Traveling out of the country as a high school student can seem out of reach but it was made possible by BRHS international trip organizers. During spring break, students got to visit Costa Rica with two teachers. Science teachers Anna Maria Jack and Charlie Ruperto guided students Joseph Vazquez, Jayden Colon, Priscilla Pol, Gabriella Pinelli, Leonardo Bargos and Karte Fowler on an action-packed adventure.
The idea for the trip began when the Earth Science teacher Anna Maria Jack contacted EF Tours on Instagram, and after reviewing the available tour plans, she decided to move forward with organizing the trip. “A lot of students were interested and excited, but some were hesitant,” Ms. Jack said. In the end, six students signed up, ready for the adventure of a lifetime.
Each student paid $3,000 for the trip, which covered flights, hotels, food and activities. The journey wasn’t always easy; there were early wake-up calls, long bus rides and sometimes not enough hot water in the hotel rooms. Still, students were excited for the chance to experience something new.
Some students said the best part was seeing Costa Rica’s nature up close. Gabriella Pinelli, a senior, described the trip as “adventurous.” She said she loved spending time with her best friend and feeling more independent. Even though being around animals was outside her comfort zone, it’s something she’ll never forget. “I also learned that chocolate is a big deal in Costa Rica,” she said.
Senior Leonardo Burgos was surprised that they could go to another country. “My favorite part of the trip was playing soccer with local kids,” he said. He had to adjust to “curfew because most of the time we wanted to explore.”
“It has a lot more biodiversity compared to New York,” said Joseph Vazquez, a junior. “The favorite part of the trip was being able to hangout with teachers and students. There were a lot of wild animals and a lot more nature.”
However, he didn’t like the long bus rides. He is interested in going on the next trip, “I don’t think I have the money, but I’m interested,” he said.
He chose to go on the Costa Rica trip because he wanted to experience something different from the environment he was in. He learned from the trip that Costa Rica has 5 percent of the world’s biodiversity.
More adventures are on the way: BRHS is planning to head to Italy next year. Interested students should see Ms. Jack for details.
