NLSD students return from Costa Rica: board hears trip report and student reflections

Signora Snyder, the district Spanish teacher, presented a recap of a nine-day educational tour to Costa Rica taken March 13, 2025, by 42 students and six teachers, and shared student journal excerpts and a video montage with the board on May 13.

Why it matters: the trip combined cultural learning, service activities and language practice; staff emphasized its value as experiential education and student reflections highlighted language practice, cross-cultural exchange and service at a local Costa Rican school.

Signora Snyder described the itinerary: arrival in San Jose9, visits to a coffee company, a rural school called Escuela Agua Azul where students read books in Spanish and donated them to the school library, a hike to La Fortuna Waterfall, cacao and chocolate-making demonstrations, kayaking on Lake Arenal, the Monteverde cloud-forest reserve and ziplining, time on the Pacific coast and a visit to Manuel Antonio National Park and a tarcoles river boat tour with wildlife sightings. She thanked chaperones Adam Molinaro, Gary Bouchette, Christy Dimakowitz, Trish Schaeffbook and Rhonda Sowers and said the trip included service work and cultural exchange.

Signora Snyder read multiple student journal entries. One student wrote that the trip "was packed with cultural learning, new experiences, new friendships, life lessons, and adventures" and another described teaching a Costa Rican boy to paint and using Spanish to communicate. The teacher said Ben Klemmer compiled the video montage.

Board members and attendees praised the trip and were reminded upcoming events including graduation and end-of-year awards. No board action was required on the presentation; it was offered as an informational report.