ABBEY ROAD PROGRAMS - THE BLOG

Upcoming Informational Meetings!

2012-01-11T17:00:00.000-08:00

Come join us! Abbey Road Informational meetings are a wonderful opportunity to meet our directors in person, learn more about our summer programs and ask questions. Meetings are open to prospective students and their parents, as well as teachers and advisors. Here is a short list of some upcoming info meetings! RSVP is required for all meetings. Please call 1-888-462-2239 (weekdays) or 1-310-560-3312 (evenings and weekends).

• Saturday, January 14th: Los Angeles Informational Meeting
• Wednesday, January 18th: 9am at Bergen County Academies Summer Opportunities Fair
• Thursday, January 19th: AWTY School Summer Opportunities Night, Houston
• Saturday, January 21st: 1pm at Masco Camp Fair
• Saturday, January 21st: 11:30am at The Presidio Social Club, SF, CA
• Sunday, January 22nd: 12:00pm at Phillips Academy Summer Opportunities Fair

To view all of our upcoming informational meetings, check out our Info Meeting Calendar

Meet us in your area!
Schedule an informal meeting with our staff in your neighborhood. We will tell you more about our programs and answer all of your questions. With staff members all across the United States, we can accommodate many locations. To schedule a meeting in your area, please email info@goabbeyroad.com

Florence, Greece and Vienna named Must-See Destinations for 2012

2012-01-11T16:33:00.000-08:00

Both the New York Times and National Geographic Traveler Magazine agree: Greece, Florence, Italy and Vienna, Austria are among the world's must-see travel destinations for 2012 and Abbey Road has two summer programs that will take you to the heart of these celebrated destinations.

On our Western Civilization program, students spend 6 nights each in Athens, Rome, Florence and Paris. Tracing the origins of Western history through the mystic ruins of ancient Athens and towering monuments of Rome, students discover bustling markets and breathtaking views set to the backdrop of some of Europe’s most treasured historic sites. During guided visits to Florence and Paris’ most celebrated museums, the group is exposed to artistic treasures of the Renaissance, Baroque and Impressionist movements.

For an exceptional travel adventure to the crossroads of Eastern and Western European history, Abbey Road’s Modern Civilization program is not to be missed. Journey to Berlin, Prague and Vienna to experience firsthand the impact of the First and Second World Wars on modern European society and culture.

Under the leadership of Managing Director Dr. Arthur Kian (PhD Stanford University in International Relations and International Security), Abbey Road Programs is unparalleled in its commitment to student safety abroad. Visit us online to learn more about Abbey Road’s approach to student safety.

The 2011 Alumni Reunion!!

2011-11-15T16:22:00.000-08:00

Abbey Road’s summer staff and faculty cordially invite all 2011 Alumni to attend this year’s holiday Alumni Reunion event December 3rd, 2011 hosted at The Pond at Bryant Park in New York. Enjoy the gorgeous view and tasty food and refreshments from inside our private party room as you catch up with all your summer friends and staff. VIP entrance and ice skates will be provided to everyone attending. Your RSVP is required so please call 1-888-462-2239 or e-mail info@goabbeyroad.com to confirm your attendance. RSVPs must be received by November 22nd to allow adequate time for party planning. We look forward to seeing you at Bryant Park for what is sure to be a fun-filled evening in NYC!

Reunion details:

Date: Saturday, December 3rd, 2011 Time: 4:00pm – 6:00pm

Location: The Pond at Bryant Park, 41 West 40th Street, New York, NY 10018, (212) 661-6640

For more information and a preview of the venue visit: www.bryantpark.org/things-to-do/pond.html

Upcoming Informational Meetings!

2011-11-15T14:43:00.000-08:00

Come join us! Abbey Road Informational meetings are a wonderful opportunity to meet our directors in person, learn more about our summer programs and ask questions. Meetings are open to prospective students and their parents, as well as teachers and advisors. Here is a short list of some upcoming info meetings! RSVP is required for all meetings. Please call 1-888-462-2239 (weekdays) or 1-310-560-3312 (evenings and weekends). To schedule a meeting in your area, please email info@goabbeyroad.com

Dallas, TX: November 16th

San Antonio, TX: November 17th

New York, NY: November 19th

Houston, TX: November 19th

Boston, MA: November 22nd

Los Angeles, CA: December 10th

2011 Alumni Photo Contest Winners!

2011-10-24T13:17:00.000-07:00

A huge THANK YOU to all of the students who participated in this year's Abbey Road Alumni Photo Contest! There were so many amazing photographs submitted from this past summer! Congratulations to our winners and a big thanks to everyone who voted for their favorite finalists! The votes have been tallied and this year's photo contest winners are....

BEST SCENIC/ARTISTIC

Submitted by: Daniela M.
Florence

BEST CANDID

Submitted by: Elyse T.
Aix-en-Provence

BEST GROUP SHOT

Submitted by: Karina L.
St. Laurent-du-Var

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Submitted by: Thomas B.
Aix-en-Provence

The Polls are closed!

2011-10-13T14:44:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! The polls for this year's Abbey Road Alumni photo contest have officially closed. A big thank you to everyone who voted! This year saw the closest race in contest history! Now the Abbey Road staff will tally the votes and the winners of this year's contest will be announced right here on the Abbey Road Blog Monday, October 24th. Once again a huge thanks to all who participated!

Rock the vote! Make your choice count!

2011-10-06T16:11:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Abbey Road Summer Alumni Photo Contest has come to an end. This year we received nearly 600 submissions! After careful review we have selected five finalists for each category. Now it is your turn to the rock the vote and select a winner. To cast your vote, simply look to the right and click on the name and number of the photo in each category that you think should win! It's that easy! The polls will be open for 1 week and will officially close on Thursday October 13th at 3pm. So don’t delay and make sure to be heard! A huge thank you to all who participated and good luck to our finalists!

Best Scenic/Artistic Shot

1. Eiffel Tower

2. Seaside Cathedral

3. Lovers Locks

4. Mirror Image

5. Rooftop

Best Candid Shot

1. Bust a move

2. Gettin' a drink

3. Blowin' bubbles

4. What's so funny?

5. Playground fun

Best Group Shot

1. Visit to Musee Picasso

2. Chillin' at the park

3. Cool breeze

4. Fountain fun

5. Harry Potter!

Experiential Learning

1. Street Music

2. Lecture on the steps

3. Shopping at the market

4. Old world learning

5. Fashion class

Program Updates

2011-07-16T10:23:00.000-07:00

Just a quick overview of the amazing experiences our groups have been having!!!

The Aix group has been having a blast practicing their French at the market and on the beach, and have been immersing themselves in French culture at Les Rencontres D'Arles Photography Festival and the Vasarely Foundation Museum.

The Barcelona group explored Girona, a preserved Medeivil city, and have watched some Spanish films.

The Cadiz group has been enjoying the beach, the local cuisine, and a national park where they went surfing and kayaking! They also volunteered their time to help with a beach clean-up.

The Firenze group has been soaking in the beautiful weather, spending time doing outdoor activities like frisbee, biking, and volleyball. They've also had some great cultural opportunities like visiting il Museo di Bargello where chamber music played while they looked at art.

The Nice group has been exploring the city and surrounding cities, taking dance lessons, snorkeling, and other fun activities. They even got to see fireworks on Bastille Day!

The St. Laurent-Du-Var group has visited a modern art museum, gone shopping in Cannes, gone kayaking, and has been exploring the surrounding region.

The Western Civ group has started out in Athens where they could enjoy the ancient Greek ruins, great Greek food, and eplore the region and learn about its incredible history.

The programs have been off to a fantastic start! Keep coming back to the blog for more updates and check out the Abbey Road Programs facebook page!

2011 PROGRAM BLOGS READY TO ROLL!

2011-05-18T14:14:00.000-07:00

Our fresh batch of program blogs just sprouted up right in time for summer! The blogs won't really become active until the programs all start next month so stay tuned for all of the exciting news from each of our programs! Much, much more to come! We are shaking with excitement and can hardly sit still waiting for the programs to begin! We're all greatly looking forward to another amazing summer with Abbey Road and watching all of our diligent planning come to glorious fruition. When the time is right, check out what's happening on our programs by following the links below! Also, we'll have a number of student ambassador blogs documenting their experiences while on their respective programs, so stay tuned for information on those as well! We'll post those links very soon! Be excited, be very excited.

SUMMER IS SO CLOSE!!!

2011-05-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

ABBEY ROAD ON FOX'S MONEY 101!

2011-05-11T09:53:00.000-07:00

Abbey Road's Student Relations Manager, Western Civilization staff member, and Summer Programs Manager extraordinaire, Emily Tzouanakis, was recently interviewed by Emily Driscoll for a piece for Fox Business! The article entitled, "Dip Your Toes Into Campus Life Through a Summer Program", discusses the benefits of a summer program experience, be it studying abroad on one of our European programs or a domestic program such as our Leadership Academy at Stanford or College Prep in Boston. Pretty sure we might get in trouble if we paste the article here on the blog, given the "This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. © 2011 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved" on the Fox site, so we'll just post a link below for you to follow to the article. Certainly don't want Bill O'Reilly knocking on our door with a cease and desist order! Enjoy!

Read the article HERE!

THREE MEMBERS OF FLORENCE ART STAFF IN GROUP EXHIBITION IN TEXAS!

2011-04-21T13:43:00.000-07:00

Abbey Road isn't just something that brings our fabulous staff together during the summertime! Three art instructors on our Florence summer program are participating in the same group exhibition in Dallas, Texas. William Binnie, Lindsay Mapes, and Antonio Puleo- all painters of very different styles and living in different parts of the world- will each have paintings of theirs on display in the exhibit entitled Play Dead: 23 Artists on Death & Dying. Don't let the grim theme distract you though- all three of them are just about as cheery a bunch as you can find anywhere! William, who teaches the drawing major alongside fellow artist Lindsay every summer, also curated the show which is set to open on May 7th. The show includes over twenty artists from Los Angeles, New York City, London, Massachusetts and Texas.

Here at Abbey Road, our staff aren't merely hobbyists; each and every one of our art instructors are accomplished practicing studio artists who have had their work collected and displayed all over the world. They are able to bring their passion that they employ the other 11 months of the year to Florence where they can share their love of art with students eager to immerse themselves into the art world, from pre-Roman architecture to cutting-edge contemporary. And that notion is certainly not restricted to the arts by any means: all of our staff, regardless of the area of specialty, are experts in their respective fields, which is why Abbey Road loves them and they love Abbey Road.

William is a painter currently living and working in Dallas. He studied art and art history at the Claremont Colleges, graduating in 2008. Willie recently had work shown at Art Los Angeles Contemporary and will have work on display at the Whitney Museum of American Art's 2011 Art Party in late May. He has shown works in New York, Los Angeles, and Texas. This will be his third summer with Abbey Road teaching drawing with Lindsay as well as the Tuscan Cuisine elective.

Lindsay Mapes received her BFA from San Francisco Art Institute and a Post-Bacc. Degree from SACI in Florence, Italy. She completed her MFA at the Slade School of Fine Art - University College London- this past year and is currently living and working as an artist in London. This will be Lindsay's fifth summer teaching both the drawing major and the drawing elective on the Florence program.

Antonio Puleo, an Abbey Road veteran of more than 6 years, teaches oil painting in Florence every summer. Antonio received his BFA from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and went on to complete his MFA at UCLA. He currently lives and works in Los Angeles where he creates wall-sized paintings and sculptural installations.

Abbey Road is thrilled to see summer staff members work together throughout the year. They are all very excited about another summer in Florence with Abbey Road!

NEW SPORTS ELECTIVE IN FRANCE + ITALY!

2011-03-22T12:56:00.000-07:00

We're thrilled to announce our new Sports + Games elective which we have just added in France and Italy! Study abroad and enjoy soccer, tennis, sailing, swimming, kayaking, cycling, volleyball and more every week in Nice, St-Laurent, Aix and Florence!

FLORENCE: OSA Soccer Academy (Elective)
Train like a real Italian pro-athlete! During this exciting tri-weekly soccer elective students will be exposed to the training techniques and soccer style of the acclaimed OSA Soccer Academy and Florence’s own ACF Fiorentina professional soccer club. Each week, accredited OSA coaches will work directly with students to enhance their skills and training techniques through group and individual practice, drills and scrimmages. Students will also have the unique opportunity to tour the Coverciano complex, home to the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), visit its museum as well as tour the ACF Fiorentina stadium. Participants of the course will receive an official training kit of socks, shorts and shirt along with an official diploma upon completion. Students must bring their own soccer, running shoes and shin guards. Previous knowledge of soccer encouraged.

AIX-EN-PROVENCE: Sports and Games (Elective)
During this exciting exploration of the sports, games and leisure activities enjoyed by French teenagers throughout Provence, students will be exposed to the local culture of Aix from a thrilling new perspective. Each week, classes alternate between cultural sports and/or games native to Southern France such as pétanque, tarot and belote, and 2-3 internationally enjoyed sports such as volley ball, soccer, swimming, tennis, bicycling, and squash. In addition to being a great way to stay physically active this summer, this elective provides exciting opportunities for cultural and language exchange with local French teenagers who will often join us in our play. Qualified instruction and equipment (with the exception of running shoes and cleats) are provided to all participants. No previous athletic experience is required.

NICE & ST-LAURENT-DU-VAR: Riviera Sports and Games (Elective)
Experience local French culture from a thrilling new perspective as you participate in the sports and leisure activities enjoyed by French teenagers throughout the sunny Côte d’azur! Each week, classes alternate between cultural sports and/or games native to Southern France such as pétanque, tarot and belote, and 2-3 internationally enjoyed sports including beach volley ball, soccer, kayaking, sailing, tennis, catamaran, squash, the martial arts, and wind surfing. In addition to being a great way to stay physically active this summer, this elective provides exciting opportunities for cultural and language exchange with local French teenagers who will often join us in our play. Qualified instruction and equipment (with the exception of running shoes and cleats) are provided to all participants. No previous athletic experience is required.

MEET US IN YOUR TOWN! 2011 INFO MEETINGS!

2011-03-22T12:33:00.000-07:00

Abbey Road informational meetings are a wonderful opportunity to meet our directors in person, learn more about our summer programs and ask questions. Meetings are open to prospective students and their parents, as well as teachers and advisors. Here is a short list of some upcoming info meetings! More to come! RSVP is required for all meetings. Please call 1-888-462-2239 (weekdays) or 1-310-560-3312 (evenings and weekends). To schedule a meeting in your area, please email info@goabbeyroad.com

Boston, MA: April 2
Dallas, TX: April 2
New York, NY: March 26, April 9
San Francisco, CA: April 9

HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY ABBEY ROADERS!

2011-03-17T11:57:00.000-07:00

Lads & Lassies, here's a wee grip 'o our favorite St. Patrick's Day comics!

Our personal favorite! Click to enlarge!

©Mark Parisi

TO THE LONE STAR AND BACK AGAIN!

2011-03-08T13:51:00.000-08:00

Howdy Y'all! Abbey Road just got finished trekking all throughout the great big State of Texas and boy, oh, boy did we have a blast! It was a real treat meeting all of the fine folks of the Lone Star State and spreading the good word about Abbey Road to every soul who would lend us an ear. We did the grand triangle tour, starting in Dallas, heading down to Houston, out west to Austin, and back up through the hill country to Big D once again. We met a whole bunch of wonderful people and sampled plenty of regional fare ranging from country fried steaks, to brisket tacos, to chile rellenos for breakfast! We covered a lot of ground and had a grand ol' time. Thank you to everyone we came across along the journey! We'll see you next year, Texas! Until then, ciao ciao!

MEET US IN YOUR NECK O' THE WOODS!

2011-01-12T12:24:00.000-08:00

EARLY 2011 INFO MEETINGS!

You're invited! Abbey Road informational meetings are a wonderful opportunity to meet our directors in person, learn more about our summer programs and ask questions in a casual and relaxed setting. Meetings are open to prospective students and their parents, as well as teachers and advisors. Come join us!

Atlanta, GA: Jan 27
Boston, MA: Jan 29
Chicago, IL: Jan 15
Los Angeles, CA: Jan 22, Feb 12
Miami, FL: Jan 16
New York, NY: Jan 22, Jan 29, Feb 5, Feb 12, Feb 26
San Francisco, CA: Jan 15, Feb 5

Abbey Road will also be embarking on our second annual Tour de Texas very soon! We had a grand 'ol time last year and can't wait to get back and visit with all of the kind folks in the Lone Star State! Dates and locations coming soon!

MEET US IN MANHATTAN!

Abbey Road hosts regular weekend info brunches in The Big Apple. All interested families are encouraged to attend to learn more about our summer programs and have their questions answered. See upcoming dates listed above.

MEET US IN YOUR AREA!

Schedule an informal meeting with our staff in your neighborhood. We will tell you more about our programs and answer all of your questions. With staff members all across the United States, we can accommodate many locations.
RSVP is required for all meetings. Please call 1-888-462-2239. To schedule a meeting in your area, please email info@goabbeyroad.com

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL!

2011-01-12T12:02:00.000-08:00

THE ABBEY ROAD NEW YEAR PROMOTION!

In celebration of the New Year and in anticipation of a fantastic summer, Abbey Road is offering a very special promotion to all families that enroll on an Abbey Road Summer Program by February 15th, 2011. Sign up by February 15th and you qualify for one of the following flight options:

• Students traveling from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Miami and Boston qualify for a free domestic flight booked through Abbey Road and STA travel!

• Students traveling from non-major airports will receive an automatic $300 credit good towards any program tuition to help get them across the U.S!

Call us at 1-888-462-2239 or chat with us online at www.goabbeyroad.com!

Abbey Road is proud to offer special annual discounts and promotions to prospective and currently enrolled students and their families, as well as to our fabulous Alumni. Be sure to check out the Program Scholarships page for more details!

*Restrictions apply. Student must be fully enrolled with at least half of their program tuition paid prior to flight booking.

MMXI!

2011-01-03T09:45:00.000-08:00

(I promise this will be my last cheesy holiday post...until Valentine's Day)

'TIS THE SEASON!

2010-12-09T16:42:00.000-08:00

A BIG OL' ABBEY ROAD THANK YA!

2010-12-09T16:36:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much to everyone who made the first annual Abbey Road Alumni Reunion an event to remember! We had such a blast and loved seeing everyone! Happy Holidays! Summer is just around the corner, kinda!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

2010-11-19T00:13:00.000-08:00

Remember, remember the 4th of December... for it shall be a day full of ice-skating, pizza, friends, and fun! The Official Abbey Road 2010 Alumni Reunion Event will kick off at 3:30pm at The Pond at Bryant Park and we really, really hope that you can join us!
Abbey Road’s summer staff and faculty cordially invite you to join us for ice skating and refreshments, where you can mingle with all your summer friends and staff in our private party room! After skating in Bryant Park, we will host a sit-down pizza dinner! This is a private event hosted by Abbey Road so make sure you R.S.V.P by calling 1-888-462-2239 or email info@goabbeyroad.com to confirm your attendance! Please indicate how many people will be coming from your family. R.S.V.P's must be received by November 22nd to allow adequate time for party planning.

Saturday, December 4th, 2010
The Pond at Bryant Park
41 West 40th Street, New York, NY 10018, (212) 661-6640
3:30pm - 5:30pm - Ice Skating in Bryant Park!
6:00pm - 7:30pm - Sit-down Pizza Dinner!

Students may participate in both events or R.S.V.P for Bryant Park exclusively. For more information and a preview of the venue visit: http://www.thepondatbryantpark.com/

ALSO...as if this event isn't exciting enough...the Official Winners of the 2010 Alumni Photo Contest will be announced at the Alumni Reunion along with prizes! We hope to see you all there! Can't wait! Cheers!

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS WORKSHOPS IN NYC!

2010-11-18T23:31:00.000-08:00

Lead by Harvard graduate and professional College Counselor Patricia Monticello Kievlan, Abbey Road’s intensive College Admissions Prep Workshops are designed to help sophomores and juniors jump start the common application process and prepare seniors for important on-campus interviews. Generally exclusive to Abbey Road College Prep Alumni, this December 4th and 5th Abbey Road welcomes anyone interested in perfecting their college applications to take advantage of these exciting free events. RSVP is required. Interested families are encouraged to call Abbey Road immediately to inquire as to workshop availability.

Tell Me About Yourself: Cracking The College Interview
Date: Saturday December 4th, 2010
Time: 12:00 – 2:00pm
Location: Midtown Manhattan (address furnished upon RSVP)
Workshop Description: Most selective colleges require an interview in addition to the application, and it's important to prepare thoroughly and thoughtfully for this final dimension of the admissions process. Students in this course will discuss the purpose and spirit of the college interview and how to prepare for a successful conversation. In particular, this seminar will focus on how students can turn significant life experiences into engaging anecdotes that illustrate broader points about their character, their goals, and their aspirations. This seminar will feature mock interviews and extensive in-class participation.

The College Essay: How Do I Tell My Story?
Date: Sunday December 5th, 2010
Time: 12:00-2:00pm
Location: Midtown Manhattan (address furnished upon RSVP)
Workshop Description: The Common Application asks students to evaluate a significant experience, risk they've taken, or challenge they've faced and its impact on their lives. This seminar will help students approach the college essay and discover how to translate significant life experiences into strong essays that resonate with admissions officers. Students will discuss best practices for turning their experiences into thoughtful, memorable, high-impact essays that will contribute a meaningful dimension to their college applications. This course is suitable for sophomores and juniors with college still on the horizon, and it is even better suited to seniors in the throes of the college admission process. During this lecture style course, College interview questions will also be discussed in depth.

2010 ALUMNI REUNION EVENT IN NYC!

2010-11-18T09:04:00.000-08:00

Details forthcoming! Can't Wait!

ROCK THE VOTE! THE CHOICE IS YOURS!

2010-10-30T17:53:00.000-07:00

The end is nigh!... the end of the 2010 Abbey Road Summer Alumni Photo Contest, that is! After receiving well over 200 submissions from our incredibly talented 2010 alums, we have managed to narrow down all of the photos to a very select twenty, with five images in each of the four categories. Needless to say, this was a very difficult process- to start with so many amazing photos and boil it all down to this final round. Now that we have made it this far in the contest, we turn to you to decide the winners of each category! Who will pluck from the plethora of prizes and harvest the grains of glory? The choice is yours! To cast your vote, simply look to the right and click on the name + number of the photo in each category that you think should win! It's that easy! We know making a selection in each category can be a very difficult process but the polls are only open for 10 days! The polls will officially close on Tuesday, November 9th, so spread the word and rock the vote! Good luck and thank you so much to all of the students who submitted their amazing photographs from this past summer!

BEST ACTION/CANDID SHOT:

1. Sunny Streets

2. Piggyback

3. Sunset Stroll

4. Hulkmania

5. The Pisa Hop

BEST GROUP SHOT:

1. Paris Gals

2. Future's Too Bright - Girls in Shades

3. Kickin' it at the Acropolis

4. Urbanites, Preparing

5. Camouflage

BEST SCENIC SHOT:

1. Monaco Panorama

2. Sepia Paris

3. French Seascape

4. Cinque Terre

5. French Port

BEST IN SHOW:

1. Probably the Cutest Block Ever

2. AIX 4 EVA!

3. French Night Light

4. Heart Cloud

5. Firenze Afternoon

2010 ALUMNI PHOTO CONTEST IS ON!!!

2010-10-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

Hey there Abbey Road Alumni! This year's fall photo contest is in full swing, so take a break from the books and enjoy reliving this summer's most memorable moments! Upload your photos to the 2010 Summer Photo Contest Event Album to be considered for the chance to win awesome prizes including... 100$ gift certificates to Amazon, Apple and others, iPod shuffles, Abbey Road Gear and much much more! Visit the new and improved Abbey Road Alumni Webpage to see a preview of this year's contest front-runners and take a peek at last year's finalists: http://www.goabbeyroad.com/abbey-road-summer-programs/alumni.shtml

We know you are super excited, and so are we! So, you eager beavers, HERE IS HOW TO PARTICIPATE:

Visit the Abbey Road Facebook Fan page and click the link on the wall to get to the 2010 Alumni Photo Contest. Or you can go directly to the event page by clicking HERE. Upload your fabulous photos directly to the event fall wall no later than Monday, October 18th. Once everyone’s photos have been uploaded, the Abbey Road Summer Staff will go through and narrow down the competition. Then, you and your fellow Abbey Roaders will get to Rock the Vote on the Abbey Road Blog! Vote for your favorite pics from among the finalists and decide this year’s winners! Previous winning photos were mailed a slew of prizes,and made appearances on the Abbey Road website, blog, and even in the Abbey Road Brochure!

HERE IS HOW TO GET STARTED:

Look back over those hundreds of photos you probably took this summer. As you relish in all the amazing memories they recall, pull out your favorite images keeping in mind the following 5 categories:

Scenic/Artistic- Scenic photos taken from your amazing daytrips, photos from around town or even artistic photos assigned to you in class.

Candid Photos- Photos of you and your friends in action in and around the city. Award-winning candids can be anything from laughing over a gelato to shouting out over a bad World Cup call. Candids capture life’s spontaneous moments and are a great way to share the magic of daily life with Abbey Road.

Group Shots- Standard pictures of you and your friends- may the best “mug” win!

Experiential Learning- Abbey Road defines itself through its experiential learning process- getting you out of a standard classroom environment and into the larger community. Think about all of the incredible things you learned this summer- if you can find a picture of it, we want to see it!

Remember, photos may be uploaded until October 18th, so don’t delay, upload today!

If you have any questions about contest rules please contact Emily@goabbeyroad.com

JOIN US FOR WEEKEND BRUNCH THIS FALL!

2010-09-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

Abbey Road hosts frequent weekend brunches throughout the country as a way for fine folks to learn about our 2011 summer enrichment programs in a relaxed and intimate setting. We will be hosting a series of weekend brunches and afternoon tea information sessions in cities all over these fine states so be sure to check the website (www.goabbeyroad.com) , email us (info@goabbeyroad.com), or give us a ring (888 462 2239) to see when we'll be swinging through your city! This weekend (September 25th) we will be hosting brunch in Houston and afternoon tea in Los Angeles and next weekend (October 2nd) we'll be in Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco! We can't wait to meet everyone and chat about our amazing summer programs over coffee, tea and fresh pastries! We will post all future information sessions on this here blog to help spread the word.

THE OFFICIAL ABBEY ROAD 2010 SUMMER PHOTO CONTEST!!!

2010-09-20T11:23:00.000-07:00

THE OFFICIAL ABBEY ROAD 2K10 SUMMER PHOTO CONTEST (ARSPC2K10) is coming up super soon so get those pictures ready! Here at Abbey Road, we know that it is quite literally impossible for our students to emerge from an Abbey Road Summer Abroad Program without a proverbial arsenal of incredible photographs documenting their summer experience! It would be a crying shame to keep those masterpieces hidden away in the darkest, cob-webbed crevices of your hard drive and not share some of your choice shots with the world. But what could be better than sharing your fantastic photos for all to admire? Being rewarded for your artistic talents by sharing your fantastic photos for all to admire. Enter ARSPC2K10. Across several categories, winners shall be showered with praise and awesome prizes such as gift cards to Apple, Amazon, etc. More information coming very soon!

ONLY NINE MONTHS 'TIL SUMMER!

2010-09-20T10:59:00.000-07:00

We hope that everyone is transitioning from a wonderful summer into a wonderful fall semester! While we miss all of our students dearly and are jumping out of our socks waiting for next summer's programs to begin, we are as busy as little bumble bees laying the groundwork for 2011! So while you're hitting the books this semester, we too will be hard at work preparing for next year and looking for ways to make our programs even better! Work hard and kick this year in the butt! Thanks again to everyone who participated in our 2010 programs and made it a summer for the history books! We absolutely love what we do and couldn't do it without you! We hope that you are enjoying being back in school, seeing your friends, and bragging non-stop about your extraordinary summer experience with Abbey Road!

THANKS FOR MAKING THIS SUMMER RADICALLY RAD!!!

2010-09-09T14:27:00.000-07:00

As the summer comes to a triumphant close and slips pleasantly into autumn, let us all glance back on yet another glorious season of Abbey Road Programs. This year we saw a whopping 30% increase in our student body and each program was packed to the brim with an amazing and diverse body of students from all over the planet, eager to learn about, experience, and be fully immersed into cultures other than their own. To all the students, parents, and staff involved in this past summer, we humbly and enthusiastically thank you for making this summer extraordinary and unlike any other. We would also like to give a special shout-out to everyone involved in our newest program, our College Prep program, which proved to be a positively rip-roaring success.

Students of 2010, we know that it is virtually impossible that you made it through your summer experience without snapping oodles of phenomenal photos. Every year, we hold a photo contest across a set of several categories with awesome prizes ranging from $100-$50 gift cards to Amazon, iTunes, etc. More info to come shortly but keep it in mind! We will have plenty of our own photos up on this here blog ASAP! Stayed tuned for all the goodness that was summer 2010! And, again...

NEW SITE LAUNCHED!

2010-06-23T11:44:00.000-07:00

Check out the brand spankin' new ABBEY ROAD SITE!

So fresh and so clean.

SUMMER IS IN SIGHT!

2010-05-18T17:22:00.001-07:00

Kick those finals butts!

GIGGLEMETER TO JUDGE SUBMISSIONS FOR A.R.C.M.S.C.2K10

2010-05-17T09:41:00.000-07:00

It is the FINAL day to submit your hilarious stories to the Abbey Road 2010 Cultural Mishaps Story Contest. Prizes await those participants whom GIGGLEMETER deems to be the winners. GIGGLEMETER bases it's judgment on a complex algorithm which factors in originality, storytelling ability, and overall comedic value. Thank you to everyone who has submitted! We are LOVING what we've read so far. Winners shall be notified shortly!

UPDATE: DEADLINE EXTENSION FOR THE 2010 CULTURAL MISHAPS STORY CONTEST!

2010-04-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

The rumors are true! There is still time to submit your funny stories to us for a chance to win some fabulous prizes! The deadline has officially been extended to MONDAY, MAY 17th at which point the stories will be rounded up, judged, and winners will be chosen. Details as follows:

We've all had that "stranger in a strange land" feeling while traveling. Maybe you used exactly the wrong vocabulary word in Paris and told your waiter, "Thank you; nice butt," instead of "Thank you very much." Maybe after several days in Spain and several attempts at ordering a veggie salad you realized that every single one of them features tuna fish as a standard ingredient, ugh. Maybe those white Capri pants you bought in Florence aren’t quite what the guys in Minnesota are wearing this Spring. We're sure you have a story. Share it with us, and you could win one of several prizes including Apple products, your choice of gift cards, and Abbey Road alumni gear! Please send your story (maximum 500 words) to INFO@GOABBEYROAD.COM no later than MONDAY, MAY 17th to be considered. We look forward to laughing WITH you (not at you). Winning stories will be published on Abbey Road’s website and here on the blog in conjunction with our upcoming redesigned website launch!

SAME AMAZING BLOG, FAB NEW LOOK!

2010-04-21T18:07:00.000-07:00

In the words of the very wise Jack Donaghy (the character played by Alec Baldwin on NBC's 30 Rock), "Sometimes you have to change things that are perfectly good just to make them your own." So, before you have a nervous breakdown or panic attack, worried sick that the incredible Abbey Road blog has suddenly taken a drastic turn in light of its brand new look, rest assured that it is the same wonderful blog but we just felt like it was time to shake things up a bit. Think of it like facial reconstructive surgery: the outer shell may look shockingly different but underneath the skin is the same fabulous person. Worry not, friends! We're shaking up the Twitter page too but rolling with the same scheme as this here blog. Solidarity is the name of the game. Anywho, just wanted to explain the new look and assure you that the content of the Abbey Road blog will continue being nothing short of amazing and will, in fact, only get better! I hope all you Abbey Roaders are doing just swell! Summer is almost here!

FINAL WEEKEND TO SUBMIT YOUR FUNNY STORIES

2010-04-16T12:16:00.001-07:00

This coming Monday (the 19th) is the final deadline to submit your wacky/awkward/embarrassing/downright silly stories to by judged by GIGGLEMETER (see: previous post, below), officially bringing to a close the 2010 Abbey Road Cultural Mishaps Story Contest. Winners will receive positively drool-worthy prizes. How could you possibly want to miss out on an opportunity to win some sweet gadgetry and/or gift cards simply for telling us about a funny thing that happened on the way to the market? So while you're fondly reminiscing about your absolutely amazing summer experience with Abbey Road this weekend, why not jot it down and get rewarded for your efforts? Have a wonderful weekend Abbey Roaders! Hooray for Spring!

LESS THAN A WEEK REMAINING IN THE 2010 CULTURAL MISHAPS STORY CONTEST!

2010-04-13T09:38:00.000-07:00

This coming Monday, April 19th is the final day to submit your funny stories from your abroad experience with Abbey Road! The submissions will be judged by a panel of Abbey Road staff, herein referred to as GIGGLEMETER. Those stories which GIGGLEMETER determines to be the most comical shall win fabulous prizes as a reward for sharing their knee slapping/gut busting/rib tickling/shoe stomping/funny-bone rattling stories. There's less than a week left to submit your stories so share the wealth! We know you've got 'em! See the previous post for more info!

ABBEY ROAD SUMMER TRAVEL PROGRAMS SEND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO THE MOST POPULAR INTERNATIONAL DESTINATIONS!

2010-04-13T08:23:00.000-07:00

According to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, French, Spanish and Italian were the most popular languages to study in 2010 among high school students.
Abbey Road sends students to all three countries.
There are three programs in France: one in Nice, one in Saint-Laurent-du-Var, and one in Aix-en-Provence. In addition, the Western Civilization program visits Paris.
“I choose Abbey Road because of the different options the program offered,” said Mackenzie Selzer, who went to Nice in 2009. “Many programs were more about touring than actually living in France. With Abbey Road, I got to take a photography class, immerse myself with locals, see France and Italy, and learn to take care of myself.”
Selzer’s mother Deb Grimes agreed.
“I can’t say enough about Abbey Road; it was the best experience of Mac’s life,” said Grimes. “It gave her so much confidence, such a positive, positive experience. We want brochures and for our friends and French teachers.”
“Julie had a blast,” said Jane Weil of her daughter’s experience in Saint-Laurent-du-Var in 2009. “She made great friends. She loved the trips, the days at the beach, feeling as if she was an ordinary French girl soaking up the sun. She loved the cultural exposure.”
In Spain, Abbey Road’s program is in Cádiz.
Jillien Schenkel sent her daughter Emily on the Cádiz trip in 2009.
“She not only improved her writing, reading and comprehension of Spanish, but she was also able to immerse herself in the culture of Spain,” said Schenkel. “For this, we thank you!”
Abbey Road also has a program in Florence, Italy, and the Western Civilization program visits Florence and Rome.
“Being in Florence, with a helpful, caring staff and meeting new people has been the best experience in my life so far,” said Emily Kissenberth of her 2009 Abbey Road experience.

THE 2010 CULTURAL MISHAPS STORY CONTEST!!!

2010-03-15T09:15:00.001-07:00

We've all had that "stranger in a strange land" feeling while traveling. Maybe you used exactly the wrong vocabulary word in Paris and told your waiter, "Thank you; nice butt," instead of "Thank you very much." Maybe after several days in Spain and several attempts at ordering a veggie salad you realized that every single one of them features tuna fish as a standard ingredient, ugh. Maybe those white Capri pants you bought in Florence aren’t quite what the guys in Minnesota are wearing this Spring. We're sure you have a story. Share it with us, and you could win one of several prizes including Apple products, your choice of gift cards, and Abbey Road alumni gear! Please send your story (maximum 500 words) to INFO@GOABBEYROAD.COM no later than MONDAY, APRIL 19th to be considered. We look forward to laughing WITH you (not at you). Winning stories will be published on Abbey Road’s website and here on the blog in conjunction with our upcoming redesigned website launch!

ABBEY ROAD'S HEADIN' TO THE LONE STAR STATE

2010-02-23T12:39:00.000-08:00

Abbey Road is packing up some gear and hittin' the road for Texas. We'll be in for the long haul all around the Lone Star State next week (Feb 28-Mar 6) and spreading the good word about our programs! We'll be doing the grand loop, so to speak, and rolling through Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas-Ft. Worth and everywhere in between. When we're not chatting with the fine folk about Abbey Road's stellar programs, we'll be sure to sample some of the world-renowned regional fare and enjoy the open road. Can't wait! More details to come about our journey!
And now for some fun Texas facts!
Did you know that:

Texas is the only US state that has actually had six flags fly over it (Spanish, French, Mexican, Texan, Confederate, and United States), making it the only state in the union that can technically lay claim to the true meaning of "Six Flags", as in the chain of amusement parks that are now located all over the nation.
By Federal Law, Texas can fly its flag at the same height as the U.S. flag, because it was a republic before becoming a state.
Texas comes from a Spanish misunderstanding of the Caddo Indian word "tejas", meaning friend.
Austin, the capital of Texas, is considered to be the live music capital of the world.
The official state sport of Texas is Rodeo, although high school football is more popular.
In Texas, it's illegal to put graffiti on someone else's cow.
In Texas, it is illegal to shoot a buffalo from the second story of a hotel.
In Houston, it is illegal to sell Limburger cheese on Sunday.
Texas is as large as all of New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois combined.
You could fit 220 Rhode Islands inside Texas.
The world's largest parking lot is located at DFW Airport.
More popcorn is sold in Dallas than anywhere in the U.S.
El Paso is closer to Needles, California than it is to Dallas, Texas.

TRAVEL WITH ABBEY ROAD PREPARES STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE ACADEMICS - AND LIFE

2010-02-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

Abbey Road’s study abroad programs for high school students prepare students academically and socially for college and enhance the quality of their college applications.

Many students return from their summer travel programs with new academic interests they hope to pursue in college.
Stephanie Picozzi’s daughter Kimmy Drexler went on the multi-country Western Civilization program in 2009, traveling to Athens, Rome, Florence and Paris and reading Plato and Rousseau. “It has changed her thinking toward college, thinking maybe she'd like to major in something that could lead to international travel,” said Picozzi.
Other students find themselves more confident and prepared for the college experience of living independently and interacting with people from all walks of life after traveling with Abbey Road.
“Both of our sons spent the best times of their lives with Abbey Road overseas between their junior and senior years of high school,” said Annie Bradley, whose son Ian went on the Western Civilization program in 2009, after his brother Grant couldn’t stop raving about his 2007 Italian Civilization experience. “There is no substitute for the authentic, original, hands-on learning of history, culture and languages that they received.”
Yvonne Fedrick’s daughter Jadyn went to Florence with Abbey Road in 2009. “To be immersed in a totally different culture is an education unto itself, not to mention the art and history involved,” said Fedrick. “To listen to her conversations with others has opened my eyes to the intellectual, stimulating young women she has become because of the experience she acquired in Italy on the Abbey Road program.”

THE 2010 ALUMNI REUNION PARTY POLL RESULTS

2010-02-20T14:21:00.000-08:00

The people have spoken. The polls are closed. In a landslide victory, Disco (Black Light) Bowling has been chosen for the 2010 Abbey Road Alumni Reunion Party! Now that the type of party and the weekend have been selected by you, we'll get to work planning this gig! Thanks to everyone who voted and helped make the decision! We're super excited for the party and hope everyone can make it! It will be a swell ol' time! Invitations and details to come!

ABBEY ROAD IS SUPER EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE...

2010-02-08T23:42:00.001-08:00

ROCK THE VOTE! Take the two-part poll to the right to decide how we do the First Annual Abbey Road Programs Alumni Reunion Party! The choice is yours! Choose what type of event setting you would prefer and when you think would work best! There's only one week to vote so spread the word! Polls close at midnight on Monday!

WINTER ENROLLMENT OFFER EXTENDED!!!

2010-02-04T23:58:00.001-08:00

The highly popular and world famous triple Benny Franklin-approved Winter Enrollment Offer has been extended! Enroll by February 28, 2010 and receive $300 off the summer 2010 program of your choice! But act swiftly because time is slippin' away and cute little February will be gone before we know it!

ABBEY ROAD STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCE ENHANCES COLLEGE APPLICATIONS

2010-02-01T13:13:00.000-08:00

College applications. The two-word phrase is enough to strike fear into the heart of even the most confident high school student.

Students applying to college today are more prepared than ever before, making the already stressful process even more competitive.
However, many students find their college applications benefit from their summer study abroad experiences with Abbey Road.
“My daughter has approached her senior year and college visits with a lot more confidence and anticipation of the enriching experiences that await her, having lived one just this summer,” said Kathy Hopkins, whose daughter Allison went to Saint-Laurent-du-Var, France with Abbey Road in 2009. “In her college essay, she even talked about how she changed as a result of her Abbey Road experience.”
Jacquie Moore’s son Michael went to Cádiz in 2009, and Moore credits Abbey Road with helping Michael get accepted at top schools.
“Above and beyond the language immersion, my son gained much in the appreciation of the culture and came home with a fabulously enhanced world view,” said Moore. “Mike has been accepted into one of the colleges he applied for with the highest honors and a great scholarship. I know this is, in part, due to his cultural experiences abroad and the transcripts he was allowed to submit from the program.”
“We are waiting on another college, which doesn't reply until February or March,” Moore added. “The fact that Michael was accepted so fast from another private college is testament to the great application he was able to send.”
Abbey Road’s language immersion programs improve students’ SAT Subject Test Scores, which further bolsters a college application packet.
“The test was fantastic! I got my score back, and it is 730 out of 800, considered to be an incredible score,” said Michael Mallon, who went to Nice with Abbey Road in 2009. “I owe much of that score to Abbey Road, especially because the test included listening, which for me improved greatly while I was on my trip.”
Abbey Road staff members are dedicated to their students and committed to helping students through the college applications process, often writing recommendation letters that many students credit with helping them secure admission to top colleges.
Mallon adds that he is sure his recommendation letter from Abbey Road helped him get accepted to Cornell University. “I was accepted Early Decision to Cornell University, where I hope to study Government and International Relations,” he said.

NEWS: ABBEY ROAD'S NEW BROCHURES ROCK!!!

2010-01-26T10:06:00.000-08:00

Wanna check out one of our super cool new brochures? They're awesome. We're proud. Request one.

2010-01-26T09:53:00.000-08:00

SO MANY INCREDIBLE PROGRAMS, SO LITTLE TIME!

2010-01-12T17:45:00.000-08:00

How could one ever choose?!?

Check out our 2010 Summer Programs AT A GLANCE

ONLY 2.5 WEEKS LEFT FOR JANUARY DISCOUNT

2010-01-12T09:16:00.000-08:00

ANNOUNCING NEW MODERN CIVILIZATION PROGRAM

2010-01-07T10:37:00.000-08:00

PARIS. LONDON. BERLIN. PRAGUE. Need we say more? Abbey Road's New Modern Civilization Program will take you on an unbelievable summer adventure to four of Europe's capitals of culture! Contemporary art, modern European history, international relations, fashion, architecture and design galore!
The fast-paced Modern Civilization program is designed for motivated students interested in international relations, globalization and the global economy, European politics, journalism, and debate. Over the course of the three week program, students will examine major developments in European history from World War II to the fall of the Berlin Wall as well as the formation of the modern European Union.
Take advantage of this highly unique, fast-paced program in 2010! Experience each of these aged European cultures from a contemporary world view. See buildings that date back hundreds of years alongside the absolute cutting-edge in architecture and design. View some of the most celebrated artworks on the planet just feet away from the latest in contemporary art and fashion. Check out the full program description on the main Abbey Road site: MODERN CIVILIZATION 411

BENNY FRANKLIN APPROVED JANUARY DISCOUNT!

2009-12-27T12:49:00.000-08:00

Apply for any 2010 Summer Program in January and receive $300 off!

ANNOUNCING EXCITING NEW PROGRAMS FOR 2010!

2009-12-27T12:27:00.000-08:00

Interested in International Studies, Politics, Business, Economics or Foreign Language? Are you looking for College Counseling Guidance and intensive SAT Preparation? Join us this summer in Boston for our New Leadership Academy and College Prep Programs! See the official Abbey Road Programs website for more information: ABBEY ROAD PROGRAMS

JOIN US FOR BRUNCH IN THE NEW YEAR! YUM! YUM!

2009-12-27T12:09:00.000-08:00

Abbey Road hosts regular weekend brunches in Manhattan and we would love to see you there! Chat with summer staff, meet up with other alums and network with new students! Call the office for more information and to RSVP! Delicious AND informative!

STAY WARM + ENJOY THE BREAK! SEE YOU IN 2010!

2009-12-27T11:28:00.000-08:00

IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE ARTS WITH ABBEY ROAD

2009-11-25T11:23:00.000-08:00

Our recent photo contest was just one facet of an overall commitment on the part of Abbey Road to the arts. Abbey Road has always deeply supported arts education and the exposure of teens to art in a fun, low-key way. Abbey Road's foremost commitment to the students is an academic one, and art provides another route for students to engage in critical thought and dialogue and immerse themselves in a new culture. Abbey Road provides an environment for such modes of learning.

Abbey Road's Florence Art program integrates daily studio practices with the long, rich tradition of arts in Florence. Students take studio art classes, art history and on-site observational drawing classes, then go out into the city to museums, art galleries, private collections, walking streets studded with beautiful old buildings.

"One of the major benefits of the program is that we don't just do the major museums and major churches, we do it all," said William Binnie, a member of the Florence Art program staff. "We may go to the Uffizi in the morning and then hike up to a small hillside Romanesque church in the afternoon. Big museums often house astonishing collections of artwork, but we try to balance out everything, so it's not just a highlights tour but rather more of a 'nooks and crannies' tour mixed in with the major sites."
However, every Abbey Road program involves a great deal of art, architecture and art history, due to being based in major European cities with long histories and well-preserved art and buildings.
"Each program has access to some of the most unbelievable collections, both private and public, on the face of the earth," said Binnie. "However, artistic resources are hardly limited to museums and galleries, because simply walking around the city is like being in a museum in itself."
Indeed, Abbey Road parents note that cultural immersion happens every day on an Abbey Road program. "Sigal got to see and touch the Acropolis," said Sharon Azmon, whose daughter will take her second trip with Abbey Road this summer. "She walked the beautiful city of Florence and was completely taken by the warmth of its people and its beautiful art."

"The photography was what really sealed the deal for Michael, as he is an avid photographer at home and loved that taking pictures of his trip was built into the program," said Pam Mallon. "The museums and fine art blew him away."

"You simply cannot go on an Abbey Road program and avoid being completely overwhelmed by the richness of the cultural and artistic heritage of each city," Binnie said. - Katie Ginder-Vogel

THE ABBEY ROAD HOLIDAY PROMOTION IS HERE!

2009-11-24T08:54:00.000-08:00

Enroll by December 15th, 2009 and you will receive a $500 discount on any program of your choice! To find out more information about program availability, program selection, or to ask any other questions you might have, please call our offices at: (888) 462-2239 or (310) 473-7300

NYC INFO SESSION - SATURDAY 5 DECEMBER 2009

2009-11-24T08:45:00.000-08:00

Meet us in Manhattan!
Abbey Road staff will be holding an informational meeting in Manhattan on Saturday, December 5th.

Date: Saturday, December 5th, 2009
Time: 2:00pm
Location: Warwick Hotel
Address: 65 West 54th Street (6th Avenue), New York, NY 10019

Refreshments will be served!
RSVP is required!

888-462-2239
310-473-7300 (weekdays)
310-560-3312 (evenings and weekends)

OFFICIAL 2009 PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS!

2009-11-19T15:22:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to the winners of the 2009 Summer Photo Contest! Thank you to all of those who voted for your favorite images! The people have spoken and the polls are now officially closed. After receiving nearly 200 votes in 4 days our winners have been decided! The prizes shall be awarded shortly. This was an amazing process from start to finish. To those who did not win in their respective categories, simply making it to the final round from the 700+ photos that we started with is quite a feat! Below are the winners of each category and notable runner-ups. You can click the images to enlarge them. Enjoy!

BEST OVERALL SHOT:

BEST SCENIC SHOT:

BEST ACTION/CANDID SHOT:

BEST GROUP SHOT:
.

NOTABLE CONTENDERS:

ABBEY ROAD PROGRAMS GROWS DESPITE TOUGH ECONOMY: Families Are Investing In Student Travel

2009-11-19T15:05:00.000-08:00

In the face of these challenging economic times, Abbey Road Programs finds itself thriving. “In an economy like this, families are working hard to save money,” says Abbey Road Programs’ founder and President, Dr. Arthur Kian. “However, education remains an investment priority for many parents.”
Sharon Azmon sent her daughter Sigal to Italy and France with Abbey Road Programs. “The program not only made history three dimensional for her, it gave her the opportunity to experience new cultures, new people, new foods and hear native languages in an educational and safe environment,” said Azmon, whose daughter will return to Italy with Abbey Road Programs this summer. “Yes, this was expensive, but it was a great investment that we feel paid off.”
Lorrie Latzen almost didn’t send her daughter Elena to France due to the economic downturn but is glad she made the investment in the program. “When it came right down to it, things got difficult,” said Latzen. “The economy had fallen apart, and honestly, we were concerned about her safety while traveling outside the U.S.” The family ultimately decided Elena should have the opportunity to grow and learn overseas. “We had to carefully think this through, as it was a big investment,” said Latzen, “but we also knew that if we did this right, our return on this investment would be invaluable, and that is how it turned out.”
Over 600 students participated in Abbey Road programs in the summer of 2009.

PHOTO CONTEST 2K9: FINAL JUDGEMENT

2009-11-14T09:23:00.000-08:00

This is it...after receiving over 700 (that's seven-HUNDRED) photographs from the students of AR2K9 (Abbey Road Programs - Summer 2009), we have managed to narrow them all down to 3-4 top choices in four separate categories. It has been a painstaking but thoroughly enjoyable process due to the many, many exquisite photos that were snapped all over Europe this past summer. We've made it to this point and now we seek your help in deciding the official winners of Photo Contest 2K9.
There are four categories: Best Scenic Shot, Best Action/Candid Shot, Best Group Shot, and Best Overall. The winner of the Best Overall category will be awarded a $100 Amazon gift card! The winner of each of the other three categories will be awarded $50 Amazon gift cards! Other prizes will be awarded since the photos are just all so outstanding.
All of the images in each category are posted below, which can be enlarged by clicking on each individual photo. On the right side of the screen you will see the corresponding polls for each category where the votes shall be cast. Upon the closing of the polls we will re-post the winners in a larger, more grandiose fashion, along with honorable mentions. It is now up to you! The choice is yours! ROCK THE VOTE!

BEST SCENIC SHOT:

1. Rooftop View

2. Sea and Sky

3. View of Sea (with trees)

BEST CANDID/ACTION SHOT:

1. On the River Seine (with Eiffel Tower)

2. Jumping in the Surf at Glyfada

3. Piggy Back Ride in Florence

BEST GROUP SHOT:

1. Group at Tuiliers

2. Girls at Delphi

3. Group at San Gimignano

BEST OVERALL SHOT:

1. Hanging Out on the Rail

2. Girls Laying on the Grass

3. Girls with Gladiators

4. Girls on the Lawn at the Louvre

ABBEY ROAD TAKES ON GLOBAL WARMING!

2009-10-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

Abbey Road has answered the call to go green with its Tree Per Trip and Green Ticket programs for students.

“President Obama has called for Americans to do more for the environment,” said Abbey Road Programs’ founder and President, Dr. Arthur Kian. “We’re doing our part, and we challenge other travel study and educational programs to do the same.”

Abbey Road Programs will plant one tree for every student who travels with the company this summer as part of its Tree Per Trip Program.

Abbey Road’s Green Ticket Scholarship is available to students ages 14-18 who have exhibited a commitment to the environment through their school or community. One full, all expenses paid Green Ticket Scholarship and two partial (airfare paid) scholarships will be offered in 2009.

Students who have done work in the areas of global warming, biodiversity, ecosystem preservation, toxic waste reduction, deforestation, energy conservation, recycling, preservation of endangered species are encouraged to apply to the Green Ticket Scholarship Program.

Over 600 students participated in Abbey Road programs in the summer of 2009.

FLORENCE ART ALUMNA SHARES HER EXPERIENCE

2009-10-26T19:06:00.000-07:00

Emily Kissenberth, a New Jersey native and alum of the Florence Art '09 Program, shared these delightful and enthusiastic words with us about her summer experience with Abbey Road. It's always fun to hear first-hand accounts from students so we thank you for your input, Em!

"I explain my time in Florence as exciting and informative, but more then that I consider it life changing and inspiring. When I first stepped off the plane in Italy, I felt nervous and confused, I was in a place that I have never been, I felt isolated because I couldn’t communicate, and overwhelmed because I was jet-lagged, tired, and I wanted to hide. But then Stefano, who I later found out would be my art history teacher, came around the corner, with a huge sign that read “Abbey Road! Emily, Mica, Eden?” and a huge smile. Suddenly I felt relieved and I excited for the upcoming month.
The most important aspect of living in Italy was figuring out how to live with five other people that I have never met in my life. The six of us were from all over the world, stretching from Brasilia to New York City and from small town Florida to Boston. We were all so different but bonded over the fact that we were all first time visitors to Italy and we were all absolutely confused about how to start our life for the next month. We stayed up late and played cards, learned to cook authentic Italian meals and made messes with our bubbly cooking instructor, William, laughed and talked about our lives at home, scattered makeup and hair products all over the apartment, hosted residence night at least weekly by inviting everyone to come and hangout with us, but most importantly we helped each other with our work and sat down and made art together. We all shared a simple interest and we all helped each other grow individually. For me, being surrounded by centuries of fine art and living with five other artists was the most inspiring thing about being in Italy.
My main class was oil painting, which I had in the morning. I have never been so excited to wake up at 7 o’clock in my whole life. We went to our studio and worked until 11:30. Antonio, my painting instructor, was so talented and inspiring, and I think I have completed some of my best work while working with him. Also, there were only 7 other students in my class, so it made time for a lot of personal teaching and lessons from my instructor. In the afternoon I had art history with Stefano. He is so smart and knows so much information about art in Florence and Rome. I was really thankful that I chose to take art history because as a freshman in college I am taking art history now, being in Italy and seeing all the paintings in real life that I am learning about has made it much more interesting.
Most importantly, being in Florence, with a helpful, caring staff, meeting new people that are now life long friends has been the best experience in my life so far. Every time i see something that reminds me of my trip, I just smile, because all I have are good memories and stories. There is nothing like being in a beautiful country, filled with ancient artwork that built the framework of want I want to pursue for the rest of my life. I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to go to Florence and participate in Abbey Road Summer Programs. " -EMILY KISSENBERTH, FLORENCE ART, SUMMER 2009

NEW BLOG!!!!!

2009-10-22T14:10:00.000-07:00

WELCOME TO ABBEY ROAD'S BRAND SPANKIN' NEW BLOG!
This is officially our very first post! Check back often as we plan on posting and uploading new content all the time including exciting news, info, photos, and other media about what's going on with the company, the staff, alumni, and the many amazing programs that we offer.
The goal is for this to be a very interactive space for both prospective students interested in studying abroad with Abbey Road and for student alumni who want to share their own personal experiences. In other words, we want to hear from you! If you have any great photos, stories or tips from your own experience abroad (which we know you do) that you would like to share, let's put them on the site! That way, our content will always be fresh, providing a wide-range of unique, fun content. In a sense, the blog is simply another format of sharing information about the company's mission through constant updates covering everything from staff news, alumni news, company news, and anything else anyone would like to see addressed on the site. It is designed for anyone who wants to find out more about the benefits of studying abroad, learning foreign languages, and experiencing cultures other than their own.

For those of you not familiar with us:

Abbey Road was founded by Stanford University alumni and operated by experienced professionals from other top schools such as Harvard, Yale, and NYU, Abbey Road Programs brings together a staff team with more than fifteen years of practice in the fields of international student exchange, travel, and education.
At Abbey Road, we take great pride in our faculty and staff. Our full-time and summer staff directors, coordinators, instructors and resident advisors are experienced, dedicated and caring individuals carefully selected and screened. Many of our summer staff and faculty are talented university professors and instructors, high school teachers, college administrators, and advanced graduate and high qualified college graduates. We maintain a minimum ratio of 1 staff member for every 8 students.

We follow very simple principles:

Immersion, Enrichment and Growth

Our mission is to develop summer immersion programs for high school students that facilitate cross-cultural understanding and enrichment by providing a unique opportunity for: cultural immersion, intensive language study, exposure to new academic subjects, travel excursions, recreational activities, personal growth, and building life-long friendships.

Safety, Organization and Personal Attention
We put a particular emphasis on personal attention, high quality of academic, cultural and recreational programs, strong organization, and above all - safety.