“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
As a child, I loved looking at illustrated maps of the world. You probably remember them, too—cartoonish maps featuring the pyramids of Egypt, the Eiffel Tower in France, Big Ben in Great Britain, the Colosseum and Leanin0g Tower of Pisa in Italy, and the Sydney Opera House in Australia.
Those maps sparked my imagination. I daydreamed about riding a camel in Cairo, floating through the canals of Venice in a gondola, and seeing all the incredible places that seemed so impossibly far away.
And then there was The Brady Bunch.
In the unforgettable three-episode “Hawaii” adventure, the Brady family flew to Honolulu, hula danced, attended a luau, went surfing, stayed at the Sheraton-Waikiki, and explored mysterious tiki caves. I was by no means deprived as a child, but I desperately wanted to hear my parents say those magical words: “We’re going to Hawaii!”
Eventually, I realized that my family probably wasn’t going to visit Hawaii—or many of the faraway places I dreamed about.
Life, however, has a funny way of bringing some childhood dreams full circle.
As an adult, I have been blessed with some amazing experiences and adventures around the world. I have traveled with large groups, with friends and companions, and often by myself. I have visited Hawaii and many of the places I once studied on those childhood maps.
And while I still love exploring the world, one of my greatest joys is watching someone experience a new place, culture, or adventure for the very first time.
That is one reason I am especially excited about an opportunity coming to Riverdale Academy.
Expanding the Classroom
Riverdale Academy has partnered with Education First Tours to give our students the opportunity to experience the world beyond the classroom.
In the spring of 2028, Riverdale students and alumni will have the opportunity to travel to London, Paris, Milan, Florence, and Rome.
Several activities are already planned, including a walking food tour, a scavenger hunt, and cooking classes. Students will also have the opportunity to earn educational credits as part of the experience.
For me, this is about much more than checking destinations off a list.
Travel teaches things that are difficult to learn from a textbook alone. It puts history under your feet. It introduces you to people whose lives may look different from your own. It gives you the chance to taste foods you’ve never tried, hear languages you’ve never spoken, navigate unfamiliar streets, and discover that the world is both wonderfully different and surprisingly connected.
Hopefully, this will be the first of many Riverdale trips. Students have already expressed interest in destinations including Japan, Germany, Scotland, and Ireland.
Who knows? Maybe someday a Riverdale student will look back and realize that one of these trips was the beginning of a lifelong love of exploring the world.
Growing Minds—and People
At Riverdale Academy, we are striving to give our students the best education possible while also giving them the greatest opportunities and experiences we can.
When our students show an interest in something, we want to nurture that interest.
That philosophy has led to an ever-growing list of opportunities at Riverdale, including chess club, quiz bowl, robotics, fishing, 4-H, educational travel, the Sea Perch Program, Junior Beta and Senior Beta Clubs, and a wide variety of sports.
These activities may look different from one another, but they have something important in common: they give students opportunities to discover what they can do.
Sometimes, that discovery happens in a classroom. Sometimes it happens on a playing field, at a robotics competition, while fishing, solving a difficult chess problem, or traveling halfway around the world.
We believe all of those experiences matter.
Sometimes, Small Is Better
One of the advantages of Riverdale Academy is that most of our classes are small.
That allows our teachers to provide focused instruction and give students the extra help, attention, or time they need. We have seen students who might have been considered behind make tremendous progress through determination and hard work, combined with the commitment of their teachers and parents.
We have students who are now reading on level—or above level—because people refused to give up on them.
Those success stories mean a great deal to us.
Education isn’t simply about where a student starts. It’s about helping them discover where they can go.
Welcome to the Riverdale Family
This year, we have welcomed many new students and their parents into our Riverdale family.
Our current students have, in many cases, gone out of their way to make those new students feel accepted and included. The new students and their parents tell us they are loving their experience at Riverdale.
And we love having them here.
That sense of belonging is just as important to us as academics and extracurricular activities. We want our students to be challenged, encouraged, supported, and successful.
Perhaps most importantly, we want them to believe that their possibilities are bigger than they may have imagined.
What childhood dream is waiting for your child?
Maybe it isn’t a trip to Europe.
Maybe it’s becoming a scientist, an athlete, an engineer, an artist, a leader—or simply becoming more confident in who they are.
At Riverdale Academy, we’re working to create an environment where students can explore those possibilities, stretch their minds, discover new interests, and become well-rounded young people.
If you are looking for a school that will challenge your children academically while giving them opportunities to experience new things and discover their potential, we have a place for your family.
Even though the new school year has begun, we continue to hear from families interested in Riverdale Academy, and we will accept new students for as long as we are able. Over the years, Riverdale has hosted students from Red River, Natchitoches, DeSoto, Bienville, Caddo, and Bossier Parishes.
To learn more about what is happening at Riverdale Academy, check out our Facebook page or visit riverdaleacademy.org.
If you have questions or would like to schedule a tour, contact sgreer@riverdaleacademy.org, hbrown@riverdaleacademy.org, or call 318-471-5155.
Because sometimes the experiences we give our children today become the stories—and dreams—they carry with them for the rest of their lives.
And who knows?
Maybe one day, when they see an old map of the world, they’ll be able to point to a place and say, “I’ve been there.”
“The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.”
— Psalm 126:3
Riverdale Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or national origin.
