Samana International Academy

About this program

Samana International Academy (SIA) is a farm-based school located in Juana Vicenta, Samana, Dominican Republic. The school provides a rigorous education in an outdoor learning environment, aiming to cultivate a deep connection with nature, a love for learning, and holistic growth through hands-on, project-based learning. The academy was founded by the Ryan family, who sailed to Samana in 2019 and fell in love with the community. Noticing that many locals lacked access to quality education, with few educated beyond primary school, they felt called to give back. In 2022, they purchased a rustic building on a large parcel of land and renovated it into a school. The vision is to provide valuable education to like-minded international families while also serving local Dominican children, creating cross-cultural friendships and impacting the community for generations.