Four Point Program
Four Years, Four Transformational Experiences.
The Four Point program is designed to push students out of their comfort zones, encouraging them to grow through a curated set of challenges. This program not only rewards resilience but also helps students translate their classroom learning into real-world practice.
Four Point is Gould’s signature experiential program—a four-year journey that engages students in ways the classroom alone can’t. Each March, students step away from traditional academics and into transformational experiences that their interdisciplinary classes have prepared them for. International immersion, creative exploration, winter expeditions, and independent capstone projects give students the opportunity to reflect, connect, and test themselves in meaningful ways. It’s a defining part of what it means to be a Gould student.
Becoming a World Traveler
9th Grade
Students travel in small groups to immerse themselves in new cultures and ways of life. These international experiences build confidence and empathy as travelers and create global awareness at a formative time in their high school journey.
In the past year, students walked the Camino de Santiago in Spain, bonded with indigenous populations in the African Savannah, sea kayaked in the Caribbean around Dominica, and explored rainforest agriculture in Costa Rica.
Artistic Expression & Community Outreach
10th Grade
Through robust workshops with visiting artists, students learn to express themselves in creative ways and discover aptitudes they didn’t know they had. Through local service projects, students uncover the power of giving back and make an impact in the local community.
This past year included workshops in metalworking, jewelry-making, fashion design, culinary arts, and more!
A Transformative Winter Camping Expedition
11th Grade
On an eight-night winter camping expedition in the mountains of western Maine and the White Mountain National Forest of New Hampshire, students learn resilience, teamwork, and that they are capable of difficult things. It’s a formative rite of passage that builds confidence that students carry for life.
Independent Research
12th Grade
Seniors create independent projects rooted in personal passion—from service initiatives, or studies in environmental science, to global exploration. Students draw from everything they have learned in their time at Gould for these capstones.