“My 2018 ECS to Peru was the most impactful Seminar I have ever participated in. I love Spanish, so the ability to travel to a Spanish-speaking country where I could use the language was the perfect opportunity for me. It was the first time I traveled out of the country, and I would love to go back again.”Whitney Richardi '21, CSS Student Since PreK
What is the Experience-Centered Seminar (ECS)? The Experience-Centered Seminar (ECS) is a signature CSS program offering Upper School students opportunities for local, regional, national, and international offerings during Upper School (grades 9-12). This program builds further upon the Lower and Middle School programs and sets CSS students apart as they begin to transition to a dynamic life beyond CSS. Our programs are often recognized by colleges and universities for expanding our student experiences during high school when these courses are often only offered at a collegiate level.
A Full Credit Course: Each March, Upper School students participate in a 3-week ECS academic credited course of study selected from a variety of course options. Samples of these offerings have been Geology of the Southwest, Journalism, and Life in Cameroon. The ECS curriculum is designed to promote immersive and engagement in an experiential setting. The result: optimized critical thinking, organized inquiry, and use of in-depth analysis as students synthesize their learning and experiences through oral and written presentations, blogs or journals, group projects, and exams.
Course Placement: Many considerations are made for students for course placement including grade level, academics, extracurricular interests, school behavior, physical demands, time commitments (i.e. Athletics), and other factors. Read our full course catalog for a list of opportunities, placement criteria, and full seminar descriptions below.
2024-25 Course Information:
- Habitat: Community Service
- Space Exploration (STEM): The Final Frontier (Houston & Colorado)
- Studio Glass: A New American Art Form (Pacific Northwest)
- Tall Ships (US Virgin Islands)
- Senegal (West Africa: Teranga)
Full 2024 Course Catalog (Download)
Explore our student Blog posts for 2023-24 ECS courses:
ECS Scholarships
The Colorado Springs School is committed to making Experience-Centered Seminars accessible to families. For this reason, two scholarship programs have been established and are available for eligible students. For more information, please contact the Experiential Education & Auxiliary Programs Coordinator.
Meet the Experiential Education & Auxiliary Programs Coordinator
