Service and Sustainability in the Costa Rican Rainforest
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Service and Sustainability in the Costa Rican Rainforest
Westmark Staff
At the start of Spring Break, a group of Westmark juniors and seniors headed to the airport with bags packed for the tropics. But the trip ahead was not an everyday resort getaway.
For the next week, the twenty students would travel to various destinations in Costa Rica, learning about local customs and traditions, connecting with young children, eating native fruits and vegetables, and exploring the country’s natural beauty. An annual tradition, the Grades 11–12 International Service Trip offered students the opportunity to challenge themselves, apply their classroom knowledge and skills, and create lasting memories with each other and the Costa Rican people they met.
Check out highlights from their trip in the photos below!
During the group’s first morning in La Fortuna—a small town in northern Costa Rica near Arenal Volcano—locals performed traditional ceremonial dances and invited Westmark students to learn the steps!
Later that day, students also had the chance to learn about the ecology—and the rainy weather!—of the surrounding Costa Rican rainforest while on a search for sloths.
Westmark students welcomed a group of children from La Fortuna to a camp they would host over the next three days.
The camp featured art projects, games, and other interactive activities planned and facilitated by Westmark students.
Top left photo by senior Alex A.
A little mud couldn’t stop our Lions from having fun on the field with the campers.
Top left, top right, and bottom right photos by senior Alex A.
Upon discovering that one of the teachers from La Fortuna was part of the Deaf community, several Westmark students used their knowledge of sign language to communicate with her.
After a morning with the campers, Westmark students toured Don Juan Finca, an organic farm where they learned about sustainable agricultural practices. In addition to sampling a variety of new fruits, they tried their hands at pressing cane sugar and then tasted the juice.
Top middle, top right, bottom middle, and bottom right photos by senior Alex A.
On the final morning of camp, the Westmark students and La Fortuna campers split into two teams for field day games.
Top left and top right photos by senior Alex A.
As camp came to an end, the Westmark students ran after the campers’ bus, waving goodbye to their new friends.
A river that ran alongside the students’ cabanas offered a refreshing break during the busy week.
What’s camp without toasted marshmallows? After eating their sweets, the students used the skewers to experiment with photography and light.
Top right and bottom right photos by senior Alex A.
On the last full day of the trip, a group of students soared via zipline through the rainforest from the highest point in Costa Rica down to the base of the mountain.
Another group of students traversed incredible hanging bridges through the rainforest.
Viewing a stunning sunset at Playa del Coco made for a perfect ending to a transformative experience in Costa Rica.