whether it was through sharing music on bus rides, trying new foods together, or discussing with each other after moving experiences, we quickly bonded as a group. Being in such historical locations helped the information we learned feel more relevant and resonate. Blake Junior

As an aspiring nuclear engineer, I have always been passionate about tackling climate change through engineering solutions and public advocacy. Seeing a country adapt and build upon geothermal energy is only something you can experience by traveling to Iceland, as it is impossible for most places in the world to efficiently utilize volcanic energy. These experiences open up a world of opportunity and creative thinking, and they allow us to explore things we may never thought to be possible here in Minneapolis.Blake Senior

Study Away

Semester- and year-long international study takes students to countries as diverse as Switzerland, China, France, Italy, Spain, Vietnam and Japan. Study-away programs include the School for Ethics and Global Leadership in Washington, D.C., High Mountain Institute in Colorado, the Alzar School in Idaho and Patagonia or School Year Abroad in France, China, Italy and Spain.

I'd never been abroad before, let alone abroad without parents, and aside from a great experience, this trip gave me newfound confidence in my independence. Furthermore, I grew so passionate about the subjects we studied that I am now planning on pursuing food systems sustainability and global health in my post-graduate education.Blake Senior

Global Online Academy

Blake is part of Global Online Academy, a consortium of schools that connects students and teachers to offer rigorous courses, including Digital Journalism, Bioethics, and International Macroeconomics – to name just a few. For a complete listing, see Global Online Academy's Course Catalog.

My time in Ecuador was nothing short of a whole new experience for me, as I got to try foods I've never tried before, see amazing mountains and nature, and also learn a lot of new things along the way. As I look back, I see that this trip taught me how we, as humans, are all really the same in the end. 9th Grader

For Current Blake Parents

Trip descriptions, student blogs, registration materials, FAQs, and more can be found on the Global Programs page in the Veracross parent portal.

Student-Created Videos of Blake Global Programs

U.S. Civil Rights Trail (2023)
Iceland (2022)
Amsterdam (2022)
Costa Rica (2022)
US-Mexico Border (2019)
Rwanda (2019)
China (2018)
Vietnam (2017)
Cuba (2016 & 2017)